Things to Do Around Lake Texoma

Eisenhower State Park

Eisenhower State Park, about an hour from Dallas at 50 Park Road 20 near Denison, offers two fishing piers, a boat ramp with courtesy dock, a swimming cove, hiking trails, camping from tents to large RVs, screened shelters, an amphitheater, and the on-site Eisenhower Yacht Club marina. Day-use costs $5 per adult, with children 12 and under free.

Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge

Established in 1946 along the lake's Big Mineral and Hagerman arm, this refuge offers over nine miles of hiking trails and a Wildlife Drive auto route, drawing birdwatchers for painted buntings, bald eagles, red-headed woodpeckers, and river otters throughout the year.

Eisenhower's Birthplace in Denison

Denison is the birthplace of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and the small house where he was born remains a notable local historic site, giving the city a genuine claim to presidential history beyond its role as the community closest to Denison Dam.

The Coming Margaritaville Lake Texoma Resort

As part of the roughly $6-7 billion Preston Harbor development, a $100 million Margaritaville Lake Texoma resort is under construction on the Texas side, with the broader development's first residential lots slated for completion in Q4 2026, giving visitors an entirely new resort amenity to look forward to in the coming years.

A Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Is Coming to the Oklahoma Side

Pointe Vista, the roughly $2 billion Oklahoma-side development, is anchored by a Hard Rock Hotel & Casino targeting a summer 2027 opening, alongside a golf course and enclosed waterpark, representing a genuinely major new entertainment draw for the broader lake area on both sides of the state line.

A World-Record Blue Catfish Puts Texoma on the Fishing Map

The 121.5-pound world-record blue catfish caught here in 2004 remains a point of local pride, and visiting anglers regularly come specifically hoping to add their own trophy catch to this reservoir's genuinely strong fishing reputation.

Golf Courses Around the Lake

Multiple golf courses operate around Lake Texoma, including options on both the Texas and Oklahoma sides, giving visitors an additional recreation option beyond water-based activities during a longer stay in the area.

Fishing Tournaments Draw Visitors Across the Calendar

Regional striper-focused fishing tournaments bring visiting anglers to Lake Texoma throughout the year, supporting local marinas, bait shops, and lodging on both shores, and reflecting the reservoir's genuine standing as one of the premier inland striper fisheries in the country.

Preston Harbor's Retail and Dining Will Add New Options

As Preston Harbor builds out over the coming years, visitors can expect genuinely new retail and dining options to open in the immediate area, a meaningful expansion beyond the more limited selection historically available around this lake, particularly once the Margaritaville resort itself opens to the public.

Denison and Sherman's Historic Downtowns

Both Denison and Sherman offer walkable historic downtown districts with local shops, dining, and regular community events, giving visitors a genuine small-city alternative to purely lake-focused activities during a longer stay in the broader Texoma area.

Wildlife Viewing Beyond Hagerman's Established Trails

Beyond Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge's dedicated trail system, the broader area around Lake Texoma supports a wide range of North Texas wildlife year-round, including white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and a genuinely diverse waterfowl population, particularly along the lake's many quieter coves and arms.

Photography Opportunities Across a Genuinely Large Reservoir

The lake's scale, combined with Denison Dam's historic engineering and the surrounding North Texas landscape, offers genuinely striking photography opportunities, particularly during golden-hour light and during the annual white bass and striper spawning runs when the lake comes alive with visible surface activity.

Camping Options Range From Rustic to Full-Hookup

Between Eisenhower State Park and the numerous private campgrounds affiliated with local marinas, visitors can choose from rustic tent sites to full-hookup RV camping, giving Lake Texoma a genuinely broad range of overnight options for multi-day visitors exploring the reservoir.

Seasonal Events Draw Visitors Throughout the Year

Beyond fishing tournaments, the broader area hosts seasonal events throughout the year, from spring wildflower season to fall harvest festivals in the surrounding North Texas towns, giving repeat visitors a genuine reason to return outside the typical peak summer boating season.

Combine a Lake Trip With Both Sides of the Border

Because Lake Texoma straddles the Texas-Oklahoma line, visitors can combine a stay here with day trips to attractions on both shores, from the Texas-side state park and refuge to the growing Oklahoma-side entertainment offerings tied to Pointe Vista, creating a genuinely varied two-state itinerary within a single trip.

Golf and Casino Resort Amenities Are Coming to Both Shores

Beyond the existing golf courses already operating around the lake, both Preston Harbor and Pointe Vista include additional planned golf and resort amenities as part of their broader development plans, meaning golfers can expect a genuinely expanded selection of courses and resort-adjacent amenities to open around Lake Texoma over the next several years as these projects mature toward completion.

Marinas Offer More Than Just Boat Access

Many of the lake's 17 marinas offer on-site dining, bait and tackle shops, and lodging options beyond pure boat storage, giving visitors genuine one-stop convenience for a day or weekend trip without needing to travel far from the water itself, a real advantage for first-time visitors genuinely unfamiliar with the broader lake area.