McGee Creek Natural Scenic Recreation Area

McGee Creek State Park, McGee Creek Natural Scenic Recreation Area (near Atoka)

McGee Creek Natural Scenic Recreation Area is an 8,900-acre, motor-free corner of McGee Creek State Park in southeastern Oklahoma, with more than 25 miles of trails for hikers, mountain bikers, and riders. TravelOK calls it a “quiet-water zone.” Backpackers camp at designated sites with a free permit.

Wikipedia says McGee Creek Reservoir, which the trails overlook, was created in 1985.

The hike

Backpacker’s 2013 route is a 9.1-mile trip from the fenced parking area by the ranger station. It follows the South Rim Trail, bears left at about mile 1.4 onto the Boundary Trail, and returns past Box Spring Camp and down the Little Bugaboo Trail. A signed spur at mile 2.6 leads to a lookout over Bugaboo Canyon, about 200 feet above the canyon floor.

OuachitaMaps, whose guide was published in March 2026, lists the main trails: the South Rim Trail (3.2 miles to the North Rim junction), the North Rim Trail (3.8 miles toward the lake), Wildcat Canyon (2.6 miles to Rocky Point), Whiskey Flat (1.6 miles down to the lake), and Little Bugaboo (1.6 miles). It describes the Boundary Trail as wide and straight but rough at times, and the only way to reach Cabbage Head Rock. TravelOK’s sample route runs about two miles from the office to Whiskey Flats, which it says overlooks the lake.

Water decides where you camp. OuachitaMaps calls Bugaboo Canyon Creek some of the best water in the area and says Little Bugaboo Creek is rocky and a good source, while Wildcat Creek is muddy near the lake. Backpacker calls Box Spring “a reliable year-round water source” but says Little Bugaboo Creek is probably dry in summer and may flow after spring or fall rain. Several of the numbered backpacker camps are dry.

The trails are shared. OuachitaMaps quotes trail signs: “hikers and bikers yield to horses and bikers yield to hikers.” The Bog Spring Trail is closed to horses and bikes, and signs on the North Rim Trail mark closed old routes toward the sensitive Bear Creek area. OuachitaMaps also says no hunting is allowed in the area and motor vehicles are not allowed.

For a rugged overnight farther northeast, see the Robbers Cave backpacking loop.

Tips

Register before you hike. TravelOK says hiking, biking, and riding all need a free permit.
Call ahead with a group of 10 or more.
Plan camp around water. Box Spring and the Bugaboo creeks are the better sources; many camps are dry.
Yield to horses on shared trails.
Stay off closed routes toward Bear Creek.
Treat all water.

Camping

TravelOK says camping in the area is “in designated areas only,” with free permits available at the trailhead check-in station or by calling ahead, and that the number of permits is limited. OuachitaMaps describes the process at the usually unmanned ranger station: fill out a short form, leave the yellow copy in the yellow box, and carry the white copy. It describes backpacker camps B1 through B8 (several dry), lake camps reached by canoe, and two equestrian camps. TravelOK says bathrooms and showers are at the ranger’s house.

Inside Intel: OuachitaMaps’ author recommends camp B2, at the Whiskey Flat and Wildcat Canyon junction, for its large fire ring and room for groups, with good water a short walk down the Wildcat Canyon Trail. He calls B4 on the South Rim dry and doesn’t recommend B8.

Trail facts

Distance: 9.1 miles (Backpacker’s route); more than 25 miles of trail in the area
Route type: Lollipop; Backpacker calls it an out-and-back
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Campsites: Designated backpacker camps (B1 to B8), lake camps, equestrian camps
Water: Box Spring, Bugaboo Canyon Creek, Little Bugaboo Creek (seasonal); treat
Permits: Free; self-register at the ranger station
Bikes and horses: Allowed on most trails; not on Bog Spring Trail
Trailhead: Ranger station off Centerpoint Road (Atoka address), about 10 miles north of OK 3 per OuachitaMaps
Last verified: October 17, 2026

The Lowdown

Camp B2 at Whiskey Flat:

McGee Creek's backpacker camps are designated sites, like the recommended B2 at the Whiskey Flat junction. If you sleep on your side, these tips can make those nights easier.

See the tips →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.