Situated at the base of the Ozark Mountains, Tahlequah is a great starting point for a variety of adventures. This small town offers scenic views of the Illinois River, where you can enjoy paddling, rafting, hiking, fishing, and boating. You can learn about Cherokee history and enjoy some fine dining in the region.
The town of Tahlequah was first established in 1839 as the Cherokee capital. Over the years, it grew to house multiple stores and a thriving business community. By the mid-1840s, 10,000 people migrated to this unique city. There were over 21 different tribes being represented throughout the area. The town had a school, post office, male and female seminaries, a national hotel, and a newspaper known as the Cherokee Advocate.
After receiving detrimental blows during the Civil War, the townspeople rebuilt the city of Tahlequah to be even bigger than before. Some new additions included the first telephone system into Indian Territory, the Ozark and Cherokee Central Railway, mission schools, and a bank on Muskogee Avenue. The town's population was around 1,500 citizens back in 1900. That has grown to over 16,600 citizens to date.
To get a full recap of the rich history of this city, you can visit the Cherokee National Supreme Court Museum, Cherokee National Prison Museum, John Ross Museum, Cherokee National History Museum, Saline Courthouse Museum, Sequoyah's Cabin, and the Cherokee Heritage Museum. The city of Tahlequah is sure to impress!
Mardi-Quah - This enjoyable weekend offers a crawfish boil, midway games, a parade, and various arts and craft booths. You can catch this upcoming event in February.
Indian Territory Days - Learn about the Cherokee culture and history of the 1800s with fun activities, games, and thought-provoking experiences. This event takes place in March.
Trail of Tears Art Show - Every year in May, this prestigious art show showcases some beautiful creations.
Smallmouth Rendezvous and Fly Tying Extravaganza - Flyfishers across the country converge to enjoy fly tying demonstrations, fly casting lessons, seminars, and a variety of fishing products from vendors. This event will take place in May.
Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas is well-known for its healing and relaxing thermal hot springs. Known as the "American Spa," this national park offers soaking in thermal springs, a variety of hiking trails, and a panoramic view from Mountain Tower. Hot Springs National Park is situated inside the city of Hot Springs, so you can enjoy the many amenities that the city offers alongside its natural park beauty.
Gateway Arch National Park showcases the famous white arch that designates the starting point of Lewis and Clark's expedition across the country. This park encompasses 91 acres along the riverside that includes historic city buildings and modern museums. While not an overly large national park, this is a great location to stop while traveling through the bustling city of St. Louis.
Great Sand Dunes National Park is located in Colorado and is home to over 100,000 acres of the tallest sand dunes in the country. You'll enjoy a variety of beautiful landscapes, including tundra, alpine lakes, wetlands, conifer forests, and grasslands. Parkgoers can enjoy sledding or sandboarding down the epic dunes throughout this park. It's got many great remote locations for stargazing, and you can hike the 30-square miles of dunes at your leisure.
Sequoyah State Park encompasses 2,200 acres on the peninsula of Fort Gibson Lake. The lake itself spans 19,900 acres and offers many fishing, kayaking, boating, canoeing, and water-skiing opportunities for visitors. With over 19 miles of hiking trails, you'll be sure to see some breathtaking views of the lake alongside a plethora of wildlife.
Tenkiller State Park includes 1,190 acres of land alongside a 12,900-acre lake known as the Tenkiller Ferry Lake. This state park is another great location for water recreation activities like fishing, boating, and kayaking. Its 15 miles of multi-use trails are both paved and ADA accessible.
Natural Falls State Park is situated near the Oklahoma-Arkansas border. It holds 120 acres and features a beautiful 77-foot waterfall that cascades over rock formations. This state park offers a variety of nature trails that wind through various forest bluffs, hilly terrain, and upland prairies. You can take in the beautiful scenery of the park's gardens and enjoy disc golf and volleyball in their designated areas.
Beavers Bend State Park and Nature Center offers a year-round activity list for the Broken Bow Lake and Mountain Fork River. Visitors can enjoy nature hikes, arts and crafts classes, and a variety of recreational activities like jet skiing and miniature golf.
The Cherokee National Capitol, also known as the Cherokee National Courthouse, is a historic tribal building. It showcases a national history museum of the Cherokee people and offers a variety of Cherokee monuments that further explain the town's culture.
Located on Highway 69, the Honey Springs Battlefield is a great place to learn about Civil War history. This engagement took place between the First Division Army of the Frontier and the Confederate Indian Brigade, with over 9,000 men involved. This historic place offers an up-close view of the battlefield along with varying monuments with valuable historical facts and dedications.
Oklahoma has lots of wonderful campgrounds where you can stay while exploring the area. Warrior RV Park is a quiet campground located right off of I-44. This pet-friendly park offers full hookups, showers, Wi-Fi, and many convenient restaurants right across the interstate. Located in Tulsa, Expo Square RV Park has over 250 sites and is pet-friendly. This campground has an Expo Center that hosts many exciting events throughout the year that you can take in while staying.
Estes Park in Tulsa is a well-maintained, quiet RV park just a short drive from the city. It has on-site showers, restrooms, and a laundry room. The best part is there is no designated checkout time, so you can stay as late as you would like.
Motorhomes are divided into Class A, B, and C vehicles. On average expect to pay $185 per night for Class A, $149 per night for Class B and $179 per night for Class C. Towable RVs include 5th Wheel, Travel Trailers, Popups, and Toy Hauler. On average, in Tahlequah, OK, the 5th Wheel trailer starts at $70 per night. Pricing for the Travel Trailer begins at $60 per night, and the Popup Trailer starts at $65 per night.
Do you need to be a certain age to rent an RV in Tahlequah?Yes. The minimum age is 25 to be eligible to get an RV Rental in Tahlequah from RVshare.
Does RVshare have emergency roadside assistance?Yes. Every RV rental booked through RVshare receives 24/7 emergency roadside assistance.
Does RVshare offer one way RV rentals in Tahlequah?Yes. Prior to renting any RV, check with the owner since not all will offer this particular option.