Some of the best road trip memories in Oklahoma start with a stop you almost skipped. You see a small, old-school building by the highway, your stomach growls, and you figure a quick snack can’t hurt.
Then you bite into something warm, flaky, and stuffed with filling, and suddenly the whole drive feels different. This is the story of one of those stops, the kind you end up planning every future trip around.
A Roadside Bakery Below the Arbuckle Mountains
Right off US-77 in Davis, Oklahoma, sits a little stand that has been pulling travelers off the road for decades. Arbuckle Mountain Fried Pies is a pie shop at 4145 US-77, close to the I-35 corridor that carries folks between Oklahoma City and the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Visitors describe it as part gas station, part roadside bakery, and fully devoted to one thing: fried pies. The building has an old-school look that some say reminds them of a cabin, which fits the mountain country around it perfectly.
Location is a big part of the appeal. Turner Falls, one of the most popular outdoor spots in southern Oklahoma, is just down the road, so hikers and swimmers often swing by before or after a day at the falls.
One visitor shared that they stopped right after hiking there and called it a cool little spot to stretch your legs.
Road trippers heading to Texas love it too. Several regulars from the Dallas area say they make a point to stop every single time they pass through on the interstate.
Small as it is, the stand has become a real landmark for anyone driving through the Arbuckles.
The Pletcher Family Recipe Since 1954
Back in 1954, E.W. and Maude Pletcher opened their shop in Davis with a simple recipe that started south of the Arbuckle Mountains. That humble beginning grew into one of the most famous fried pie names in Oklahoma.
Picture the era for a moment. Families were taking more road trips, highways were bringing new traffic through small towns, and a warm, handheld pie was the perfect thing to eat on the go.
The Pletchers clearly understood what travelers wanted.
Seven decades later, the idea hasn’t changed much. According to visitors, the shop still makes its own dough, its own filling, and its own pies every day.
That daily routine is a big reason people keep coming back generation after generation.
Plenty of customers have their own family history with the place. One regular said they have been coming since they were a baby, and another family makes a trip every single year just for the pies.
Some visitors connect it with classic Route 66 style road trip culture, the kind of stop that feels like a piece of American travel history. Whatever you call it, the Pletcher legacy is baked right into every crust.
Twenty-Two Flavors and Counting
Decision paralysis is real here, and honestly, that’s part of the fun. Arbuckle Mountain Fried Pies serves around 22 different flavors, according to one visitor who counted.
The sweet side covers fruit favorites like cherry, blueberry, apple, and blackberry. Then there are creamy choices such as chocolate, lemon, coconut, and vanilla.
Folks also mention pumpkin, German chocolate, and berry pies, so the lineup stretches across nearly every craving.
Diet-conscious travelers get options too. The shop offers several sugarless flavors within the fruit selection, which is a nice touch for anyone watching their sugar.
Regulars have opinions, of course. Pecan comes up again and again as a crowd favorite, with one Turner Falls hiker calling it hands down the best of the bunch.
Apple has fans too, including one visitor who claimed it was the best apple pie they had ever tasted.
Flavors can rotate, and not every favorite sticks around forever. One loyal customer even pleaded for the return of banana cream.
If a flavor you want isn’t out, the menu is big enough that you’ll still find something worth grabbing.
Most groups solve the problem simply: order several and share.
Savory Pies Worth the Wait
Breakfast in a crust? Yes, please.
Many people don’t realize that the Davis location also makes savory fried pies, and they’ve become a quiet star of the menu.
Choices visitors mention include sausage, egg, and cheese, broccoli and chicken, Tex-Mex, kielbasa and potato, pizza, chicken and vegetables, and even Hatch green chile. The Tex-Mex earns lots of praise, with several folks calling it delicious and one saying it beat the Polish sausage version.
Here’s the catch. Savory pies are made to order, so you’ll usually wait around seven to ten minutes.
When the shop gets busy, regulars say you may not be able to order savory pies at all.
Waits can also stretch longer than promised. One traveler was told ten minutes and ended up waiting about thirty, though they said the food made it worthwhile.
The payoff is a hot, freshly made pie with a crispy, not soggy, texture. A visitor who ordered the sausage, egg, and cheese described it as a good size for the price and offered smart advice: keep it in the paper sleeve while it’s hot, or it may fall apart in your hands.
Fresh Hot Pies in About Seven Minutes
Don’t see your flavor in the case? Just wait a bit.
One visitor shared that if your pick isn’t ready, a fresh hot pie can be yours in about seven minutes.
Freshness is where the shop really shines. Since dough and filling are made daily, the pies taste like they came straight from a home kitchen.
Travelers describe them as flavorful and, surprisingly, not greasy, which is high praise for anything fried.
Size matters too. One fan pointed out the pies are bigger than most and packed with filling, with a crust nicer than many store brands.
Others found them heavy in the best way, calling them gut busters that are fun to eat.
A family of four ordered six pies, mixing sweet and savory, and still couldn’t finish them all, even with two kids helping. They also discovered they liked the pies best at room temperature.
Honest feedback exists as well. One longtime customer felt a recent batch had more crust and less filling than usual.
Another said the pies were messy, so grab extra napkins before you dig in.
Still, the overall vibe from visitors is clear: the pies deliver.
Frozen Pies for the Drive Home
Smart road trippers plan ahead, and that often means loading up a cooler. Arbuckle Mountain Fried Pies sells frozen pies, letting you take the experience home long after Turner Falls is in your rearview mirror.
