Eisenhower State Park: Exploring the Texas – Oklahoma Border
When I first moved to North Texas, I thought this part of the state was nothing but flat and plain. As a girl who grew up on the edge of the Texas Hill Country, I missed the varied landscapes and hills. But did you know that you can find hills along with rugged and steep rock cliffs right here in North Texas? Well, you can, at Eisenhower State Park on the shoreline of Lake Texoma.
These rocky cliffs make for the perfect outdoor adventure not more than an hour from our home in Dallas.
How to Get to Eisenhower State Park
Eisenhower State Park is located only an hour north of Dallas on the Texas/Oklahoma Border.
From Dallas, take highway 75 North to Denison. When you reach the town of Denison, take exit 72 and turn left onto Katy Memorial Expressway (SH-91). After 1.8 miles, turn left onto FM-1310. In a couple miles, you will reach the state park.
From Oklahoma, you’ll head south on highway 75 towards the TX-OK border. Take exit 72 and turn right onto Katy Memorial Expressway (SH-91). After 1.8 miles, turn left onto FM-1310. In a couple miles, you will reach the state park.
Entrance fees into the state park are only $5/person.
When to Go
Eisenhower State Park is open to the public year-round and can be enjoyed during all seasons. I enjoy visiting in spring and fall when the weather is a bit cooler and more comfortable for hiking. If you come in the summer, boating and swimming are popular activities.
What to Bring
Here’s what I brought:
- Bug spray (lots of bugs on those trails)
- Sunscreen
- Hiking shoes
- Backpack
- Plenty of water
- Snacks/picnic lunch
- Hammock & a good book (Eisenhower has lots of trees perfect for hammocking)
- Your annual Texas State Parks Pass
What to do at Eisenhower State Park
Eisenhower’s most popular activities are hiking, swimming, camping, and fishing.
Hiking at Eisenhower State Park
Most of Eisenhower State Park’s trails are heavily wooded and provide ample shade from the hot Texas sun. Hikers can catch amazing views of the lakeshore’s cliffs on a few of these hikes. A map of all of the park’s trails can be found here.
Recommended Hikes
Ike’s Hike and Bike Trail – My favorite trail in Eisenhower State Park. This trail extends 3.2 miles and covers most of what there is to see in the park. Most of the trail is covered by trees but the trees break in a few spots for some of the most amazing views of Lake Texoma.
Swimming
We’ve been swimming at Eisenhower State Park before and thoroughly enjoyed it! I remember visiting in the dead heat of summer and the water was very cool and refreshing.
Eisenhower State Park is also home to a rock sand beach that is very popular when it is open.
Unfortunately, due to flooding in the park a year or two ago, there was a landslide that damaged the swimming beach area. The area has been closed since and no re-opening date has been posted.
However, I due believe that you can find other areas along the shore to swim. Just make sure that you wear decent footwear to protect your feet from the sharp rocks and stay close to shore to avoid any boats.
Camping
One of the most popular camping spots in North Texas, Eisenhower state park has so many camping options available. There are several campgrounds in the park, many of which have a spectacular view of the water.
Randy and I have been trying to get up here to camp for over a year now and it just hasn’t worked out for us yet. But on this last trip, we spent some time wandering around a couple of campgrounds (they were all empty due to COVID restrictions) and now we’re just as motivated to camp here as ever!
We spend some time near the Elm Point Campground and I really wish I had brought my hammock from the car! Can you picture a more perfect hammock spot?
Fishing
Did you know that you don’t need a fishing license when you fish from the shore of a Texas state park? Well, you don’t!
Detailed fishing information for Lake Texoma can be found on the Texas State Parks website, here.
Have you been to Eisenhower State Park? Let me know in the comments below!
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