Osage Hills State Park Oklahoma Camping Review and Killers of the Flower Moon Locations

19 January 2022By Brett

Osage Hills State Park in northeastern Oklahoma is a wonderful CCC state park with charm! There are tons of stone reliefs and old buildings made from stone that seem to grow out of the ground. It is also a great starting point for many other adventures in Osage County. You can see Pawhuska which is home to the Mercantile for lots of home decor and cooking items. There are 3 main “Killers of the Flower Moon” locations if you want to discover some Osage history and how they were killed for their resources and oil. The county is a very unique place and worth the visit!

Osage Hills State Park Useful Links

Pros

  • Original CCC State Park
  • Lots of hiking options
  • Swimming Pool and courts
  • Good starting spot for Osage County locations

Cons

  • Older park
  • Only one RV campground and tent area

Camping at Osage Hills State Park

I did winter camping so only one bathroom, the one in the center of the RV campground, was open. It was well-kept but a little dated but had no issues! It was also well heated and the water was warm. The tent area looked well-kept and had a new bathroom for future use. I really like the new bathrooms at the state parks. They’re basic, and simple, and look like they’ll be easy to maintain for future uses!

The RV campground is nice and most of the pads looked good. There are even a few tent yurts around the perimeter of the campground for more rugged camping if you want. The RV spots have 30 and 20-amp connections and have a water spigot for summer camping.

Finally, there is also a cabin area, and while I was there several of them were occupied. They looked nice and were all grouped in the same area next to the RV campground.

The Area

The Osage Reservation

Osage County is also the same as the Osage Nation and it’s coincidental with the same geographic area. There are several Osage Nation Heritage Markers along the main road through the county and you can learn about the history of the Osage on these roadside stops. There are also several small towns throughout the reservation that are traditional native areas like Fairfax and Gray Horse. North of Pawhuska is the main campus for all the Osage Nation including housing and government buildings. The capitol is in downtown Pawhuska.

Gray Horse Cemetery

  • a brown stone gravestone for Mollie Cobb from Killers of the Flower Moon
    Mollie’s grave in Gray Horse Cemetery in Osage Nation Oklahoma.
  • Lizzie Ne Kah Es Sey grave in Gray Horse Osage Nation Oklahoma Cemetery died july 17 1921 age 76
    Lizzie’s grave in the Gray Horse Cemetery in Osage County Oklahoma.
  • Minnie Smith grave in Gray Horse cemetery in oklahoma died sep 22 1918 27 years old
    Minnie Smith’s grave in Oklahoma.
  • Edward and Rosa Bigheart's grave in gray horse oklahoma
    Edward and Rosa’s grave in Gray Horse Oklahoma.
  • Anna Kyle's tombstone in grey horse cemetery oklahoma died may 21 1921 age 36
    Anna Kyle’s tombstone at Grey Horse Cemetery on the Osage Reservation in Oklahoma.

I visited the Gray Horse Cemetery which is the final resting place for several of the people from the book “Killers of the Flower Moon”. Mollie, Lizzie, and Anna are several of the main people from the book and endured some of the worst treatment from their family and friends trying to take their resources and inheritance. Gray Horse was home to some of the original settlers after the Osage were forced to Oklahoma. There is even a roundhouse and meeting building in this small hamlet for their summer meetup.

Whizbang Oklahoma

Whizbang was a boomtown which was a dark and rowdy place where many of the oil workers and locals visited to get the vice fix after a long day of work. It was known for all types of vices like gambling, prostitution, and gunfights. The town is now just foundations and fields. The city started and within just a few years it disappeared as people moved on from the Osage oil wells. It is now a ghost town with only foundations and trash around. It’s also part of the Killers of the Flower Moon story where Anna was found dead after a night in the town.

Pawhuska Oklahoma

Pawhuska is the county seat and the biggest town. It’s near the center of the region and is also the Osage capital. It is also home to Ree Drummond’s Mercantile which is full of home decor and cooking items. Her family lives a few miles west of the town on a large ranch. Downtown Pawhuska is quaint and still has many of its old buildings lining the main road through town. It feels like you’re back in 1920.

