Beavers Bend Resort Park

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Beavers Bend State Park
Beavers Bend State Park, OK sign IMG 8544.JPG
USA Oklahoma location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location McCurtain County, Oklahoma, United States
Nearest city Broken Bow, OK
Coordinates 34°07′52″N94°41′24″W / 34.13111°N 94.69000°W / 34.13111; -94.69000
Area3,482 acres (1,409 ha)
Created1937
Visitors2,283,559(in 2021) [1]
Governing body Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation
www.travelok.com/state-parks/beavers-bend-state-park
Broken Bow Reservoir is located within the state park. Broken Bow, OK, Reservoir IMG 8528.JPG
Broken Bow Reservoir is located within the state park.
Broken Bow spillway overlook Broken Bow Lake spillway overlook IMG 8537.JPG
Broken Bow spillway overlook
Bridge across Mountain Fork River Bridge across Broken Bow Lake, OK IMG 8527.JPG
Bridge across Mountain Fork River
A vista of Broken Bow Lake Broken Bow Lake vista IMG 8532.JPG
A vista of Broken Bow Lake

Beavers Bend State Park is a 3,482 [2] acres (14.09 km2) Oklahoma state park located in McCurtain County. It is approximately 10.5 miles (16.9 km) north of Broken Bow on SH-259A. [3] It was established in 1937 and contains Broken Bow Lake. [4]

Contents

National Public Radio reported that the park generated $1,787,731 in 2011, excluding $414,255 in revenue from Lakeview Lodge. Thus, gross earnings were around $2.3 million. The report did not list the number of visitors, but stated that this had the second highest attendance of any Oklahoma state park during the year. [4]

History

Construction on the park began in 1935, and it was named after John T. Beavers, a Choctaw settler who originally owned some of the land. Other portions of the park were purchased from the Choctaw Lumber Company. The Civilian Conservation Corps contributed significantly to the park's construction, and it received over 2,000 visitors in its first year of operation despite not being fully developed. [5]

This park absorbed the former Hochatown State Park in 2017.

This park was 1 of 7 state parks in Oklahoma that was in the path of totality for the April 8th, 2024 total solar eclipse, with 4 minutes and 15.2 seconds of totality. [6]

Attractions

Kayaking at Broken Bow Broken Bow Kayak.jpg
Kayaking at Broken Bow

Beavers Bend State Park offers a variety of individual and group activities. Eagle watches are available from November through February. Trout fishing, fly fishing clinics, guided horseback rides, and hayrides throughout the park are other activities offered at Beavers Bend.

A year-round naturalist and a well-stocked nature center make possible a program lineup that includes campfire programs on the banks of the Mountain Fork River, nature hikes, arts and crafts classes, water sports, bingo, sunset hikes, nature films, and astronomy outings. 14,000 acre (57 km2) Broken Bow Lake is also a favorite of scuba divers. Other park diversions include golfing, miniature golf, archery, tennis, jet skiing, bumper boat rides, boating, and canoeing.

The David L. Boren Trail offers 16 miles (26 km) of hiking trails with 4 miles (6 km) of multi-purpose trails that wander along ridge tops, over creek bottoms, through tall stands of timber, and into areas so remote one can almost experience what early-day explorers must have felt upon seeing the Ouachita National Forest for the first time. The same trail can also be divided into a variety of short and long hikes for those not wishing to make the entire trek.


Forest Heritage Center

Visitors to the Forest Heritage Center's museum will find historical documents, antique forestry tools, wood art, homestead memorabilia, and a research library filled with books, periodicals, and other materials pertaining to forestry, the primary industry of the area.

The center is also home to 14 dioramas (painted by Harry Rossoll of Atlanta, Georgia, the artist who created Smokey Bear) that cover prehistoric forests, Caddo Indians, Papermaking in the South, 1940s lumbering, and forest appreciation. [7] Each diorama is accompanied by a taped narration. In June 2003 an eight-foot-tall bronze sculpture was unveiled, honoring the memory of Jim Burnett and all people who risk their lives fighting wildland fires each year. Burnett was the first forest firefighter from Oklahoma to lose his life in the line of duty and one of the many firefighters dispatched by the state of Oklahoma to battle an outbreak of wildfires in Wyoming during the summer of 2000. Burnett lost his life on August 11, 2000, fighting the Kate's Basin Fire near Thermopolis, Wyoming.

