Lake Okemah is a small reservoir a few miles east of downtown, created by damming a tributary of the Deep Fork River. It is a local fishing spot — catfish, bass, and crappie — and a pleasant place for a picnic or an evening walk. The lake sees little of the development that surrounds Oklahoma's bigger reservoirs, which gives it a quiet, unhurried feel.
The surrounding woods are a good spot for birdwatching in spring and autumn. Facilities are basic: a boat ramp, a few picnic tables, and a gravel car park. It is the kind of place that matters to the people who live nearby and that most passing visitors miss entirely. If you have an afternoon to spare between festival sets, it is worth the short drive.