Photo: Fredlyfish4, CC BY-SA 4.0Oklahoma Forests — 10 Days
Sulphur springs → Ouachita river canyons → $3/night mountain trail camp
Route Map
● Austin (start/end) · numbered stops in order · dashed line shows approximate route
Estimated Trip Cost
Gas estimate assumes 2WD pickup + travel trailer at 10 mpg, 65 mph max, $3.25/gal regular unleaded (approx. national avg). Includes 510 mi of stops + 380 mi return to Austin.
Trip Highlights
- ▶ $3/night at Winding Stair — the cheapest per-night camp on any itinerary
- ▶ Talimena Scenic Drive from Winding Stair: Oklahoma's best mountain panorama, almost unknown outside the state
- ▶ Three-stop progression: plains springs → river canyons → Ouachita mountain ridgeline
- ▶ Shortest inter-stop drive of any Oklahoma leg: Beavers Bend → Winding Stair is only 85 miles
Stop-by-Stop
Day 1: depart Austin 10 AM — 230 miles via I-35 N; arrive ~2 PM. Rock Creek or Buckhorn CG. Sulphur springs Day 2. America the Beautiful Pass accepted.
Day 4: depart 10 AM — 195 miles; arrive ~1:24 PM. Cedar Slope loop. Mountain Fork River trout Day 5. Canoe rental Day 6 (~$50–80).
Day 7: depart 10 AM — 85 miles via OK-3 W → Eagletown → Big Cedar → Talihina (or US-259 N → US-70 W → Antlers → US-271 N → Talihina for a more road-friendly route); arrive ~11:30 AM. Winding Stair CG at base of Rich Mountain: $3/night self-pay iron ranger, 23 shaded sites. Direct Ouachita Trail access from camp. Talimena Scenic Drive (US-270 ridge) day trip Day 8 — sweeping Ouachita Mountain views. Day 10: depart 10 AM — 380 miles via US-270 W → McAlester → US-69 S → Durant OK → Sherman TX → US-75 → Dallas → I-35 S → Austin; arrive ~4:40 PM.