Oklahoma has some fantastic road trip routes, whether you’re into scenic drives, history, outdoor adventures, or quirky roadside attractions. Enjoy our business what it has to offering weekly boating with different location in South Florida besides in Oklahoma. There is fishing, and cozy lakeside cabins. Here are a few great Oklahoma road trip ideas below.
1. Route 66 Adventure
- Highlights: Start in Tulsa, stopping at the Blue Whale of Catoosa, Totem Pole Park, and the Route 66 Museum in Clinton. End in Elk City at the National Route 66 Museum.
- Why Go: Experience the nostalgia of the “Mother Road” with classic diners, neon signs, and old-school Americana.
2. Talimena Scenic Drive
- Highlights: Drive from Talihina to Mena, Arkansas, through the Ouachita Mountains. Stop at scenic overlooks like Panorama Vista and Winding Stair Mountain.
- Why Go: Stunning fall foliage, winding mountain roads, and peaceful nature vibes.
3. Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge
- Highlights: See free-range bison, longhorn cattle, and prairie dogs. Hike to the top of Mount Scott for breathtaking views.
- Why Go: Perfect for wildlife lovers and hikers. Plus, don’t miss Meers, home to Oklahoma’s famous Meers Burger.
4. Waterfalls & Natural Wonders Tour
- Highlights: Start at Turner Falls in Davis, then visit Little Niagara at Chickasaw National Recreation Area. End at Natural Falls State Park (featured in Where the Red Fern Grows).
- Why Go: A great mix of hiking, swimming, and scenic waterfalls.
5. Western Oklahoma Cowboy Trail
- Highlights: Visit the Chisholm Trail Museum in Kingfisher, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in OKC, and the Stafford Air & Space Museum in Weatherford.
- Why Go: Perfect for history buffs and fans of the Wild West.
6. Ghost Town & Spooky Oklahoma Road Trip
- Highlights: Explore the ghost town of Ingalls, visit the haunted Stone Lion Inn in Guthrie, and stop by the creepy Parallel Forest near Lawton.
- Why Go: If you love the paranormal and abandoned places, this one’s for you.
7. Lake Road Trip
- Highlights: Spend time at Grand Lake, Broken Bow Lake, and Lake Murray.
- Why Go: Perfect for water sports, relaxation, and camping.
Would you like a more detailed itinerary for any of these? 🚗
Oklahoma Float Trips Planning
Canoe and Kayak Spots in the Oklahoma Area
Thomas Jones AKA FreeWine – Oklahoma kayaking enthusiastAbout Us
My wife Dianne and I love paddling our kayaks in the rivers and lakes of Oklahoma. However, it can be quite a bit of work planning and executing successful boating trips. Whether you seek tame-water or whitewater, getting the right info at the right time can be difficult. On this website we are trying to collect a long list of great Oklahoma area kayaking locations, paddling clubs and other recreational paddling resources.
Our Kayaking Website
Knowing what bodies of water are worth paddling, knowing where to find the put-ins and take-outs, monitoring the river levels, arrange shuttle services and finding camping spots or other local lodging resources can be tough.
OklahomaRoadTrips.com is here to help. We also buy quite a bit of kayaking gear, so expect to find some reviews and recommendations especially for kayak fishing equipment.
If you live far from a big-box Sporting Goods store, like we do, you may appreciate the Amazon.com links to paddler supplies like kayak spray skirts, light-weight kayak paddles, kayaking t-shirts and even Kayaks for Sale. We get a small bit of change from each sale to help keep this website free for all.
Where to Kayak in Oklahoma
Links on the Menu to the left will take you to specific pages with information on each of the major kayaking paddling locations around Oklahoma and in the Ozarks. On this site, we try to help our fellow canoeing fans find the information they need to find the best canoe trips and kayak adventures around Oklahoma. Canoeing and kayaking on the Illinois River & The Lower Mountain Fork River got us hooked on paddling lakes and slow rivers…even the occasional fast water journey. We hope you try it it too! You don’t need a helmet to be a helmet-wearing extreme sports guru to have a great time kayaking.
Dianne just got this new Old Town Vapor 12 XT Angler Kayak from Bass Pro Shops in Broken Arrow, OK.Can’t find any kayaks for rent where you live? We can help you buy a kayak. However, I always recommend renting them a few times before buying. Renting kayaks is a good introduction to paddling as it is usually only available on safe, easy waterways. Also hauling kayaks is no cakewalk, leaving them at the takeout and heading immediately for the nearest BBQ joint is a fine luxury indeed. Also lake paddling is very different from running rivers with whitewater, you will want to choose your boat accordingly.
