Best Tent Camping near Waurika Lake

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.

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.

From when I was younger I remember going to the Wichita Mountains to see the Holy City and the prairie dog city. It has always been a place of fond memories and a lot of fun for not only myself but the entire family. It wasn’t until more recent years however that I was aware that there was a camping area there right within the wildlife preserve itself.

In the footprint of the mountains this campground welcomes both tent and RV campers looking to enjoy an overnight stay or more lengthy stay.  Primitive camping is available with a park and walk through a short trail or in camp there are both electrical and non-electrical sites with prices ranging for these from $8 to $20.

I noticed that the in campground sites are pretty typical in that they offer both fire rings and picnic tables.  They do have a shower and restroom which is available during non-winter months and other toilets for usage during the cooler months.  They do have drinking water available here which is also nice considering distance to nearest stores.

The best feature of this campground is not the campground itself it is the access you have to the refuge area where you can on any given day see herds of deer, buffalo, long horn cattle, turkey and of course prairie dogs.  A lot of times you will find these wandering around into camp itself.  

The area has become more and more popular for rock climbing and hiking with several people setting up basecamp at this campground.  This campground does have posted closings of gate hours so you cannot explore in the area past these posted times (during summer 10 during week or 11 on weekends).

TIPS:

• Check into the visitor center for lists of guided tours for Bald Eagle spotting and other tours.
• Take a drive up Mount Scott for some of the best views in the area.
• Listen for barking of the Prairie Dogs, this is how they warn one another of people in the area, it is very interesting to hear and if you drive by the sites where you see their mounds, pull off and roll down your windows you can watch and hear them.

Good, large sites for tents and RVs. Doris has semi-primitive sites for tents with picnic tables and fire rings as well as electric sites with hookups. Some sites offer a view of Quanah Parker Lake. All sites at Doris are walk in. There is an unmanned Paystation at the entrance but there is also a friendly campground host who lives onsite. Alcohol is prohibited everywhere within the refuge. Please note that at the time of this review (3/2020) there is NO potable water anywhere in the WMWR. An e.coli contamination in 2017 is still not resolved and any an all water is considered unsafe, including all streams and lakes. Bring in your own water, the closest store is at least 30 mins away.

Camped here in October 2017. It was very cold. We brought our dog. While setting up camp, a flock of turkeys came right up to us - about 12! The camp was easy to get to. The camp also had firewood and Ice available for self purchase. When you arrive, there is a visitors center we stopped at but not much to see there. We headed to the campground and there was a woman in a booth who you pay admission to and determine which campsites are open. The campsites themselves are large and give you lots of room to roam around to find twigs to use in your fire. Our site had a trail linked to it down to the lake. There's a picnic table at the site and fire ring. There's also a grill. The bathrooms are a short walk as well as a composting toilet. The campground was relatively calm and quiet. The hikes in the park were pretty decent and we saw buffalo roaming in the roads!

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When selecting a campground in Oklahoma, options are numerous. With the heat of the summer months however looking at lake properties is something which definitely holds a lot of appeal. 

I was in the Duncan/Marlow area and noticed the upgraded features at several of the local lakes which are designed to welcome guests. Amongst those Clear Creek Lake, a mid sized lake with about 11 miles of shoreline. The lake itself offers water activities such as fishing, swimming and boating with numerous areas for recreation located around the waters edge. 

The campground itself offers two styles of camping, primitive and improved with prices varying from$7 to$17. Spaces are large and spacious with lake views and easy water access. Something unique to this lake is they offer extended stay up to 21 days at their location for campers. A pay kiosk was located at the entry to the common space for recreation to assess fees for not only camping but day use on the property. This kiosk accepts card only payment. 

When I visited I noticed that most of the campsites were located right on the shoreline itself and despite many of the spaces being occupied by larger RVs they were not crowded feeling at all as spaces were large enough to feel comfortable. Each space included a fire ring and picnic table and those with improved camping had access to spigots and covered electrical connections right on their site. Primitive sites had common spigots centrally located. 

Public use and day use areas were also within the camping zone and included playgrounds, picnic areas and a large pavilion(which can also be reserved). 

The one slightly confusing point upon my visit was the restroom area. In the more densely populated camping area the restrooms were a bit older, lacked doors on stalls and had bare amenities you would expect from a day use only site. In the area with boat access ramps and fishing piers in addition to swimming areas, located across a small bridge from the main camping area, you could find the newly constructed shower and restroom area. This area was vastly better than the other but located much further from the camping zone itself. 

On the recreation side of the lake boat ramps and fishing piers jut out into the water at several points, a“beach” area of sorts is indicated with markers in the water which is pretty large and an additional playground and common picnic pavilion are accessible. In this area larger parking was available for boat launch and additional smaller parking access along roadway was available for those visiting the beach.

Weekends at WMWR (Wichita Mountains Wildife Refuge)are very popular beginning early in the camping season making it difficult to find open spots by Friday evening. But that doesn’t keep people from trying late into the night.   

The facilities are well maintained and allow anyone to choose very primitive to RV hookup and car/tent camping also.   Always lots of friendly folks to visit and get hiking insights from. Many activities are available in WMWR. Hiking trails can be accessed directly from Doris Campground, or there are numerous other trails in other areas a short drive away. Carry in all your water with bovine (longhorn, buffalo) covering virtually all areas of the refuge. I have visited all months of the year.