Shoppers say the prices on frozen pies are more than fair, which makes stocking up easy to justify. One fan even described them as the best fried pies they had ever purchased, frozen or otherwise.
A traveler heading to Texas mentioned planning to stop again on the return trip, both for lunch and to grab frozen pies for home. That kind of round-trip strategy seems pretty common among people who pass through regularly.
Extras make great gifts, too. Bringing back a box from a real Oklahoma roadside bakery beats a gas station keychain any day.
Not everyone waits until they get home, though. One family ate a pie on the spot, loved it, then turned right around and bought six more.
Another visitor picked up a Hatch green chile pie and an extra apple to take with them after enjoying several others in the shop.
A little advice from regulars: have a hot one while you’re there, then take the frozen ones along.
Western Heroes, a Wooden Car, and an Upper Loft
Walk inside and you might do a double take. Among the quirky details visitors point out is a car made of wood, plus walls lined with pictures of western heroes.
An upper loft area lets guests look down over the shop while they eat, giving the small space a fun, layered feel. For kids, climbing up to the loft can be half the adventure.
The decor fits the rustic setting. Visitors describe the building as old school, almost like a former cabin, and the cowboy-era photos add a dose of classic Oklahoma character.
Shoppers also find a cool little store tucked inside. One visitor walked out with an amazing smelling candle along with her pies, and others loved the souvenir cups available for purchase.
Photo ops are part of the experience as well. Travelers mention spots set up for snapping pictures, which makes it easy to remember the stop or share it with friends.
Not everything is polished. One guest felt the building could use an update or two, and another simply said the sitting area is just for sitting, eating, and getting going.
Nothing fancy, and that’s sort of the charm.
Who Stops Here and Why
Hikers fresh off the trails at Turner Falls, families on summer road trips, and commuters between Oklahoma and Texas all end up in the same small line. That mix is what gives the shop its friendly, fun energy.
Road trippers might appreciate it most. Restrooms are available, the stop sits close to I-35, and the whole visit can be quick if you grab pies from the case.
It’s a natural place to take a break and stretch your legs.
Families do well here too. Kids enjoy picking flavors, exploring the loft, and posing for photos.
Just know the pies are big, so sharing is the way to go.
Loyal fans keep the place busy. Many visitors say they stop every time they head south, and some have been coming since childhood.
Service gets mixed comments. Plenty of guests call the staff sweet, helpful, and friendly, while a few found certain employees short or less than outgoing.
On busy days, the team still works quickly to get orders out.
Bottom line, if you love simple comfort food and don’t need fancy surroundings, this stop will feel right at home for you.
Hours, Prices, and Getting There
Early birds, rejoice. Arbuckle Mountain Fried Pies opens at 7 AM and stays open until 7 PM every day of the week, Monday through Sunday.
That schedule makes it easy to fit into almost any plan. Grab a breakfast pie on your way to Turner Falls in the morning, or reward yourself with a pecan pie after an afternoon on the trails.
Prices are generally described as fair. One visitor paid about six dollars with tax for a savory sausage, egg, and cheese pie and felt it was a good size for the money.
Frozen pies are also praised as reasonably priced.
Finding the shop is simple. It sits at 4145 US-77 in Davis, Oklahoma, just off the I-35 corridor, so you won’t need to wander far from the main route.
Want to check flavors or ask about wait times? Call ahead at 580-369-7830 or visit arbucklemountainfriedpies.com before you go.
A quick tip: if you’re set on a savory pie, try to avoid peak rush times, since they’re made to order and may be unavailable when the shop is slammed.
Pairing Pies With a Day at Turner Falls
Sweet treats taste even better after a long hike. That’s why so many people build their Turner Falls visit around a pie stop in Davis.
Turner Falls is one of southern Oklahoma’s best known outdoor spots, and the drive through the Arbuckle Mountains is scenic on its own. Adding a fried pie break turns a nice day trip into a memorable one.
Morning plan: stop when the doors open at 7 AM and grab something savory, like a sausage, egg, and cheese pie, to fuel up before hitting the trails. Then pick up a couple of sweet pies to enjoy later.
Afternoon plan: head to the falls first, then roll back to the shop for a hot cherry, pecan, or coconut cream pie once you’ve worked up an appetite. One hiker did exactly that and loved every bite.
Since some people actually prefer the pies at room temperature, packing a few for a picnic works well too. Just bring plenty of napkins, because the fillings can get messy.
Before heading home, grab frozen pies so the memory of the trip lasts a little longer in your freezer.
Worth the Detour, Napkins and All
So, should you pull over? Based on what visitors keep saying, the answer is a pretty confident yes.
Arbuckle Mountain Fried Pies isn’t fancy. The building is simple, the seating is basic, and service can vary from day to day.
Waits for savory pies may run longer than expected, and the restrooms got some critical comments.
Yet people return again and again. They come for pies made fresh daily, a menu of roughly 22 flavors, savory options you won’t find at most bakeries, and a story that stretches back to 1954.
Many call them the best fried pies they’ve ever eaten.
The setting adds to the magic. With Turner Falls and the Arbuckle Mountains close by, a pie stop fits naturally into one of Oklahoma’s favorite outdoor getaways.
First timers often wonder if it’s really worth it. Regulars seem to agree it definitely is, especially if you go in hungry and ready to share.
Order a hot pecan for the road, grab a Tex-Mex if the kitchen isn’t swamped, and tuck a few frozen pies in the cooler. Then just enjoy the drive with a happy, slightly sticky smile.
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