Each year some 60 million cubic feet (1,700,000 m3) of lumber is harvested in McCurtain County. The forest industry is the area's largest business concern, and great care is taken to ensure the prolonged health of local pine and hardwood forests.

Geology

An example of the area's geology Bb lake geology.jpg
An example of the area's geology

Built on the site of an old Choctaw settlement, Beavers Bend State Park was named after John T. Beavers, a Choctaw intermarried citizen. The "bend" in the park's name refers to an area of the park where a portion of Mountain Fork River meanders sharply, making an almost 180-degree turn. This area is commonly known as the River Bend, and is a popular area for trout fishing, canoe rentals, and swimming. Also in the River Bend area is the Broken Bow Hydroelectric Plant, which generates energy from the waters of Broken Bow Lake.

The local rock formations are some of the most distinctive in the state of Oklahoma. Just north of Broken Bow, sedimentary rock has been thrust upward due to an ancient collision of the North American and South American Plates, forming what is now the Ouachita Mountains. Evidence of what is called the Ouachita orogeny can be seen all over the park, where some layers of rock can be seen tilted up at angles of about sixty-degrees. These geologic features can be easily viewed around Broken Bow Lake and Mountain Fork River, where erosion has left much of the rock exposed. The unique geology of the area inspires frequent field trips by geology students from numerous colleges and universities.

Fees

To help fund a backlog of deferred maintenance and park improvements, the state implemented an entrance fee for this park and 21 others effective June 15, 2020. The fees, charged per vehicle, start at $10 per day for a single-day or $8 for residents with an Oklahoma license plate or Oklahoma tribal plate. Fees are waived for honorably discharged veterans and Oklahoma residents age 62 & older and their spouses. Passes good for three days or a week are also available; annual passes good at all 22 state parks charging fees are offered at a cost of $75 for out-of-state visitors or $60 for Oklahoma residents. The 22 parks are: [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McCurtain County, Oklahoma</span> County in Oklahoma, United States

McCurtain County is a county in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, its population was 30,814. Its county seat is Idabel. It was formed at statehood from part of the earlier Choctaw Nation in Indian Territory. The name honors an influential Choctaw family who lived in the area. Green McCurtain was the last chief when Oklahoma became a state in 1907.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broken Bow, Oklahoma</span> City in Oklahoma, United States

Broken Bow is a city in McCurtain County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 4,120 at the 2010 census. It is named after Broken Bow, Nebraska, the former hometown of the city's founders, the Dierks brothers. Other Dierks-associated legacies in town include Dierks Elementary School, Dierks Street, and Dierks Train #227 which is preserved in Broken Bow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ouachita National Forest</span> American forest

The Ouachita National Forest is a vast congressionally-designated National Forest that lies in the western portion of Arkansas and portions of extreme-eastern Oklahoma, USA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ouachita Mountains</span> Mountain range in Arkansas and Oklahoma, United States

The Ouachita Mountains, simply referred to as the Ouachitas, are a mountain range in western Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma. They are formed by a thick succession of highly deformed Paleozoic strata constituting the Ouachita Fold and Thrust Belt, one of the important orogenic belts of North America. The Ouachitas continue in the subsurface to the northeast, where they make a poorly understood connection with the Appalachians and to the southwest, where they join with the Marathon uplift area of West Texas. Together with the Ozark Plateaus, the Ouachitas form the U.S. Interior Highlands. The highest natural point is Mount Magazine at 2,753 feet (839 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robbers Cave State Park</span> State park in Oklahoma, United States

Robbers Cave State Park is a state park in Latimer County, Oklahoma. It is located 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Wilburton, Oklahoma, on Oklahoma State Highway 2. Originally named Latimer State Park, it received its current name in 1936. It is located in the scenic, hilly woodlands of the Sans Bois Mountains of southeast Oklahoma. This park is a favorite of rappellers, equestrians, hikers and outdoor lovers. The park and adjoining wildlife management area covers more than 8,000 acres (3,200 ha) and includes three lakes. It offers visitors acres of discovery and enjoyment including trout fishing in season, boating, hunting, mountain biking, trails for hikers and horses, sandstone cliffs for climbing and rappelling, and fall foliage viewing. In addition, Robbers Cave is historically notable as a former hideout for infamous outlaws Belle Starr and Jesse James.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge</span>

The Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge (DFNWR) is part of the United States system of National Wildlife Refuges, and is a critical resource for wildfowl that migrate along the Central Flyway in Spring and Fall. It is located in Eastern Oklahoma, near the city of Okmulgee. The preserve runs along both banks of the Deep Fork River for about 20 miles (32 km). According to TravelOK, DFNWR receives about 45,000 visitors every year.

