Beavers Bend Hiking

134 Comments

Down in southeast Oklahoma is a beautiful mountainous region full of adventure for outdoor lovers. Beavers Bend is a state park located near Broken Bow and Hoochatown. The area boasts so many fun things to do like Broken Bow lake, Mountain Fork River, a plethora of shops and restaurants, more cabins than you could imagine, breweries, wineries, and every type of outdoor activity you could want.

And for hikers, well you are in for a treat because there are so many great hiking trails in this area that you can explore. The trails here range anywhere from 1 to 12 miles in length and there is a variety of difficulty levels so even the most inexperienced to the most extreme hikers can find something to suit them.

We had our two little kids with us, ages 1 and 4 so we ended up doing the some of the shorter trails during a weekend stay.

Cedar Bluff Trail

This one mile trail is considered moderately difficulty as it does gain some elevation. This trail is designed to walk clockwise although we ended up going counterclockwise and saw people hiking both ways and it is a heavily trafficked trail.

Beavers Bend hiking

From the beginning of the trail (going counterclockwise) there is a moderate incline over a rocky trail. It’s totally doable for most people and our 4 year old had no problems but we did have to go a bit slower as it was steep for her in places. Our 1 year old was strapped to my husbands back otherwise kids that age would need to be carried through portions of the trail due to the terrain.

Beavers Bend hiking

After a while of going up you reach the top of the bluff which has some great views. There are some clearings that highlight the Mountain Fork River below and it is very picturesque. As this is a highlight of this trail many people are gathered here to enjoy the breathtaking vantage point.

Beavers Bend hiking

The descent down goes into a wooded forest of tall trees and switchbacks. It is a very pleasant hike with tons of leaves covering the ground.

Beavers Bend hiking

We ended up finding a spot right off the trail to have a quick picnic and let the kids play around. There’s a small creek that runs through the lower portion of the trail but there were logs to step on to cross over. I imagine it would be a bigger issue if the creek were flooded due to heavy rains but it was pretty dry when we went.

Beavers Bend hiking

Note that there is an option to do a 6 mile hike on the Cedar Bluff trail and it is rated difficult and for experienced hikers.

Beaver Creek Trail

This trail was probably my favorite trail we went on at Beavers Bend. It is another short hike at 1 mile. It is an out and back trail and is considered easy as it is relatively flat. You start out at the trailhead near the Nature Center and follow along the creek. We found a good area early in to cross over the creek so that we were on the other side of it with the creek to our left.

Beavers Bend hiking

I could definitely see how this trail could be a bit more challenging after a heavy rain because it was very muddy and slick in some spots already. The sweet trickling of the stream and the sun cascading through the trees made for a very peaceful experience.

Beavers Bend hiking

I am a sucker for water in any shape and this trail follows along Beaver Creek so you are walking right alongside with great views the entire time.

Beavers Bend hiking

There are lots of spots to get down to the creek and play around in the rocks and water if you wish. It’s pretty easy to cross to the other side at different areas if you can find some rocks to hop across so you can explore from both sides.

Beavers Bend hiking

There are also a lot of big downed logs to enjoy and take a seat on or climb around on.

Beavers Bend hiking

You will know you’ve come to the end of the trail when it intersects with another trail, the Forest Heritage Trail which you can take to the right and make into a loop that goes to the Forest Center or you can take a left and get on to South Park Trail or you can just go back the way you came along the creek. Anyway you choose it’s about the same distance at 1 mile.

A very fun hike for kids, easy to navigate and the water being so close was perfect. It was not heavily trafficked while we were there but there were a few people we saw and some little kids having fun playing in the water as it was really shallow in most parts during our trip.

Lakeview Lodge Trail 1.4 miles

This trail is an easy to moderate 1.4 mile loop trail that starts at the Lakeview Lodge near the children’s playground.

It is a very shaded trail that is peaceful and serene. There are so many awesome quartz rocks all over the ground, some covered in blankets of green moss and a very beautiful sight to behold. Like little white crystals dotting the ground everywhere you look.

Beavers Bend hiking

This trail winds through the woods with some small inclines and hills. There are some pretty views of the lake on the backside and small creeks running through.

Beavers Bend hiking

I had read that this one was harder for younger kids but mine were able to tackle this trail but they did need a little help from time to time. There were some big fallen logs and rocks that were obstacles for my daughter to get around. While my husband used a carrier for my one year old we were able to let him down for a while and walk the trail with us in some parts.

Beavers Bend hiking

There are a couple options for a longer route as well that goes an additional 2 miles but we opted for the short loop with the kids.

Beavers Bend hiking

Of course the icing on the cake for my kids was the playground after we got off the trail.

Beavers Bend hiking

Here is a list of the other trails at Beavers Bend you can check out:

David Boren Hiking Trail 12 miles

South Park Trail 1 mile

Deer Crossing Trail 3.9 miles

Pine Ridge Nature Trail 3/4 mile

Forest Heritage Tree Trail 1.6 miles

Lookout Mountain Trail 1.9 miles

Skyline Trail 7 miles (this is rated the most difficult trail in Beavers Bend)

3 Mile Loop and Challenging 3 Mile Loop

134 Comments

  131. pg slot ทางเข้าpg ให้บริการตลอด 24 ชั่วโมง เว็บไซต์สล็อตออนไลน์ที่ได้รับการการันตี​จากนักพนันว่าเป็นเว็บที่ดีที่สุด เล่นได้ทุกระบบ เว็บของเรานั้นไม่ได้มีให้คุณเล่นทดลองเล่น พีจีสล็อต

    Reply

So what do you think? Share your thoughts here!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.