Cookson Bend
Cookson Bend Campground is a popular area that lies on Tenkiller Ferry Lake, among the Cookson Hills of the Ozark Mountains. Visitors here delight in breathtaking views of 200-foot limestone bluffs rising from the scenic waters.
The campground has sites with electric hookups, and some sites are non-electric. The group picnic shelters have electricity and are reservable. The park has waterborne restrooms with hot showers, drinking water, a dump station, swim beach, playground, and boat ramps. A marina with concessions is adjacent to the campground.
Notifications and Alerts
Beginning November 1, 2024, the park will be partially open for day use and boat ramp access only. The park will be winterized, and there will be no camping allowed. First come/first served campsites will be available March 1, 2025, and reservations will begin April 1, 2025 through September 30, 2025.
Need to Know
Check-out time: 3:00 pm. Check-in time: 6:00 pm. You must stop and register at the Gate Shack upon arrival.
- Quiet hours: 10:00 pm - 6:00 am. Entrance gate will be closed during this time.
- Limit 3 tents, or 1 wheeled camper and 2 tents per camp pad.
- Don't Move Firewood: Protect your forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. Visit Dontmovefirewood.org for further information.
- Pets must remain restrained on a leash or penned at all times. Pets are NOT allowed on swim beaches or in bathrooms.
Grey water and sewage must be properly disposed of in the provided dump station receptacle. Disposal of any water or waste on the ground is prohibited.
- Group shelters are for day use only.
- Fireworks are prohibited.
- Fishing and hunting are regulated by federal and state laws.
Campers must occupy the campsite at least once during each 24 hour period. Abandoned personal property may be subject to impoundment after 24 hours.
Camping is limited to 14 consecutive days within any 30 day period. This applies to all members of the camping party and the camping unit.
Fires must be contained within the fire ring or grill provided. These are NOT trash receptacles, please leave them free of food and litter upon departure.
Campers shall keep their sites free of trash and litter during the period of occupancy and shall remove all personal equipment and clean their sites upon departure. Trash must be placed in the provided dumpsters.
Natural Features
Tenkiller Ferry Lake is often referred to as Oklahoma's clear water paradise. The 12,500-acre lake is sourced by the Illinois River and the Baron Fork, which are both designated as Oklahoma Scenic Rivers. Located in the northeastern part of the state, the region is known as Green Country, with surroundings of dense Oak-Hickory forests, tall bluffs, and rolling hills. Tenkiller boasts 130 miles of shoreline with plenty of wildlife such as deer and turkey. It also serves as one of the flyways of migratory birds, including bald eagles, common loons, and white pelicans.
Nearby Attractions
Visit the Tenkiller State Park for its nature center and scuba diving park, the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge near Vian, or the historic city of Tahlequah - the capitol of the Cherokee Nation. The scenic upper Illinois River near Tahlequah is great for canoeing and rafting, and the lower Illinois near Gore offers prime trout fishing.
Recreation
Boating, fishing, water skiing, hiking and swimming are among the activities enjoyed by visitors. Scuba divers enjoy the lake's clear waters and high visibility. Ten marinas are located on the lake. Most offer boat and jet-ski rentals, and several have floating restaurants. Fishing is good for black bass, white bass, striped bass, crappie and catfish. The trout stream below the dam is one of only two year-round trout fisheries in Oklahoma, and is regularly stocked with rainbow trout. Hunting is also permitted in parts of the lake area, in accordance with state laws.
Contact Information
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446977 EAST 980 ROAD GORE OK 74435-9547
Phone Number
For campground inquiries, please call: 918-487-5252
Rental Options
Learn more about gear rental options for your trip
Driving Directions
From Tahlequah, OK go 17.5 miles southeast on Highway 82. Look for sings for Tenkiller and turn right, then go two miles west on the paved access road.
Available Campsites
- Site 090, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 043, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 024, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 087, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 002, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 068, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 098, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 028, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 064, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 119, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 082, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 096, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 066, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site S002, Loop 0512, Type Group Shelter Electric
- Site 035, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 093, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 040, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site G006, Loop 0512, Type Standard Electric
- Site 036, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site G004, Loop 0512, Type Standard Electric
- Site 032, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 042, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site G007, Loop 0512, Type Standard Electric
- Site 008, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 051, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 020, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 086, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 013, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 003, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 118, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 029, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 034, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 073, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 045, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 083, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 071, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 061, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 105, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 033, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 056, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 067, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 001, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 065, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 031, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 121, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 113, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 102, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 057, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 021, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 010, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 092, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 103, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 016, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 055, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 019, Loop 0512, Type Standard Electric
- Site 101, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 074, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 075, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 084, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 076, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 112, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 097, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 108, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 099, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 026, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 018, Loop 0512, Type Standard Electric
- Site 095, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 063, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 088, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 062, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site G001, Loop 0512, Type Standard Electric
- Site 017, Loop 0512, Type Standard Electric
- Site 025, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 107, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 037, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 054, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 049, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 106, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 048, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 030, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site N/A, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 059, Loop 0512, Type Tent Only Nonelectric
- Site 011, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 089, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 070, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 041, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 117, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 005, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 038, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site S001, Loop 0512, Type Group Shelter Electric
- Site G009, Loop 0512, Type Standard Electric
- Site 091, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 046, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site G008, Loop 0512, Type Standard Electric
- Site 009, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site G005, Loop 0512, Type Standard Electric
- Site 053, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 044, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 039, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 077, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 111, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 116, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 104, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 022, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 094, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 027, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 058, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 115, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site G002, Loop 0512, Type Standard Electric
- Site 079, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 060, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 052, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 080, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 006, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 072, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 085, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 114, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 100, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 078, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site G003, Loop 0512, Type Standard Electric
- Site 012, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 120, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site G010, Loop 0512, Type Standard Electric
- Site 110, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 023, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 050, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 109, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 004, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
- Site 081, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 069, Loop 0512, Type Standard Nonelectric
- Site 047, Loop CBEN, Type Standard Electric
