Bartlesville, Oklahoma Paddling?

I’ve been told that part of Oklahoma’s pretty windy much of the time. Any ideas on paddling destinations nearby? The Worldwind app reveals large lakes or reservoirs sort of nearby, but are they way too windy? Which way do prevailing winds tend to blow on those lakes? Is there much of a paddling “community” thereabouts?



Thanks,



Chris

Used to live in Oklahoma
I hope someone who lives there now will also reply. I’ve got family in Bartlesville, but I did most of my canoeing farther east. I learned to canoe on the Illinois River near Tahlequah. I also did some canoeing on Tenkiller Lake (way up river) and Greenleaf Lake.



Oklahoma IMHO in general is a motorboater’s state not a paddler’s spot. Be careful of the big reservoirs both because of wind and the idiots. However, even the big reservoirs get nice way up river from the dam.



There are great places in Arkansas and Missouri, both rivers and lakes. Take a look at some of the paddling clubs there too.



Pam

I’m in OK . . .
… but in a south Tulsa suburb. Most of my local paddling is in small municipal lakes to the south of here, Bixhoma, Haskell, Taft. Never paddled around B’ville but there should be some smaller muni lakes around up there also.



Looking at my OK counties road atlas . . . there’s Lake Hudson 4-6 miles NW of B’ville that looks to be about 500 acres. West of B’ville about 10-12 miles is Osage Hills State Park which has a small (40 acre) lake called Lookout Lake. On further west (another 10-12 miles) is the municipal Lake Pawhuska and and the larger Bluestem Lake which is probably over 1,000 acres.



The big reservoirs north of B’ville, Hulah Lake and Copan Lake, probably provide some river/stream type paddling opportunities for several miles below the dams.



For the most part wind is not a big inhibitor to paddling in OK. We have some days where wind might keep you off a lake but it doesn’t happen too often.



Sorry I couldn’t be more help.


Thank You,
You were both very helpful. I’m disappointed to say I didn’t get the interview, and the likelihood of my paddling anywhere near Bartlesville is now pretty much none.



Ugh,



Chris

sorry you won’t be paddling in OK
But here’s a nice link



http://southwestpaddler.com/indexOK.html



It’s harder to paddle in OK than some states but there are lots of beautiful places. The state just has never promoted non-motorized boats as a past time.



Good luck in all your endeavors.

Brian

I have a friend in Bartlesville interested in getting into kayaking is there a rental outfit anywhere near there?

Extreme SE Oklahoma has some fabulous paddling destinations like Broken Bow reservoir and Mountain Fork River and others!