Oklahoma sunset shadows at Lake Thunderbird State Park. The marina has a store that sells gas, cold drinks, and other amenities one might need for an outing at the lake. In September, the state park hosts Catch a Special Thrill (CAST) for Kids, so kids with disabilities can come out and catch some fish, and they hold an annual Fall Festival for trick-or-treaters where costumed vendors hand out candy.Ĭalypso Cove Marina rents boats and boat slips, where visitors can dock their boats or rent a boat for a day of fun on the water. Lake Thunderbird plays host to several events throughout the year, beginning with the statewide “First day Hike”, which encourages everybody to get out there and get active the first day of every year. Hunting enthusiasts can also hunt white-tailed deer during the state-designated bow season at Thunderbird Lake. You’ll want to be sure to check out the Nature Center at the park, or bring your binoculars to observe the bald eagles, who make their home at the lake between December and January each year. The park also offers horse rentals and horse boarding, as well as equestrian trails, mountain biking, hiking, nature trails and an archery range. Lake sports are only a part of the attractions at Lake Thunderbird. The 6,000-acre lake is stocked with crappy, large-mouth bass, sunfish, catfish, white bass and saugeye, so be sure to bring your fishing gear. Photo by intenteffect, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons For those of you wanting to get back to nature, there are 447 primitive campsites to choose from. The park has more than 200 RV sites to hook up to for those who like their creature comforts, and 100 designated tent sites.

Offering nearly 86 miles of shoreline, Lake Thunderbird State Park hosts more than a million visitors each year. Swim at one of the many beaches or take a boat out onto the lake. Just a few miles east of Norman and only a half hour’s drive from Oklahoma City, Thunderbird State Park is a favorite for the whole family. According to, “the bird was thought to have carried water in its wings, which sounded like thunder when flapped, and lightning bolts would shoot from its eyes.” It was named for the Native American legend of the Thunderbird, a supernatural bird of great strength and power.

Lake Thunderbird is a man-made reservoir that was built between 19 for the purpose of providing municipal (drinking) water to the communities of Del City, Midwest City and Norman. Lake Thunderbird State Park, affectionately known as “Dirty Bird” to the locals because of the murky lake water, is located just outside of Norman, Oklahoma, off Highway 9 East.

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