Discovering Broken Bow And Hochatown: These Oklahoma Spots Are So Close, And Yet So Far

Our anniversary weekend this year commenced with a rainy March day, reminding me that I might have been a smart cookie to insist we marry in my hometown near Chicago those many, many years ago. No rain on the day, but it was Chicago: cold enough that I could wear a fur! Forty-four years we celebrated: long enough to know each other’s strengths, warts, and weaknesses. Mine are many, including a lack of timeliness.

This is why Broken Bow’s Woodland Hills may be the best vacation home spot we have ever experienced in our long married life.

Heading Out For a Weekend in Woodland Hills

Though we aimed to depart at 10 a.m., we got on the road at 1 p.m., maybe later. I blamed the Doodles, our surrogate empty-nester children. ButterBelle is rather neurotic in general and terrified of car rides. We lift her into the car and pack tranquilizers. But the beauty of the drive to Broken Bow is how easy, mostly traffic-free, and calming it actually is. A far cry from our own trek down Interstate 35 or U.S. Highway 281 to our Hill Country retreat — which we haven’t seen in a year!

We stopped in Paris, Texas, to check on Clayton Pilgrim and offer the Doodles Parisian turf. We were back on the road and crossing the Red River in no time, admiring the expansive cattle ranches that belonged to a Dallas friend. Turns out we had friends with homes or land almost all along the way, yet we had never ventured into this part of the world.

It was high time to visit southeastern Oklahoma.

Broken Bow: The Best Place to Buy a Vacation Home

The magazine world sings this area’s praises. Financial Advisor magazine named Broken Bow as one of the best places to buy a vacation rental property. Buyers, they say, “prefer the gentle hills to exaggerated elevation where it is easier to catch your breath after hiking.” True.

And pricing, which starts in the $200,000’s for two-plus acre lots in Woodland Hills, is very competitive right now.

Southern Living Magazine just jumped on team Broken Bow/Hochatown big time: “Located in the foothills of the Kiamichi Mountains, Broken Bow, Oklahoma, is among the region’s finest destinations for nature lovers, golf enthusiasts, and foodies alike. With a population of just over 4,000, this Oklahoma town offers respite, breathtaking views, and good eats.”

Sure does.

And Hochatown? The original Hochatown community was settled alongside the Mountain Fork River in the 1830s by Choctaw families who had relocated from Mississippi on the “Trail of Tears.” Part of the town was flooded to make a lake reservoir.

The second incarnation of Hochatown is located approximately one mile west of Broken Bow Lake on U.S. Route 259, or 20 miles north of Idabel, Oklahoma, which springs up soon as you cross the Red River. They are two small, charming towns nestled next to each other, popular with Texans, Oklahomans, and Arkansians. It’s casual, friendly, comfortable, and the food is delicious. Even better, everyone welcomes dogs.

But my neurotic doodles wouldn’t pee in Oklahoma.

The Place to Worship Every Sunset

Right before we found our weekend home nestled in the heart of Woodland Hills, developer Scott Cross directed us to the most amazing hill view in southeastern Oklahoma: breathtaking. We were really in the mountains. It was one of those roads where you are almost afraid to drive over the hill, the dip is so steep. We came right back to this spot with champagne for sunset.

We arrived at the vacation residence of Scott Brown, brother to Steve Brown of Dallas Morning News fame, constructed by Woodland Hills Development. It’s a private home available to rent. Real estate people and their kin know how to find the best.

We were all hungry, except for ButterBelle. BabyBelle devoured her kibble and that of her sister. ButterBelle was also afraid of the new surroundings and wouldn’t walk past the kitchen. Both snuggled on their home blankets, especially after a tranquilizer. We sought dinner at a place highly recommended by friends: Grateful Head Pizza on Route 259 in Hochatown.

You know how it is when you are starving, and the line out the door waiting for a table is about three miles long? This was the Grateful Head on a Friday night. It was so busy they couldn’t seat some patrons in line because the place would be closed by the time they were seated.