The Twin Bridges Area at Grand Lake State Park, previously Twin Bridges State Park, is a park on the north side of the Grand Lake o' the Cherokees in northeastern Oklahoma. It was named for the two bridges that carry U.S. Highway 60 over arms of the lake that connect to the Neosho River and the Spring River. Twin Bridges State Park is known for its quiet country atmosphere and excellent fishing for trophy-sized bass, catfish, bluegill, and spoonbill. A fishing center with bait, tackle, and enclosed fishing dock is within the park. Lighted boat ramps, picnic areas, RV and tent campgrounds, snacks, lake huts, playgrounds, volleyball court, and horseshoe pits are also available. Picnic facilities include tables, individual shelters, and group picnic shelters for larger gatherings. Campsites range from semi-modern RV sites to tent camping and offer comfort stations with showers. The park also offers one-room lake huts with electricity, ceiling fans, and screened windows, grills, tables, water, and restroom facilities. The park is also home to the Wildlife Department's Paddlefish Research & Processing Center, which collects important biological data, processes paddlefish meat for anglers, and salvages paddlefish eggs. The Paddlefish Research & Processing Center is open from February 15 to May 15.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain Fork</span> River in Oklahoma and Arkansas, United States

Mountain Fork, also known as the Mountain Fork of the Little River, is a 98-mile-long (158 km) tributary of the Little River in western Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma in the United States. Via the Little and Red rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River. The stream rises in the Ouachita Mountains. Broken Bow Lake is an artificial lake along the course of the Mountain Fork. The stream is known for canoeing, kayaking, and sport fishing, including for stocked trout.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broken Bow Lake</span> Reservoir in McCurtain County, Oklahoma

Broken Bow Lake is a reservoir in southeastern Oklahoma, located on Mountain Fork River and 9 miles (14 km) northeast of the town of Broken Bow in McCurtain County. It is one of the largest fresh water lakes within the state of Oklahoma, and a popular tourist destination for locals and visitors from neighboring Texas and Arkansas.

Hochatown State Park was once an independent Oklahoma state park in far-southeastern Oklahoma, north of the city of Broken Bow. It was combined into Beavers Bend State Park in 2017. It is a popular destination for tourists from Oklahoma and Texas interested in camping or boating on Broken Bow Lake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Choctaw Country</span>

Choctaw Country is the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation's official tourism designation for Southeastern Oklahoma. The name was previously Kiamichi Country until changed in honor of the Choctaw Nation headquartered there. The current definition of Choctaw Country includes ten counties, being Coal, Atoka, Bryan, Choctaw, McCurtain, Pushmataha, Le Flore, Latimer, Haskell, and Pittsburg counties. The department created the term as one of six designated travel regions within the state. However, other definitions of Southeastern Oklahoma may include additional counties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boiling Springs State Park</span> Park in Oklahoma, United States

Boiling Springs State Park is a park built 6 miles (9.7 km) northeast of Woodward, Oklahoma, USA. It was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.

Greenleaf State Park is located near Braggs, Oklahoma, and is situated around the 930-acre (3.8 km2) Greenleaf Lake. Greenleaf Lake was built in 1939. There is an 18-mile (29 km) hiking trail that begins inside the park and makes its way around Greenleaf lake and into the adjacent government land of Camp Gruber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arrowhead State Park</span> State park in Oklahoma, United States

The former Arrowhead State Park, now known as the Arrowhead Area at Lake Eufaula State Park is a 2,200-acre (8.9 km2) Oklahoma state park area located in northern Pittsburg County, Oklahoma on a peninsula of Eufaula Lake. It is located near the city of Canadian, Oklahoma. Eufaula is one of the largest man-made lakes in the southwest. Arrowhead State Park features 100 tent sites and 91 total RV sites. The park also offers picnic shelters, a marina, playgrounds, trails, miniature golf course, swimming area, mountain biking, equestrian campground, stables, and 25 miles (40 km) of equestrian trails. Group camps with a kitchen and bunkhouses are available and can sleep up to 144 people. Area 51 Marina, which also offers a restaurant, is also located at the park in the Echo Ridge area.

