Beaver Dunes Park is in
Beaver County,
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
, near the city of
Beaver
Beavers are large, semiaquatic rodents in the genus ''Castor'' native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. There are two extant species: the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beaver (''C. fiber''). Beavers ar ...
. The park, located in the panhandle region of Oklahoma, offers dune buggy riding on of sand hills, fishing, hiking trails, a playground and two campgrounds. Hackberry Bend Campground is located next to Beaver Lake, approximately , stocked with largemouth bass, channel catfish, and perch, and has 7 RV sites and 10 tent sites. Also located in Hackberry Bend is a one-room primitive cabin which sleeps four and can be reserved. Pioneer Campground is located adjacent to the ORV area. This campground has 13 RV sites with direct access to the dunes. Both campgrounds have a comfort station with hot showers. Dump station located at Hackberry Bend Campground. Both campgrounds have handicap accessibility. Another area of the park is Big Sandy picnic area. This area has a sand volleyball court, basketball goal, horseshoe pits, playground, nature trail, and two reservable shelters.
There are legends regarding strange occurrences at this place, going back to Spanish explorers.
Coronado’s journal cites three of his men disappearing into flashes of green light while exploring the tract.
[ There is a separate legend about the area being a UFO crash site.][ The location, which has been compared to the ]Bermuda Triangle
The Bermuda Triangle, also known as the Devil's Triangle, is an urban legend focused on a loosely defined region in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean where a number of aircraft and ships are said to have disappeared under mysterio ...
, has been referred to as “Shaman’s Portal.”
The tract was once a state park. The State of Oklahoma announced in 2011 that the park would be closed at the end of Summer that year as a budget-cutting measure. Laurie Anderson of Beaver, Oklahoma protested to keep it open. The dunes were saved from closure shortly thereafter. On August 15, 2011, the park ownership was formally transferred to the City of Beaver.Phillips, Larry. ''Leader & Times''. "Beaver Dunes State Park not closing."
June 17, 2011. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
References
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State parks of Oklahoma
Protected areas of Beaver County, Oklahoma