Hidden Pond Lodge FAQ

Airbnb keeps a service fee of about 15.5% of every booking, and that fee is built into the prices you see on Airbnb. When you book direct at hiddenpondlodge.com/bookings, there’s no Airbnb fee. You get the same cabin, cared for by the same local TreeLine Vacations team.

Welcome back! Returning guests receive a rebooking offer by email from our manager, TreeLine Vacations. Keep an eye out for it after your stay.

Check live availability and book at hiddenpondlodge.com/bookings. Questions before you book? Email social@hiddenpondlodge.com.

Our cancellation policy is set by TreeLine Vacations. Cancel more than 30 days before arrival for a 100% refund, less a $50 cancellation fee. Cancel more than 14 days before arrival for a 50% refund, less a $50 cancellation fee. Cancellations within 14 days of arrival aren’t refunded.

Fishing is the heart of Hidden Pond Lodge. It’s a 1-acre stocked pond, most of it on our lot, with our own fishing docks. It’s stocked by Newalla Fish Company with hundreds of fish that spawn every spring: catfish, hybrid striped bass, bluegill and more. We keep it clean: cattails cut back and algae treated. There are two docks with Adirondack chairs, plus decks built over the water. All fishing is catch and release.

It’s a 1-acre stocked pond, most of it on our lot, with our own fishing docks. Hidden Pond Lodge owns most of the water and shoreline, and three neighboring lots own small portions. We’re the ones who look after it: Lou spent a year clearing invasive cattails, and we keep the algae treated.

The pond holds hundreds of fish that spawn every spring: catfish, hybrid striped bass, bluegill and more. One spring-break family reported catching sunfish, a 2.5 lb striped bass and a 2.5 lb largemouth bass.

There’s a pole rack on the side deck that usually holds 6–8 poles left by past guests, but we can’t guarantee their condition, so bring your own gear if you can. Bring bait too. Past guests recommend nightcrawlers or live worms from a local store.

Anglers 17 and under don’t need an Oklahoma fishing license. For adults, please check the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation’s license exemption rules. If you’re not sure you qualify for an exemption, buy a license before you fish.

Yes. The pedal boat is rated for 6 adults and is kept on a cleat at the dock. Guests are welcome to take it out on the pond, and kids love it. It’s very stable, so it also makes a good fishing platform.

Yes, swimming in the freshwater pond is allowed.

Life jackets are not provided, so please bring properly fitted life jackets for children and anyone who isn’t a strong swimmer. The pond is open water with no lifeguard, so an adult should supervise children at all times around the pond, the docks and the pedal boat. Gates on the deck help keep little ones on the patio when you’re not down at the water.

Hidden Pond Lodge sleeps 10. It has 3 bedrooms + a bunk loft (4 bunks): a first-floor king suite with a private bathroom, a second first-floor king bedroom with a full bathroom across the hall, an upstairs king suite with a large en-suite shower and bath, and a second-story bunk loft with 4 built-in twin bunk beds. There are 3.5 bathrooms in total.

The second-story loft is a combined bunk room and game room. It has 4 built-in bunk beds, its own half bath, a foosball table, a TV with a DVD player and a library of family and kids’ DVDs, a couch, high ceilings and big windows. A door that closes separates it from the upstairs king bedroom, so kids or teens get their own space.

Yes. Two of the three king bedrooms are on the first floor: the main suite with a private bathroom, and a second king bedroom with a full bathroom across the hall. That works well for grandparents or anyone who would rather skip the stairs.

Up to 10 guests can stay overnight. Small gatherings may be allowed with approval and a small event fee. Please contact us before your stay, but overnight guests are still limited to 10.

Yes. Our 18-foot Native American-style tipi is furnished with camping cots and saddle blankets for a night under the stars. Everyone sleeping in the tipi counts toward the 10-guest overnight limit.