Sometimes, Dianne and I even leave Home Sweet Oklahoma to paddle in Arkansas, Missouri or Texas.
Most years in Oklahoma, you will find there are some sunny 60 degree days …sprinkled throughout the winter months. For winter paddling, Dianne and I look for sheltered waters you won’t find on many tourist maps. You can find them listed on our Oklahoma paddling blog and leave us your comments and tips as well. Get in on the discussion, maybe you will meet some other local kayakers.
Let us know which Oklahoma rivers and creeks you enjoy paddling by leaving a comment on our blog. If you have a little time, check out our online stores listed below. They help pay the hosting costs to keep this Oklahoma Kayaking information available online for free.
Scenic Rivers in Oklahoma
There are six eastern Oklahoma rivers covered by the Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission: The Barren Fork River, the Illinois River, Flint Creek, Lee Creek, Little Lee Creek and the Upper Mountain Fork River. I’ve been told that the Barren Fork River is all commercial and offers no float trip opportunities for Oklahoma paddlers. Sad news, if it is true. If it isn’t, shoot me an email via the Contact Us link on the menu in the top left-hand column of this page or leave a comment on our Kayak Oklahoma Blog.
This site is authored by paddlers and for paddlers. We provide location information for Oklahoma kayaking and canoe enthusiasts, camping spot reviews, river reports, kayak launches, outfitters lists and more. We do get a small commission from Amazon.com and Google for the click-through ads for the products on our site. However, if we endorse a product… it is because we used it. We don’t do paid endorsements.
Remember you must have an OKC Boating Permit to use Lake Overholser, Lake Hefner or any of the other water resources in the Oklahoma City area.
Oklahoma Kayakers
Join Some Oklahoma Kayaking Clubs
Join their Facebook Groups to meet with a great bunch of Oklahoma kayakers: OKC Kayak Facebook Group and the North East Oklahoma Kayak Anglers Facebook Group… two great paddling groups!
Oklahoma Flatwater Paddlers – Another great group for Oklahoma kayakers looking for company. Paddling is safer and more fun with friends, meet some of ours! Now, they are on Facebook, too!
Kayak Fishing for Catfish in Oklahoma
You can check out a collage of catfish pictures from Dianne’s adventures last summer on our Deep Fork River page.
Oklahoma Gold Mining
Did you know that Oklahoma was home to a small gold rush in the 1800’s? In Oklahoma, tales of buried Spanish gold abound, ranging in location from the Great Salt Plains in the western part of the state to the forks of the North and South Canadian rivers near Eufaula.
Learn more about Gold in Oklahoma on our Float the Arbuckles page!
Try some flatwater kayaking on Oklahoma’s lakes! Wondering what could be fun about baking in the sun in the middle of a huge lake? Flatwater kayakers seek out the skinny water. We look for the backwater creeks and narrow, curvy, tree-lined channels of water that motor boaters avoid.
To learn what kind of fun a $400 boat can provide you in Oklahoma: check out the dawn mists rising over Grave Creek on Lake Eufaula or the tree leaf filtered light of lower Salt Creek on Okmulgee Lake. Kayaking rocks!
Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission – Important news and events for paddlers can occasionally be found at the OSRC website.
Choosing a Kayak Paddle – Colors Count
Choosing a new kayak paddle can be tough but very rewarding. There are many things to consider as you try to arrive at the perfect compromise of weight, stiffness, durability and price. Kayak paddles are made out of plastic, aluminum, graphite, kevlar, carbon, wood and fiberglass. The materials used in the kayak paddle construction have major impacts on the weight, stiffness durability and price of a kayak paddle. I think the wood kayak paddles are especially lovely.
If you are into whitewater kayaking you will need a shorter kayak paddle than one designed for flatwater kayaking. Touring or flatwater paddles often come in a two piece option, which offers easier storage and transportation, but a new point of potential failure. Symmetrical blades use more energy but will pull you through the water quickly. Asymmetrical kayak paddle blades require less energy. Fiberglass blades are light, but I don’t like the way they sound scraping against rocks & gravel. I take my cheaper paddle when heading down rockier rivers.
For recreational kayaking, I prefer straight-shaft, 2-piece kayak paddles that are light in weight and look good in pictures. My Carlisle kayak has bright yellow blades and a shiny black shaft with no grips. Dianne has a silver & black Day Tripper kayak paddle, a great kayak paddle for the price. We sometimes trade paddles for pictures because my paddle actually matches her kayak much better than it matches mine. Browse Kayak Paddle features and prices. Since good paddles are very light it is easy to buy them online and get the maximum choice of colors.