Lake Eufaula surrounds the city with water sports and history
Boaters are right at home in Eufaula, a community of about 2,800 that juts out into a freshwater paradise merging the North Canadian and the Canadian rivers with the 100,000-acre reservoir known as Lake Eufaula. “We have a lot of major fishing tournaments and 800 miles of shoreline on the largest lake in Oklahoma,” says resident Realtor Angella Lee with Lake Homes Realty.
The water sports destination also has two state parks on its shores and a lot of history beneath its surface. In fact, it has a whole town down there. Eufaula, a Muscogee word, was named after a village in Alabama, one of the unfortunate communities affected by the Indian Removal Act of 1830.
The Trail of Tears led many to form new communities in what is now Oklahoma. One of these settlements was North Fork Town, but Eufaula became the new home base after getting a railhead. North Fork Town was a residential area up until the mid-20th century, when it and the surrounding farmlands were flooded to create Lake Eufaula.
Vintage cottages and modern builds line Eufaula’s streets
There is a wide range of home prices in this community, depending largely on condition and proximity to water. Price tags start below $100,000 and climb to about $1.4 million. The median cost is around $330,000.
Many historic properties are concentrated in the heart of the city, so a quick walk from downtown takes pedestrians through narrow streets lined with vintage cottages, bungalows and ranch-style homes. Lots around here are modest, but larger options of an acre or more can be found on the outskirts.
More contemporary houses include classic Minimal Traditionals as well as eye-catching modern two-stories and A-frame lake houses. Properties on the shore or by a creek may require flood insurance for federally backed mortgages due to special flood zones. Wind damage is another insurance consideration because McIntosh County is vulnerable to tornadoes.
Students can take college classes while finishing high school
Eufaula Public Schools scores an A-minus on Niche. Eufaula Elementary and Eufaula Middle receive B-plus grades, and Eufaula High gets an A-minus. The high school's concurrent enrollment program lets students get a head start on higher education by taking college courses while finishing their diploma.
State parks and city playgrounds offer outdoor fun for all ages
The city has several playgrounds and green spaces throughout its neighborhoods, as well as various boat ramps on its shores. There are also two state parks within a short drive, both with marinas. Lake Eufaula State Park is about 10 miles north of the city, featuring a disc golf course, a nature center and a fishing pond. Hikers can follow its trails through old-growth forests of pines and hardwoods, maybe spying wildlife like deer or rabbits along their path. Arrowhead State Park is roughly 12 miles south of Eufaula with a championship golf course, a driving range, equestrian amenities and campgrounds.
Family-owned markets and waterfront dining shape the scene
Eufaula has some chains like Dollar General, DG Market, Subway and Sonic Drive-In, but local businesses make up most of the commercial scene. Nichols Market, family-owned since the 1970s, is a go-to for groceries. There are some local markets downtown where folks can grab necessities, too. The downtown strip spans a few blocks around Selmon Road and Main Street, or U.S. Route 69, with sidewalks partially shaded by the awnings of brick storefronts. It’s where Mama Tigs Wood Fired Pizza bakes gourmet-style pies, where The Sour Mermaid Candy Shop sells sweet nostalgia and where High Street Coffee serves coffee and waffles. Waterfront dining options are on the lakeshore.
Decades-old festival always brings a parade and a rodeo to town
The Whole Hawg Days and Rodeo is a multi-day summertime celebration that’s been a tradition for over 40 years. Although anchored by McIntosh County Fairgrounds on the city’s south side, parks around town are transformed by various weekend festivities. In 2025, The Eufaula Indian Journal, Oklahoma’s oldest newspaper, reported that an Arts & Crafts Festival was held at Posey Park, right up the street from where the car show took place at Kiwanis Park. Other celebration staples include a parade, a cook-off, a poker run and, of course, an old-school rodeo. “It’s a big deal,” Lee says. “I’ve never done the poker run, but I do go there for the barbecue cook-off. There’s so much food – all the sides, a dessert table and the barbecue. You’re just trying to eat it all and find the winner. It’s a lot of fun.”
Local care centers serve Eufaula, with hospitals farther out
Eufaula sits at the intersection of U.S. Route 69 and State Road 9. A ramp onto Interstate 40 is about 13 miles away. Local healthcare options include Eufaula’s Health & Wellness Center and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Eufaula Indian Health Center; however, after-hours emergencies are handled at Haskell Regional Hospital, about 30 miles away, and Saint Francis Hospital Muskogee, roughly 35 miles away. Tulsa International Airport is about 80 miles away by the shortest route.
Written By
Micaela Willoughby
