Located along I-35 in Southern Oklahoma, Lake Murray State Park is one of most unexpectedly beautiful places in Oklahoma. Although not the largest lake in Oklahoma (and often overshadowed by it’s larger neighbor Lake Texoma), there are several unique qualities that make Lake Murray State Park stand out!
- Oklahoma’s Oldest and Largest State Park! First opened to the Public in 1938, Lake Murray is Oklahoma’s First State Park.
- A dammed reservoir, the spring fed structure gives Lake Murray the clearest water among Oklahoma Lakes. It’s vibrant blue water is amazing, particularly when compared to other lakes in the area. Whether you are admiring the color and beauty of the lake from a hiking trail or enjoying the lake while swimming or boating, the crystal-clear water sets Lake Murray apart for sure.
- Lake Murray is also completely encompassed by Lake Murray State Park (hiking trails, campgrounds, swim beaches, a beautiful Lodge and Nature Center), creating uninterrupted natural views around the lake.
Hike!
Lake Murray State Park has approximately 30 miles of dog friendly trails throughout the system and overall offers relatively flat and easy to moderate trails. The views include rocks and bluffs, lake views and beautifully wooded paths.
One of my favorite short hikes at Lake Murray State Park is the Tucker Tower Loop (1 Mile). This trail starts at the Nature Center and follows along the shoreline offering a predominately flat and easy to navigate trail. My one adjustment however is to treat the trail as an out and back rather than loop. The trail head starts right off the parking lot of Nature Center and if taken as a loop, will end following along the roadway. I prefer to turn around and head back from the roadway, creating an approx. 1.5 mile out and back. There is also an option towards the end of the trial to link into the Ski Jump Trail if you would like a longer hike. The easy nature of this trail made it my go-to when first beginning to hike with my two dogs.
For a more varied terrain, I also recommend Buzzard’s Roost Trail, a loop that comes in just under 3 miles and offers views of the lake along with rock formations and bluffs, well worth seeing. The Buzzard’s Roost Trail starts at the Park Office/Ranger Station and follows a paved path for just the beginning, then changes to a dirt/natural path after crossing the bridge from the fishing pier. Â
Stay!
Lake Murray State Park offers Cabins, Lodge Rooms (Lake View), Campsites and RV Spots. We’ve stayed in several of the cabins, most of which were built in the 30s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. We’ve loved many of these cabins and I definitely recommend checking them out! They offer a variety of sizes and are ideal for couples or large groups. However, our most recent favorite cabins at Lake Murray State Park are three newer Tiny Cabins.
These Tiny Cabins are each one bedroom (Queen) and are a bit different because they have a kitchen and dining room (and nice bathrooms), however they don’t have living rooms. The best thing about the Tiny Cabins are the views from the porch and close proximity to the lake. If the weather is nice and you’d like to be able to walk directly from the cabin to the shoreline, the Tiny Cabins are the way to go! There are two located on the North Side of the Park and a single Tiny Cabin on the South Side of the Park. If you find yourself staying in the North Cabins, it may seem like the path to the lake is rocky. But if you scoot to the west of the cabin (near the Buckhorn Trail), you’ll see a path right down to a perfect swimming spot!
Lake Murray State Park also has a pool and splash pad!
Eat!
The Lookout Kitchen is located near the Lodge at Lake Murray State Park and has excellent patio and lake views. The patio is dog friendly, and we’ve loved taking our girl Ruby for a patio snack! The menu includes a variety of Breakfast/Brunch options as well as great lunch and dinner options (Pizza, Burgers, Etc).
One very fun feature of The Lookout Kitchen is its proximity to a pull up boat dock. This is great for stopping in for a quick bit when you are out on the lake. One of my favorite afternoons last summer was launching our kayaks near Elephant Rock, paddling down to the boat dock to pull in for a quick break and snack at The Lookout Kitchen before paddling back!
I can’t say enough good things about the Trail, Cabins, Amazing Lake, Scenery and Park Staff at Lake Murray State Park! Have you been!? Drop a comment below
