Megan B.

The Dyrt Pro

Oklahoma City, OK

Joined January 2021

Lea Lake Campground

There's not much privacy anywhere at this campground, but the tent sites were so close to each other that we decided to pay to switch to a site with hook-ups that we didn't need. We really liked our new site and would definitely stay here again--just not at the tent sites. The bathrooms were clean and convenient, but the showers were luke warm and push button style with very little pressure. The whole campground seemed very well maintained. Our site had easy access to water and trash cans. The park is nice and it was fun exploring all of the lakes.

Dispersed Sites in Black Kettle National Grasslands

We stayed here on a Friday night in early December. There are three dispersed sites in this area. We chose the largest because it was the most private and the most level. There was a picnic table and a fire ring. The site backs up to a pretty interpretive trail with a small pond, though our dog had to be carried in his pack because of all of the stickers.

Quiet and Beautiful

Some of the other camping areas seemed less spacious and private, but we really liked our site in the tent-only Cactus Campground. It had a shade shelter, a picnic table, and a dirt tent pad. There was also a fire ring with a grill grate, but a burn ban was in place. The water faucet was just across the street and there were clean restrooms (with hot showers) up the road at the next campground. Even with some light pollution from town, the stars were beautiful.

We only stayed for two nights--not nearly enough to explore this incredible park. We're hoping to go back before it gets too warm.

Campgrounds Vary

We booked a Deep Ford campsite online but were disappointed when we arrived. The sites were really close together with almost no privacy. There were a lot of people parked in the campground lot for fishing during the day, so it felt pretty cramped. Luckily, you can change your reservation online. We drove around to all of the different tent sections and found a much better option at Eagles Nest. It was wooded and the sites were more spread out. It had a stone fire ring, a table, a grill, and a lantern pole. There are no bathrooms nearby, but there are several throughout the park that are just a quick drive away if you really need them.

If you're looking for less crowded spots, it seemed like Eagles Nest and Lake Wayne Wallace were the best options.

Beautiful Lakeside Camping

We enjoyed our 2 night stay here. We arrived on Friday evening and found our site was even closer to the lake than expected. We were nearly surrounded by water and it made for a pretty view--especially at sunrise. Some of the other sites looked a little muddy, but ours and the one next to it were built up and relatively dry. We had a table, a lantern pole, and a fire pit. There was a faucet next to the site and several covered trash cans across the street. It was quite cool and the breeze off the lake made it feel even colder, so be prepared for that. There isn't much privacy anywhere in this campground as far as I could tell. Our neighbors were very close and there aren't as many trees as you might expect. I don't know that I'd want to stay here during a busy weekend, but it was good for winter camping.

The bathrooms were clean and the one near the boat ramp is heated. The booth was closed for the season, but the campground host came by once to check our reservation. We saw several deer grazing behind the playground and a Bald Eagle flew over our site one morning.

Pretty, Wooded Site

We stayed here in loop D for one night in mid-December. There were only 2 other groups when we arrived to set up camp, but another 10-12 groups had come through by the time we were finished. Our site still had a lot of privacy and plenty of room to gather wood and explore. We did have to pick up some trash before we set up camp. Our pad had a table, a fire ring with a grill grate, and a lantern pole.

The restrooms were down the road a bit, but still fairly close. They were large, clean, and well stocked.

Great for Winter Camping

We stayed here for one night in late December. It was a Sunday and we had the whole campground to ourselves. The hosts were friendly and helpful. All of the sites looked nice, but ours was especially beautiful. It was fairly easy to pull in and out in our Rav4, though there isn't a paved drive or pad. It smelled amazing and the ground was covered in a thick bed of pine needles. There's a really fun little trail that runs from the campsites down to the runestone.

The restrooms were single person, clean, and well stocked. There were several day visitors using the little playground and picnic tables, so I imagine it would be pretty busy and probably a lot less peaceful in the warmer seasons.