Lake Texoma
Lake Texoma is one of the largest reservoirs in the United States, the 12th-largest US Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) lake, and the largest. Its location is 2 mi southwest of Cartwright. It dates back to 1944.
A lake, 2 mi southwest of Cartwright
Summers are hot
July and August highs run 94–94°, and about 73 days a year reach 90°. When to go ↓
Denison is the nearest base
Denison is 5 miles south, with 19 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Dallas
Dallas is about 73 miles south (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: Mar, Apr, May, Oct and Nov
March, April, May, October and November are the mild months, with highs of 65–81°. When to go ↓
Established in 1944
Lake Texoma dates from 1944. About ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Warm months and cold ones
A visit to Lake Texoma can follow the seasons below.
Lake Texoma
Lake Texoma is one of the largest reservoirs in the United States, the 12th-largest US Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) lake, and the largest in USACE Tulsa District. Lake Texoma is formed by Denison Dam on the Red River in Bryan County, Oklahoma, and Grayson County, Texas, about 726 miles (1,168 km) upstream from the mouth of the river. It is located at the confluence of the Red and Washita Rivers. The project was completed in 1944. The damsite is about 5 miles (8.0 km) northwest of Denison, Texas, and 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Durant, Oklahoma. Lake Texoma is the most developed and most popular lake within the USACE Tulsa District, attracting around 6 million visitors a year. Oklahoma has more of the lake within its boundaries than Texas.
- Type
- Lake
- Established
- 1944
- Area
- 139 square miles
- Elevation
- 617 ft
- Wikipedia readers
- 26K a year
Overnight near Lake Texoma
Nearest for a night are Denison (19) and Preston (12).
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Lake Texoma | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denison | 5 mi south | 5 min | 19 8 hotels · 4 motels · 4 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins · 1 RV park | 26,822 | $181K | B |
| Preston 27% vacation homes | 6 mi west | 10 min | 12 4 lodges & cabins · 5 campgrounds · 3 RV parks | 1,747 | $184K | — |
| Sherman | 14 mi south | 20 min | 20 13 hotels · 4 motels · 1 campground · 2 RV parks | 52,417 | $244K | C |
| Durant | 15 mi northeast | 25 min | 19 15 hotels · 1 lodge or cabins · 2 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 21,552 | $163K | C− |
| Cartwright | 2 mi northeast | 5 min | 4 3 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 744 | $112K | — |
| Platter | 6 mi north | 10 min | 5 4 campgrounds · 1 RV park | — | — | — |
| Sand Point | 9 mi north | 15 min | 7 1 hotel · 1 lodge or cabins · 4 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 275 | $349K | — |
| Sherwood Shores 29% vacation homes | 14 mi west | 20 min | 13 2 hotels · 2 lodges & cabins · 3 campgrounds · 6 RV parks | 830 | $176K | — |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Close to Lake Texoma
All of these are within 70 miles.
47 mi Theme parkUniversal Kids Resort
49 mi Stadium & arenaToyota Stadium
70 mi Stadium & arenaGerald J. Ford Stadium
54 mi MuseumSouthfork Ranch
69 mi MuseumGeorge W. Bush Presidential Center
16 mi MuseumEisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site
49 mi Stadium & arenaCredit Union of Texas Event Center
53 mi Stadium & arenaComerica CenterPhoto credits
Universal Kids Resort: CANthony0125, CC0 · Toyota Stadium: Flavius Constantine, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gerald J. Ford Stadium: Jmcstrav, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Southfork Ranch: Sf46 at en.wikipedia, Public domain · George W. Bush Presidential Center: Shannon McGee from Huntsville, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site: TxHC, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Credit Union of Texas Event Center: Dravecky, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Comerica Center: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Questions people have about Lake Texoma
What town is Lake Texoma near?
Cartwright, OK, about 2 miles northeast.
When is the best time to visit Lake Texoma?
March, April, May, October and November, with highs of 65–81°.
How far is Lake Texoma from Dallas?
About 73 miles south of Dallas, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Lake Texoma?
Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), about 70 miles away.
Where should I stay near Lake Texoma?
Denison (5 mi, 19 places to stay), Preston (6 mi, 12 places to stay) and Sherman (14 mi, 20 places to stay).
Questions for Cartwright
Nobody has posted a tip yet; ask or answer in Cartwright’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.