Fort Cobb State Park is a 1,872-acre (7.58 km2) Oklahoma state park located in Caddo County, Oklahoma, USA. It is located near the city of Fort Cobb. The park offers recreational activities and facilities including camping, fishing, boating, water sports, swimming, hiking and golf. A visitors' center is located on site, as well as a gift shop, bait and tackle shop, RV sites with water and electric hook-ups, primitive camping areas, scenic views of the lake, comfort stations, laundry facilities, picnic sites, three playgrounds, two swimming areas and marina. Equipment rentals are available. The park also has an 18-hole golf course with practice range, putting green and pro shop. The park has 282 RV sites, 35 of which have sewer, and 102 tent campsites.

Foss State Park is a 1,749-acre (708 ha) Oklahoma state park located on Foss Lake, in southwestern Custer County, Oklahoma, near the city of Foss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Salt Plains State Park</span> State park in Oklahoma, United States

Great Salt Plains State Park is a 840-acre (3.4 km2) Oklahoma state park located in Alfalfa County, Oklahoma. It is located 8 miles (13 km) north of Jet, Oklahoma on SH-38 and 12 miles (19 km) east of Cherokee. Recreational opportunities at Great Salt Plains State Park include boating, camping, picnicking, swimming, hiking, mountain biking and exploring. The Great Salt Plains Lake is located at the park and covers 9,300 acres (38 km2) with 41 miles (66 km) of shoreline and is a shallow, salty lake with fishing opportunities for catfish, saugeye, sandbass and hybrid striper. The average depth is reportedly 4 feet (1.2 m) and the impoundment capacity is 31,420 acre-feet. Salinity of the water in the reservoir is one-fourth that of sea water. Personal watercraft are not recommended. The park has RV and tent sites, comfort stations with showers, cabins, picnic sites, group shelters, swimming beach, playgrounds, boat ramps, fishing dock and equestrian trails. Horse rental is not available.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Eufaula State Park</span> State park in Oklahoma, United States

Lake Eufaula State Park is a 2,853-acre (11.55 km2) Oklahoma state park located in McIntosh County, Oklahoma on Lake Eufaula. It is 14 miles (23 km) southwest of Checotah. The park was formerly known as Fountainhead State Park. Fountainhead, together with the neighboring Arrowhead State Park, were created in 1965. Fountainhead's name was changed to Lake Eufaula State Park effective November 1, 2002. Arrowhead is now known as the Arrowhead Area at Lake Eufaula State Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Osage Hills State Park</span> State park in Osage County, Oklahoma

Osage Hills State Park is a 1,100-acre (4.5 km2) Oklahoma state park It is located in eastern Osage County, Oklahoma. The nearest cities are Pawhuska and Bartlesville. The park offers outdoor recreation opportunities including camping, hiking, fishing and wildlife watching. Park facilities include picnic tables and shelters, 20 semi-modern RV campsites, 16 tent sites and 8 cabins. Several of the park's structures are historic parkitecture built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s and 1940s.

Hochatown, Oklahoma is a town in McCurtain County, Oklahoma, United States, the second to hold the name after the first was flooded by the damming of the Mountain Fork River to create Broken Bow Lake. The city lies within the Little Dixie region of Oklahoma, an area originally settled largely by Southerners seeking a new start following the Civil War.

References

  1. ↑ "Evaluation of Oklahoma's State Parks". Oklahoma Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT). March 31, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Beavers Bend State Park".
  3. ↑ Oklahoma Geological Survey. Guide to Beavers Bend State Park. p. 5. (1963).
  4. 1 2 "The Five Most Expensive State Parks in Oklahoma." Wertz, Joe. National Public Radio. September 15, 2011. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
  5. ↑ Caneday, Ph.D., Lowell; Larson, Mitchell; Yang, Chang-Heng (June 30, 2020). "Beavers Bend State Park Resource Management Plan" (PDF). Oklahoma State University Department of Geography. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
  6. ↑ R, Mike (September 25, 2022). "2024 Solar Eclipse State Park Reservation Dates". CosmosPNW. Retrieved October 2, 2022.
  7. ↑ Grelen, Jay. "Father bear leaves art behind". The Oklahoman. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Plan unveiled to implement fees at some state parks starting next week". Carmen Forman, The Oklahoman, June 9, 2020. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
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