Lake Thunderbird State Park — Attraction in Norman

Please read! I'm a lifelong local, Thunderbird or dirtybird gets a bad rap. I've lived within a mile of the lake for over 20 years and have been coming here for camping , boating or day trips since I was a child 40 plus years ago. It's a nice safe place to enjoy, IF! the human beings who come from town or other areas here for the day didn't leave there trash! I'm not sure why when people go-to some state parks they treat them like gold but then leave there cans on the ground at my lake. All public outdoor areas are what the public makes them. Nowdays when I visit the lake I take a small trash bag with me and while I'm enjoying my day at the lake I actually bend down and pick up others cans, trash or worse glass broken or otherwise witch that offender would never leave at another lake, glass isn't allowed anywhere we all know that nowdays. I've noticed the places I visit throughout the year will be clean and well cleared of any dangerous objects in water or beach as I have kids swimming there all the time it matters to me. The areas I as one person doing a few min of work few times a month are better than just about any swim beach in Oklahoma I'm one person with trash bag and a rake lol. Of course if all people packed out there trash it would not be an issue, but there is a problem that is the park or states fault it's very simple and simple to fix! TRASH CANS!! they are poorly placed except in camping areas, and most places used for day fishing or semi private swimming, picnicking don't have them at all. So it's no surprise folks leave there trash in these areas. If humanity wouldn't steal them for no reason I've considered placing a few in needed spots and emptying them myself for a summer just to see if those areas become "magically" clean because people see a can close by to throw that "Bud light" glass bottle they shouldn't have at the lake in when they finish it. I know this is long but I truly hope that a person or two see my point because it applies to all parks and outdoor places. maybe someday I won't be the only one who doesn't work for the park system pick a piece of trash up. Fyi yes the water red some times of year it's not a rock bottom lake and yes Oklahoma has red Earth but certain times of year I've seen it be a pretty as any lake in Oklahoma as...

The grounds are amazing, wildlife roaming around makes it peaceful. The problem is, where are handicap people supposed to park and fish? I payed for parking, my handicapped husband and myself (also mobility impaired) walked on a dock and each of us only got three casts out before a park ranger (not a game ranger) came and informed us there is no fishing allowed on a dock and that we were not in a lawful parking spot. I was parked in a handicap parking spot marked with a sign. He also told us our dog who cannot walk and has to be carried everywhere had to be on a leash! Like come on, I payed for parking, we both have a fishing liscense, and try as I might I could not find a sign anywhere (after he informed us we couldn’t fish from the dock) that said that… I’m also really not sure how a leash would be helpful for a dog who cannot walk, but if I EVER step foot on the grounds again I’ll make sure that my geriatric handicap dog has a leash hanging from his neck to satisfy that…. I’m a tad perturbed that I payed $8 for a day of parking that I only got to use at most 25 minutes…. I really should have requested a refund! I called the office to ask where there was handicap access but we were literally where she told us at Clear Bay! I’ll be driving further from home to fish in...

Don't get me wrong, it's a nice state park with full hook ups at Hickory Hill sites and right there at the lake. However, bathrooms are gross, some showers had no privacy or were dirty from all the red clay dirt, check your kids and dogs for ticks, and people partying all hours. I could hear bass going through loop after 11pm and people snooping around sites after midnight. We stayed 3 nights. Roads were tight and beat up. Red clay dirt all on site. We also rented a pontoon boat for 4 hours (9am-1pm and website price is different from actual price of $50 more at marina) with a raft. They should also have them ready for you when you get there, especially if you had a reservation (boat picture of them still getting it ready was taken at 9:20am, reservation was for 9am) When we got back in, the lady guiding us in was a bit rude. Our hubbies were trying to explain to her that the raft was not hooked up to the boat like the two girls said it was when we first got on boat. She got real snappy with us. So we're trying to explain to her that the previous girls must have thought they were using the same rope but it was two different ropes (one hooked up to boat, one hooked up to raft, but nothing hooked together). Not sure I'd stay here again if I was...