Best Glamping near Colony, OK

Inside the wildlife preserve there are not a lot of camping options as the attempt to keep the wildlife wild is the primary focus. However if you are looking to stay inside the area, you will want to check out Doris Campground, located centrally in the property. 

Camping options at Doris vary with both primitive and improved options. 47 sites without electricity offer only shaded retreat, regular sized pull ins and basic amenities with picnic tables and fire rings. However the improved sites offer electricity and larger pull ins for mid to large sized RV units. There is an additional set of camping options which are hike in style sites with a common parking area, these are a little harder to get to as the area is overgrown. 

Sites range in price points from$12 to$24 and all have access to common spigots and restrooms. 

One restroom is a bit more updated but offers only restrooms no showers while the less updated offers showers but is a bit creepy. 

Something you will want to be mindful of staying at this site is wildlife. While many campgrounds often experience a wild animal or two, the raccoons here are quite menacing and snakes are very common. 

If you do decide to come out to the Wichita Mountains, I suggest checking out some of the many hiking options and view points. The tower trail is a great one for views of the lake and terrain with minimal challenge and only some slightly uneven spaces from weathering and wash. Mount Scott is the highest point in the park and can be accessed through an invigorating hike to the top or through the scenic drive which features several pull offs and a parking area at the top. 

Prairie Dog town is one of the more unique features of the park with dozens of colonies visible from several view points and pull offs. Being able to see the critters up close and personal will leave you smiling for hours. Walking throughout the preserve are buffalo and longhorns. 

An extremely unique feature is the park’s Holy City, an area which was designated for use in the 20s and at its peak welcomed up to 250,000 people per year to an annual program performed on the hillside. This feature is unique in that it is a rock city constructed on the hillside which includes the story of Christ and also is the home of a chapel modeled after one that George Washington once attended in Virginia. A very unique piece of history.

This park was saved by a local who has leased it for the next 50 years! Oklahoma was going to close it down! Great RV and tent sites! Very family friendly , pool, camp store, playgrounds and numerous rappelling sites. Also bathhouses! Great hiking on the red Rock! Good karma like Sedona!

This was my last stop on a 2 week road trip and it was a cool find close OKC. After spending a couple hours driving through TX and OK, this spot doesn’t even feel like Oklahoma. It gets very hot during the day but the canyon tent sites have a good amount of shade and are a lot cooler. There are also some great walking trails since it used to be a State Park.

The Wichitas are (in my humble opinion), by far the best place to be in Oklahoma. When my boyfriend took me camping there (he's an OK native), I was pressed to the glass looking at the buffalo. AMAZING. So much wildlife (make sure you stop to see the prairie dogs), and the mountains are amazing. There is no bad place to camp here, just make sure you go for a hike!

This park is nestled in the red rock hills of close north central Oklahoma with its curved and tree-filled landscape hiding awaiting adventures and treasures to be discovered! The landscape’s curves, twists and turns produce moments of discovery including natural springs abundant with icy cold, clear water flowing from rocky walls and gurgling streams as one winds through pathways of wild wooded areas.

Options for all levels of outdoor-lovers include the lodge, with hotel-type accommodations, restaurant and outdoor seating area to the more adventurous Tipis for those who want to experience a more “close encounter” with nature!

Certainly something for everyone including the good sized lake with recreation for the whole family!

This park was turned back over to the state in 2020 and is exactly how I remembered it from the 80’s. Tucked down in southwest Oklahoma in the Wichita Mountains, it’s a small park but has LOTS of options. There are RV and tent Campgrounds, cabins, a very modern lodge with 96 rooms, group pavilions, and a dormitory. There’s a full restaurant, ORV trails, hiking trails, a river and a lake. Something for everyone.

We stayed in the Mountain View campground which has concrete pads and didn’t have to level our rig at all. Electric and water and steps to the flush bathroom that has a shower in it. It backs up to the lake berm and has a view of one of the mountains. Not much cover but we didn’t need it as it was cloudy during our stay. LOTS of stickers. Beware especially if you have long haired dogs.

My dog, Ava, and I joined a group of fellow teardrop campers in a surprisingly unique and fascinating campground in Oklahoma. This campground, formally known as Red Rock Canyon State Park, has now become simply Red Rock Canyon Campground. The state park was slated for closure when a local family from the nearby town of Hinton negotiated to lease this lovely place from the state in order to keep this local gem open for both day use and camping.

WOW, what a great service they have done for camper travelers. After checking in at the friendly office, we found ourselves driving down a somewhat steep and winding road into the canyon. Now I'm pulling a 2300 pound teardrop, but plenty of big rigs have also made it down with no problems. The place really is enchanting. The tent sites are tucked right into the canyon walls, and full hook ups, while not tucked in are right inside the canyon as well. With kids in mind, there are many playgrounds as well as repelling and trails for adult types, but you must bring your own climbing equipment.

