Hochatown Visitor Guide: What to Know Before You Go

Hochatown is a small town nestled in the Ouachita Mountains of southeast Oklahoma, near Broken Bow Lake and Beavers Bend State Park. Named for a Choctaw man, Hocha, who arrived on the Trail of Tears, the original town was established in the 1830s when displaced Choctaw families settled in the Mountain Fork River Valley.

By the 1880s, twelve Choctaw families had built a thriving community. The lumber industry brought growth in the early 1900s, and Hochatown even earned the nickname "Moonshine Capital of Oklahoma" during Prohibition — an estimated 80% of families were involved in manufacturing, selling, or transporting moonshine.

In the 1960s, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dammed the Mountain Fork River to create Broken Bow Lake. The entire town — post office, general store, homes, churches, and cemetery — was relocated to higher ground along Highway 259. The original Hochatown now rests beneath over 200 feet of water, and scuba divers can still explore its remnants.

After decades as a quiet community, Hochatown experienced a massive tourism boom starting around 2020, with cabin rentals surging over 400%. In November 2022, residents voted 129-18 to officially reincorporate. Today it is a busy vacation destination, especially on weekends.

Hochatown and Broken Bow are two separate towns about 10 miles apart on US-259 in McCurtain County, Oklahoma. Broken Bow is the larger city to the south, with the supermarkets, gas, and chain stores. Hochatown is the small town to the north, beside Broken Bow Lake and Beavers Bend State Park, where most of the cabins, restaurants, and attractions are. Because Hochatown shares Broken Bow's 74728 ZIP code, cabins there are usually addressed — and marketed — as “Broken Bow cabins.”

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census (P1): Hochatown; U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census (P1): Broken Bow city; Southwest Ledger, Nov 17 2022: “After three decades, Hochatown votes ‘yes’ to incorporate”; KSLA, Nov 28 2022: “Hochatown officially incorporates”

Is Hochatown a town or a city?

A town. Residents voted 129–18 on November 8, 2022 to incorporate, and McCurtain County commissioners signed the articles of incorporation on November 28, 2022, ending decades as an unincorporated community. Broken Bow, incorporated long before, is a city.

Where is Hochatown, Oklahoma?

In the far southeast corner of Oklahoma, in McCurtain County, on US-259 north of Broken Bow in the Ouachita Mountains. It's about 3.5 hours from Dallas and 4.5 hours from Oklahoma City, and most visitors drive in through Broken Bow. See directions and drive times for routes from Texas and Oklahoma.

Is Broken Bow a dry town?

No. Both towns are in McCurtain County, which the Oklahoma ABLE Commission lists as allowing mixed drinks at bars and restaurants with no Sunday or holiday restrictions — and Hochatown has its own distilleries, wineries, and breweries. Retail liquor sales on Sunday are not allowed in the county, though, so buy bottles by Saturday. The commission notes that counties report these rules themselves.

Source: Oklahoma ABLE Commission: County restrictions on spirits and mixed beverages

Groceries, cell service, Uber, and emergencies

• Groceries: there is no full-size supermarket in Hochatown — do the big shop in Broken Bow on the way in. Where to buy groceries.
• Cell service: patchy in Hochatown and the forest around it; many cabins have no signal, so plan on cabin WiFi. Cell service and WiFi.
• Uber and getting around: don't count on Uber, Lyft, or public transit — cabins are spread over miles of forest road, so you need a car.
• Emergencies: call 911. The nearest hospital is McCurtain Memorial in Idabel, about 40 minutes away. Emergency numbers to save.

Hochatown is tucked into the Ouachita Mountains of southeast Oklahoma, about 3.5 hours from Dallas and 4.5 hours from Oklahoma City. Most visitors arrive via US-259 from Broken Bow. The roads are scenic but winding — take it slow, especially at night when deer are active. GPS works for navigation, but don't rely on live directions once you're deep in the forest. Download your route in Google Maps or Apple Maps before you leave cell range.

Cell coverage is spotty throughout Hochatown and the surrounding forest. T-Mobile and Verizon users may see 1-2 bars on the main road but lose signal at many cabins. AT&T coverage is slightly better in some spots. Most cabins and rental properties have WiFi, so plan to use that for messaging and maps. Pro tip: download any maps, playlists, and important info before you arrive.

