Cedar Lake Trail GPX

By Mike Newman, on August 22, 2010

Cedar Lake, Ouachita Forest, Oklahoma

Sometimes during the hot days of summer, one of the best times to go hiking is right after a rainstorm. Yesterday morning, there was rain in LeFlore County, Oklahoma, that was supposed to be ending shortly. So I thought it might be a good time for a hike at Cedar Lake Recreation Area.

Interactive Cedar Lake Trail GPX Map

Click here for large interactive map.

Cedar Lake Trail

And when I arrived, it was very good hiking weather for August. It was largely cloudy, not too hot (80′s, then low 90′s), and there were occasional breezes.

Cedar Lake Trail is a 2.8-mile loop circling the 86-acre Cedar Lake. Cedar Lake Recreation Area is in the Ouachita National Forest’s Winding Stair Mountain National Recreation Area, near Heavener, Oklahoma.

This is a pretty easy and enjoyable hike. There is not much elevation change, and the trail is well-maintained.

The trail stays close to the lake most of the time providing a lot of scenic views of the lake and surrounding mountains (including Winding Stair Mountain).

Cedar Lake Trail, LeFlore County, Oklahoma

View of Winding Stair Mountain from Cedar Lake Trail

Cedar Lake Recreation Area has several campground areas, two swimming areas, picnic grounds, a boat ramp, and lots of fishing spots.

There is a $3 charge per vehicle for noncampers visiting the park.

As usual, I have posted some of my photos and a gpx map made from my gps data.

Click here for GPX file download.

VITAL INFO
Trail Name and Location	Cedar Lake Trail - Cedar Lake Recreation Area - Ouachita National Forest
County/State	LeFlore/Oklahoma
Date Hiked	08-21-2010 (mid-day)
Weather/Conditions	80's/90's (following rain shower), partly cloudy, not bad
Directions/Fees	There is parking at the "day use" area. ($3 charge per car to visit.) There's not a trailhead sign, but it's not hard to figure out where it is since it's the only trail (sidewalk in places) that loops around the lake. White blazes.
Length	2.8 miles
Loop?	Yes
Difficulty (1=Easy; 5=Most Difficult)	2
ATT Cell Coverage?	No
Official Info (Links)	Website. Trail Map Flyer. Cedar Lake Recreation Area Flyer.