Osage Hills State Park Ratings

Bathrooms

Rating: 4 out of 5.
green door brown metal building new bathrooms at osage hills state park
The new Osage Hills State Park bathrooms in Osage County Oklahoma.
a photo of the Osage Hills State Park shower with white tile brown floor silver shower head
The shower at the Osage Hills State Park RV bathroom.
a cream color stall and white toilet inside the bathroom at Osage Hills State Park Oklahoma Osage County
The right side toilet in the bathroom at Osage Hills State Park.
2 white shower stalls and a white sing inside the osage hills state park osage nation oklahoma
The stalls and sink at the Osage Hills State Park Oklahoma.
white toilet at osage hills state park oklahoma
The left side stall at Osage Hills State Park Oklahoma.
a dark stone bathroom building with grass and trees around it in the RV sites
The winter bathroom in the center of the RV campground in Osage Hills State Park Oklahoma.
shower with a small wood bench white tile and brown floor
The shower at the Osage Hills State Park bathroom.
two white bathroom stalls and white sink in the foreground
The sink and 2 toilet stalls at Oklahoma’s Osage Hills State Park in Osage County.
Photos from Osage Hills State Park Oklahoma.

The bathrooms were nice and well kept. Yes they are old but I saw people cleaning the building and I didn’t have any issues. The sink and toilets seemed newer and everything worked. It’s new stuff in an old building.

Campsites

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
  • a red truck and picnice table from rv spot 2 at osage hills state park oklahoma
    RV spot 2 at Osage Hills State Park.
  • a red truck and picnic table from the rear at osage hills state park campground
    RV spot 2 in Osage Hills State Park Oklahoma.

The RV spots were nice and everything worked. Winter camping had the spigots turned off at each spot but there was one at the entrance still working so make sure you can carry your water back to your spot. The picnic table and concrete pad were all maintained.

Activities at Osage Hills State Park

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

I was unable to do any hiking or park activities due to extreme cold and some snow so I don’t have any opinion on the subject but many people in the park all said the hiking and biking trails were nice and there’s a pool for the summer.

Location

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Osage County, Bartlesville, and Ponca City are all quaint areas and worthy of a visit. Bartlesville has Price Tower which is a Frank Lloyd Wright building, and home to Phillips oil company. It has a nice downtown and has an artistic vibe. Ponca City is a normal mid-sized town in Oklahoma so could be a good stop for provisions if you need them. Osage County has tons of outdoor things like the Tallgrass Prairie and other hiking opportunities. Pawhuska is also quaint with several small places to shop or eat.

Visibile Cell Service at Osage Hills State Park

Rating: 0 out of 5.

I had no cell service in most of the county.

Conclusion

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Winter truck camping has its limitations but I was still able to see and do plenty. The park has a lot of opportunities for cool stays and hiking and biking. It is a great starting point for several things around the area. It has a ton of history including old CCC buildings, Osage history, interesting towns, and some cool Oklahoma vibes. I plan on returning to this park in the spring or summer to get the full effect!

When did the Osage arrive in Oklahoma?

According to the Oklahoma Historical Society and the Osage Nation Foundation, there was a presence in Oklahoma since the 1750s but they were finally forced to Indian Territory by 1865. There were only about 3000 Osage who originally settled the Osage Reservation.

What amenities are at Osage Hills State Park?

A swimming pool, RV and tent camping, a basketball court, group camping, cabins, and hiking and biking trails are in the park.

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a red truck and picnice table from rv spot 2 at osage hills state park oklahoma
a red truck and picnic table from the rear at osage hills state park campground
a brown stone gravestone for Mollie Cobb from Killers of the Flower Moon
Lizzie Ne Kah Es Sey grave in Gray Horse Osage Nation Oklahoma Cemetery died july 17 1921 age 76
Minnie Smith grave in Gray Horse cemetery in oklahoma died sep 22 1918 27 years old
Edward and Rosa Bigheart's grave in gray horse oklahoma
Anna Kyle's tombstone in grey horse cemetery oklahoma died may 21 1921 age 36
two white bathroom stalls and white sink in the foreground
shower with a small wood bench white tile and brown floor
a dark stone bathroom building with grass and trees around it in the RV sites
white toilet at osage hills state park oklahoma
2 white shower stalls and a white sing inside the osage hills state park osage nation oklahoma
a cream color stall and white toilet inside the bathroom at Osage Hills State Park Oklahoma Osage County
a photo of the Osage Hills State Park shower with white tile brown floor silver shower head
green door brown metal building new bathrooms at osage hills state park

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