There is no full-size supermarket in Hochatown itself. For a real stock-up, stop in Broken Bow (about 15 minutes south on US-259) before heading to your cabin — the Walmart Supercenter, Pruett's Food, and DG Market are all on Park Drive. In Hochatown, The Market at Local 259 is a small gourmet market with steaks, grab-and-go food, and grocery basics, and convenience stores along US-259 carry firewood, ice, and snacks — but selection is limited and prices are higher. Liquor stores in McCurtain County don't sell on Sundays, so buy before then.

Hochatown's food scene has grown fast — you'll find everything from BBQ and pizza to fine dining and food trucks. On weekends (especially holiday weekends), popular restaurants fill up quickly. Make reservations when possible, or plan to eat at off-peak times. Most spots accept both cash and cards. Tipping 18-20% is standard. Check our restaurant guide for current favorites and hours.

Beavers Bend State Park and Broken Bow Lake are the main outdoor draws. The park has hiking trails for all levels — the Skyline Trail offers great views. The lake is perfect for kayaking, paddleboarding, and fishing. In summer, bring bug spray (ticks and mosquitoes are real) and stay hydrated. In winter, pack layers — mornings can be near freezing even when afternoons are mild. Check road conditions before heading out in icy weather.

Most cabins have a 4:00 PM check-in and 10:00-11:00 AM checkout. Your property manager will send instructions — follow them carefully, as each cabin is different. Hot tubs are a highlight (most cabins have them), but give them 30-60 minutes to heat up after arrival. Bring your own hot tub supplies if you're particular. Keep food sealed and trash inside — wildlife is active, especially raccoons and the occasional bear.

Spring (Mar-May) brings wildflowers and mild temps but also thunderstorms. Summer (Jun-Aug) is hot and humid — great for lake days. Fall (Sep-Nov) is peak season with stunning foliage and cool evenings. Winter (Dec-Feb) is quiet and beautiful, with occasional ice storms that can affect roads. The area rarely gets heavy snow, but freezing rain happens. Always check forecasts before a winter trip.

For any life-threatening emergency, call 911. The nearest hospital is McCurtain Memorial in Idabel (about 40 minutes); ambulance service (EMS) is (580) 584-2800. For non-emergencies, McCurtain County Sheriff is at (580) 286-3331. Hochatown is on Choctaw Nation land: Lighthorse Tribal Police can be reached at (580) 920-7000, and the Choctaw Nation tribal police office in Idabel at (580) 286-3977. Save these numbers before you lose signal. If you're in Beavers Bend State Park, park rangers can assist: the park office is (580) 494-6300. For road conditions or closures, check our live traffic and road conditions page or call ODOT at 1-844-465-4997. If a wildfire threatens the area, SafeStayOK.org shows evacuation routes, and McCurtain County Emergency Management is (580) 612-2110. To report short-term rental issues, call the STR Complaint Hotline at (580) 896-5242.

Power out at your cabin? Most of the area is served by Choctaw Electric Cooperative: (580) 286-7155, or 1-800-780-6486. Water in Hochatown is supplied by Rural Water District #5: (580) 494-6283. The Town of Hochatown's Town Hall is at 101 Rock Oak Lane, open Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, (580) 494-7390, info@hochatown.gov. These contacts come from the Town's official website, hochatown.gov (checked October 15, 2026). hocha.town is an independent site and is not an official Town of Hochatown website.

Tourism in Hochatown has grown quickly since 2020, and that growth has put the area on the radar of local entrepreneurs and outside investors alike.

The whole area sits inside a federal Opportunity Zone — a place-based tax incentive mapped to specific census tracts (the "zip code" project you may have heard about locally). Investors who reinvest capital gains into qualifying projects here can defer those gains and, after a 10-year hold, owe no federal tax on the new appreciation. Oklahoma adds a 5-year property tax exemption for qualifying new construction on top of that.

Big bets are reshaping the corridor: the Choctaw Nation's $238M Choctaw Landing casino resort opened nearby — the largest private investment in McCurtain County history — and the Oklahoma DOT is spending roughly $29.7M to widen US-259 into a walkable Hochatown Boulevard. Even with the visitor volume, dining, retail, and entertainment still lag demand, which keeps drawing new local businesses to fill the gap.

Curious about building or investing in the area? Reach out at info@hocha.town. (Always consult your own tax and legal advisors before making an investment.)