The Ardmore, Oklahoma area is home to some of the finest camping and golf facilities in the entire Sooner State. The crown jewel is Lake Murray State Park, Oklahoma’s first and largest state park that encompasses 12,500 acres.
Lake Murray, as seen from the top of Tucker Tower. Photo: TripAdvisor
This park’s diverse terrain, exceptional trails, and historic sites make Lake Murray State Park a favorite destination among outdoor enthusiasts, including golfers.
The entire state park includes nine RV campgrounds with 329 RV sites and 500 tent sites. They also feature full hookups, restrooms, and showers. Some RV sites within the park are pull-through and six of the nine campgrounds are open 24 hours a day, with three gated: Elephant Rock, Cedar Cove, and Tipps Point. Elephant Rock is one of the more popular RV parks and is open year round.
Lake Murray State Park for the Oklahoma Department of Tourism
Ardmore, which has a population of 25,000, is located about 100 miles south of Oklahoma City on Interstate 35, and roughly 110 miles north of Dallas, Texas.
Golfers will appreciate Lake Murray State Park Golf Course, an 18-hole track featuring towering oak trees, tree-lined fairways, strategically placed water hazards, and a breathtaking waterfall. The well-manicured course was designed by Art Proctor and opened in 1957.
Featuring terrific views and challenging play, the par 70 course stretches to 6,205 yards. Well-groomed fairways and greens keep Lake Murray State Park Golf Course difficult yet friendly.
Though there are no sand traps on the course, water comes into play on several holes, and the greens are small, which makes for interesting putting!
Tucker Tower. Photo: Wikipedia
Markttnc, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In addition to golfing, Tucker Tower is a must visit while in the area. Tucker Tower is touted as the most identifiable structure within any of Oklahoma’s state parks.
It was designed and primarily built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the 1930s. The top of the tower has a walkway all the way around that lets you see for miles in every direction.
Offering dramatic panoramic views and great photo opportunities, Tucker Tower also can be seen from nearly everywhere on the lake. Its top level is some 130 feet about the lake surface and 65 feet above the patio level of the building.
While visiting the area, Tucker Tower and the Lake Murray Nature Center should be on your list of places to visit. For more information on Lake Murray State Park, visit RV LIFE Campgrounds.
Rick Stedman is an avid golfer, RVer, and writer who lives in Olympia, Washington. Rick writes a golf column, “The RV Golfer,” which is published every month in rvlife.com. He can be reached at rstedman@gmail.com.