Plenty: fishing, pedal-boating and swimming in the pond, the private 6-person hot tub, the stone fire pit with Adirondack chairs, the tipi, an all-weather ping pong table below the side deck by the hot tub (paddles and balls are on the deck next to the cornhole game), cornhole, foosball, a professional dart board, horseshoes, tetherball, disc golf, and a children’s swing set with slides for ages 3–11. Inside there are Lincoln Logs, puzzles and board games, a TV in each bedroom and a 70-inch TV in the living room for game days, a gas fireplace, and a fully equipped kitchen with a new stove and refrigerator (2026).

Yes, if you want to. Screens-off is an option here, not a rule: fishing, pedal-boating, yard games, the fire pit, Lincoln Logs, puzzles and board games. Families tell us they slow down and get real face time together. And when the big game is on, there’s a 70-inch TV in the living room.

About 95% of our guests write in the physical guestbook at the cabin. The guest stories on our reviews page are transcribed from that guestbook.

Yes to both. Park in the graveled area next to the cabin, near the pond, where trailers and boats park. There’s a 50-amp RV outlet (NEMA 14-50, 125/250V) on its own dedicated circuit. If your RV uses a 30-amp plug, please bring your own 50-to-30-amp adapter. RV hookup is an optional $75-per-night add-on when you book, covering up to 4 guests sleeping in your RV.

No. The hookup is electric only, and there’s no dump station on site. RV guests use the cabin for bathrooms, showers and water. The nearest dump stations are at Beavers Bend State Park (4350 S Hwy 259A) and the Broken Bow Lake Corps of Engineers parks.

The cabin sleeps up to 10, and up to 4 more guests can sleep in your RV, for a maximum of 14. The RV is part of your stay at the cabin, not a separate rental or campsite.

Check-in is at 4 PM and check-out is at 10 AM. Quiet hours are 10 PM to 10 AM out of respect for neighboring cabins.

Pets: dogs and cats welcome, no weight limit. We recommend up to 2 dogs ($150 pet fee); ask us about more.

The deck has gates so dogs (and kids) stay with you on the patio, and the entire 1.56-acre lot is graveled, so there are no muddy paws. Past guests have mentioned the extra water bowls for their pups.

Yes. There’s a free 40-amp Level 2 EV charger for guests. On the owner’s vehicle it adds roughly 28–30 miles of range per hour; your results will vary by car. Tesla drivers can use the adapter that comes with the car.

About 3½ hours door to door from Frisco/Plano. From Arkansas and Oklahoma: about 2½ to 3 hours from Fort Smith, AR, about 3½ hours from Little Rock, AR, about 2½ hours from McAlester, OK and about 3½ to 4 hours from Tulsa, OK. Allow more time on Friday afternoons and holiday weekends, when traffic builds near Idabel and Broken Bow.

Coming from Texas, the usual slowdowns are the Idabel loop at US-70 and US-259, and northbound traffic through Broken Bow. If Idabel is backed up, tour downtown Idabel and get on US-259 North on the east side of town. Before the US-259/US-70 intersection in Broken Bow, turn right at the Arby’s, then left on Randy Rutherford Boulevard, and head north behind Walmart and across US-70. From there you’re less than 25 minutes from the cabin. Our trip planner has food stops along the way.

Check-in is at 4 PM. Weekend afternoons get busy, so many guests leave early and enjoy lunch or an attraction around Hochatown before check-in.

Yes. Our Getaway Adventure Planner has a pre-arrival checklist, drive-time and traffic tips from Texas, where to stock up on food, what to reserve ahead, seasonal tips, and how to spend checkout day. Check-in is at 4 PM and check-out is at 10 AM.

Yes. A private gate (installed October 2026) sits at the entrance to the cabin’s driveway. It’s a private gated drive, not a gated community. There’s no gate code: it’s a simple farm gate, with a chain wrapped around the wooden post through a slot to keep the wind from pushing it open. It isn’t locked. We leave it open for you at check-in, and you can close it anytime, including at night, for privacy. Just slip the chain back through the slot.