The one downside for me was the pay showers. It was 75 cents for a six minute shower, and change machines were right there, but hey, I want free showers.

I took my Girl Scout troop of Brownies and Juniors here the last weekend of April. I got there early on Friday so I could get enough campsites for us, since the sites are first-come, first-served. I think this is important because there aren't too many that are away from the RV campgrounds or that have shade. The grounds are pretty clean for a state park and with the resources they have available. We stayed in Beaver Den, which is near the bathrooms with a shower. There is a fantastic red cedar set back into the tree that the girls loved climbing and a little hill they spent plenty of time scaling.

Campsites have picnic tables, a grill, and a fire pit with a grate. The loops are small, so the water is close.

The park ranger was awesome. He drove by several times to ensure everything was fine. He let me know in the future to call the ranger on duty to see if the group campground would be available (because it is also first-come, first-served). They also give a 50 percent discount if they have a service project for scout groups, which is awesome. They came and talked to the girls about a service project and the importance of wearing a life jacket.

Something to pay attention to is that they charge by the tent, not by the campsite. Both Travel.ok and the signage at the park indicate it is $14 per campsite with no more than two tents per site.

Our girls did two horseback rides at the stables. Jennifer & Bre are awesome! There is a small petting zoo with a very spunky goose, some goats, a bunny, and a duck. The ride was fun and relaxing. The girls also want to play mini golf. The general store gave us a discount for being Girl Scouts, but I don't know if that's standard practice.

There are easy hiking trails for little kids and inexperienced people. We also went do the natural spring, which the girls enjoyed and hunted for crawdads.

The lodge has free Oklahoma state park passport books and stickers for kids. If you are familiar with the national park passport books then you'll want to snag one of these.

All and in the staff from the lodge, the stables, to the rangers, and general store all went above and beyond to make our stay great!

Lake Elmer Thomas Recreation Area, Fort Sill, OK

Cabin 3 (both late June and mid-October)

Lake Elmer Thomas(LETRA) is a 334 acre lake located on Fort Sill in Comanche County, Oklahoma. LETRA offers a pretty nice location for recreating. Offering quite a bit for families in a limited space.                                                                                                            •A nice beach and cordoned swim area, complete with restrooms and shower house(11a-7p)…lifeguards                                                                                                          •Sand volleyball court                                                                                                             •Watersport rentals: paddle boards, canoes, kayaks, pontoon boat                                      •Mini golf course                                                                                                                         •Disc golf course                                                                                                                     •RV/Camper area                                                                                                                         •Rustic rental cabins                                                                                                                    •Random primitive tent camping                                                                                        •Fishing                                                                                                                                              •Nearby off-base hiking(Mount Scott and the Medicine Park Wildlife Refuge)              •Bicycling-ample quiet, paved road opportunities but surprisingly limited off road options 

Tent Camping: there are no specifically designated loop or numbered site tent areas. Tenters are permitted to camp all along the lake’s edge in the grassy area. There are a few picnic tables and elevated charcoal grills(no ground fires permitted), so you may have to do without. There are also a few picnic tables under shelters, but half are in a state of disrepair and caution-taped off. Tenters cannot set up tents within the cabin rental inner circle. 

The modern facility restrooms are across from the playground as you enter the cabin rental peninsula. Tent campers are able to utilize the shower house/restrooms in the RV/Camper section, as well as the beach areas during open hours. There is no ground cover to separate one tent from the next…all can be seen and heard. 

RV/Camper Sites: big rigs are lined up side by side in a separate gravel loop immediately to the left of the entrance. Sites have water and electric hookups. The nicest shower house/restroom is located there. There is a small patch of grass between sites, picnic table and elevated charcoal grill. These sites are closest to the entrance, beach area, watersport rental and campground activities. 

Cabin Rentals: log home rentals are on a small peninsula with great views of Mount Scott and Lake Elmer Thomas. At the time of this review, you must bring your own bedding linens/blankets, towels, etc. I would also recommend packing extra eating utensils, condiments and any other items that you would take camping. We rented Cabin 3, which the website says will sleep 4…inaccurate. One full size bed and a small futon will sleep two average-sized adults and one small child in marginal comfort. The table only provides two chairs, not four for two not four. I would subtract 1-2 persons on the cabins unless you count floor space. Cabin 3 was$80 nightly. 

Painted turtles are in abundance around the lake, as are smallish ‘fist-sized’ tarantulas. Bicycling the Artillary Range perimeter roadways on base, coyote dash across in early morning hours. Note: you are on a military base, so there are a number of restrictions that you need to be aware of and abide by. 

Additionally, the campground is positioned along the northern side of the Artillery range. Yes, you will see and hear C-Ram’s lighting up the sky randomly during the day and night hours, as well as other ordinance. I enjoyed the display and out-of-the-ordinary disruption. Think unanticipated fireworks.