We, however, snagged two seats at the bar and prepared to order Psychedelic Supremo pizza and salad. Fabulous.

We chatted up the folks around us to learn how popular this area is. Many had been coming for years, renting the same property with family or friends. We think — or hope — the couple on our left may have been inspired by our anniversary.

The gentleman was supposed to have been in Hochatown with another woman, but they had just broken up. He was going to come alone and mope, but instead invited the lovely, single college professor now next to us. She was a “friend” who decided to come along at the last minute. After a few glasses of wine, marriage advice from the old married folks was flowing freely. Maybe too freely. They acted grateful, and we were charmed.

Bevin Lock, Home Builder Extraordinaire

We returned to the house, which is 4 miles off Highway 259 on an unpaved road. The Brown home is the perfect vacation spot built by Bevin Lock, another Woodland Hills owner. It offers comfort and sleek style amid all the rugged terrain.

We walked into a large great room with fireplace and dramatic windows across the wood balcony, worshipping the mountain views. More places to worship those views include a hot tub on a lower balcony and a fire pit with chairs in the yard. The kitchen is to the right, with a wrap-around countertop clad in a durable faux granite. Off this room is a laundry closet, a powder room, and storage. To the right, primary bedroom number one, to the left, primary bedroom number two.

Primary bedroom number one has a shub!

Not only are shubs — that’s a vessel tub located inside a big, tiled shower room—- wonderful for soaking, it’s a great place to feed and water the dogs. I discovered shubs years ago at Fairmont Heritage Place in San Francisco. Now they are on my “most wanted” list for my next home.

The rain had stopped, but it was still too muddy to hike the next morning. We explored and grabbed breakfast in town at Hochatown Coffee Company, which had oat milk lattes, homemade biscuits, and cinnamon rolls! Even better, we found a grassy knoll where our dogs could finally relieve themselves. (We ended up visiting that knoll several times.)

We decided to take a pontoon boat out on Broken Bow Lake for the anniversary celebration. The lake covers 14,000 acres and is bordered by 180 miles of pristine shoreline. It wasn’t crowded, either, though boating, swimming, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and paddle boarding are available.

Next was some hiking, then time for dinner at a spot everyone had told us to visit: Abendigos.

Dogs Are Welcome Everywhere in Broken Bow And Hochatown

My weakness No. 625: I generally like to primp for dinner. After 44 years, my husband knew this and tried to accommodate (for one day). We had a 7 p.m. reservation. I asked, “Shall we go back to the house with the girls so I can shower, or could we possibly eat early, keep them at the table on the patio, say?”

Would the Oklahoma Health Department kick us back to Texas?

Abendigos was wonderful. Come early, come to the patio, come as you are. And there was no need for me to slither into something super designer-dressy. And we had the girls right next to us on the patio, water bowls and all. We ordered a great meal and after, the waiter told us that everyone in the restaurant was admiring our pups and how well behaved they were. (We were proud old parents!)

Aside: Great prices in Hochatown. Let me tell you, I was in California two weeks prior and paid $109 for breakfast at a bagel shop. This is definitely a town to retire to.

We slept like babies in the best beds, got up, and packed up. One more stop at the grassy knoll and Hochatown Coffee Central before we hit the road back to Dallas. The drive back was super sunny, and not congested until we hit US Highway 75 at LBJ. We were home by three o’clock.

Woodland Hills: Hochatown’s Most Luxurious Development

I have been to Hochatown now, and I understand the draw. It’s a beautiful slice of rugged nature, with a whole lot to do besides hiking.

And Scott Cross’s Woodland Hills offers an oasis of solidly built, architecturally significant homes. Here you can play Mountain Man/Woman all day in the great outdoors, then come home, take a gusty shower or have a soak in the shub, cook a gourmet meal, and watch that sunset over the mountains in all its brilliant orange.

The indoor/outdoor transition is almost seamless. Some homes are alone in the forest, some are more clustered. Each backyard is adorned with strings of signature white bulb lights.

Rugged peacefulness. But civilization is just inside your door.