Tripping Out: Wound Up in the Mountains of Oklahoma

Don't let the cooler weather of the past couple of days fool you, because the 90-degree weather is set to return this week — this is Texas, after all. If you find yourself chasing this brief respite from the heat, you might want to look north. 

Another short jaunt out of state is waiting to be discovered, just a few hours from Dallas. If you’re pining for oneness with nature, the Winding Stair Mountains in Oklahoma are a great choice. Slightly more than three hours from Dallas, this weekend escape is hidden away in the Ouachita National Forest.

Elevation in this mountain area reaches 2,400 feet above sea level and is lauded for a myriad of shade-providing tree species, including shortleaf pine, southern red oak, white oak and flowering dogwood. Among its 26,445 acres, the Winding Stair Mountains features campgrounds, hiking trails, an equestrian camp and an 85-acre lake to take a dip in.

Within the designated Winding Stair Recreational Area are opportunities for day hiking and backpacking; lake, pond, river and stream fishing, and hunting on sites that aren’t designated for developed recreation areas or posted as non-hunting areas. Horseback riding and horse camping are also permitted in the forest.

The Winding Stair mountaintop campgrounds, open year-round, are the entry points to beautiful panoramas from Emerald Vista and neighbor the campgrounds. In addition to the campground’s venue serving as the beginning point for the Ouachita National Recreation Trail, Winding Stair’s campgrounds accommodate visitors’ RV and/or tent campsite needs thanks to its selection of paved surfaces and gravel tent pads. The first-come, first-served Backpackers Camp neighbors the campground and features select tent pads. However, you need to arrive in person at this campground to pay for and claim your site. Individual sites can be purchased by way of a money order, cash, check or by using the Recreation.gov mobile app to scan a QR code.

Pro tip: Since cell service is sporadic or nonexistent in some parts of the campground, it is recommended that you download the app before you visit. The nightly and daily standard non-electric rates, exclusive of taxes and other fees, are $14 and $8, while the tent-only daily rate is just $3. Booking rates aren’t available during out-of-season periods from March 10, 2025, through November 30, 2025.

Overnight, non-camping accommodations include Otter's Dive Cabin on Billy Creek, located in the Ouachita National Forest. Fun fact: Billy Creek is the water source for the area’s recreational kayaking and fishing expeditions.

Sure beats the concrete heat, right?