Chickasaw National Recreation Area

Lincoln Bridge with Travertine Creek flowing below
Lincoln Bridge stands out as one of the oldest park structures
Lake boating on a summer day
Lake of the Arbuckles attracts many boaters each summer for various recreational activities
Lake fishing with family
Learning to Fish at Veterns Lake
Herd of bison
The park has a herd of bison which are very popular
Two people hiking over a water feature
Two people walk towards Buffalo Springs, one of the park's many fresh water springs
Photos: National Park Service

About Chickasaw National Recreation Area

Springs, streams, lakes - whatever its form, water is the attraction at Chickasaw National Recreation Area.

Plan a Visit

NPS DesignationNational Recreation Area
Park State / Territory MembershipOklahoma
Current Alerts2
Visitor Centers1
Campgrounds9
Things To Do0

Core visitor information on this page is sourced from the National Park Service. NPD proximity sections use NPS reference coordinates and straight-line distance. Local source bundle updated Sep 27, 2026. View the official NPS page.

Weather & Conditions

Summers are hot and humid. Temperatures above 100ºF occur, and humidity often exceeds 50%. Winters are mild and prolonged freezes are rare. Thunderstorms are common April through July.

NPS Reference Location

Park state / territory membership: Oklahoma. This map uses the National Park Service reference coordinate. It may represent an administrative or reference point rather than a park entrance, trailhead, visitor center, or the nearest access point. Use the official NPS directions below when planning travel.

Operating Hours

Many outdoor areas are available 24 hours a day. Please visit the current conditions page for details.

FridayAll Day
MondayAll Day
SaturdayAll Day
SundayAll Day
ThursdayAll Day
TuesdayAll Day
WednesdayAll Day

Activities

AstronomyStargazingBikingMountain BikingRoad BikingBoatingMotorized BoatingJet SkiingCampingCar or Front Country CampingGroup CampingRV CampingFishingFoodPicnickingHands-On

Current Alerts

Vendome Well Parking Lot Closure September 28-October 9.

The Vendome Parking Lot and Entrance Road will be closed starting Sept. 28th. Work includes removal of the asphalt, reestablishing the drainage slopes, widening the entrance road, protecting the historic stone work, paving the parking lot and restriping the parking lot. Visitor parking is available at Lincoln Bridge. Chickasaw National Recreation Area will be conducting pavement maintenance and micro-surfacing projects throughout the park. Visitors should expect temporary closures and plan accordingly.

Fire Restrictions Starting September 1, 2026

Due to increased fire danger, fire restrictions have been implemented parkwide. Using wood for fires in campgrounds and picnic areas is currently prohibited. Charcoal within a grill and stoves fueled by petroleum or liquid propane gas are allowed. For more information, contact the Travertine Nature Center at 580-622-7234.

Getting There

From US I-35 drive through the towns of Davis and towards the town of Sulphur. There are a variety of destinations in the park to choose from.

View Official Directions

Contact & Address

The NPS-listed address may be an administrative office, visitor center, mailing/contact location, or other park facility rather than a park entrance.

NPS-Listed Address901 W. 1st Street, Sulphur, OK, 73086

Topics & Themes

Architecture and BuildingNative American HeritageSocial MovementsConservation MovementTransportationBridgesAncient SeasAnimalsBirdsBisonFishTortoises and TurtlesForests and WoodlandsDeciduous ForestsFossils and PaleontologyGeology

Visitor Centers

Travertine Nature Center

A good starting place for visitors. It has brochures, exhibits, maps and helpful Rangers. Get information about lakes, camping, hiking trails, and special events.

Campgrounds

Rock Creek Campground

Located along Rock Creek and near Veterans Lake, this wooded campground is open for the summer season. Built with small travel trailers in mind, this…

Central Campground

Central Campground consists of ten group sites. It is located near downtown Sulphur.

Buckhorn Campground Loop A

Buckhorn Campground has four loops. Loop A is open seasonally on a first come, first served basis. There are no hookups for RVs on Loop…

Cold Springs Campground

Cold Springs Campground is open year-round. Rebuilt in the 1930s to its current configuration, it does not accommodate most RVs, though small pop-up or teardrop…

The Point Campground

The Point Campground is open year round. It has a combination of sites with and without RV hook-ups. The Upper Loop is available by reservation…

Guy Sandy Campground

Guy Sandy Campground is open seasonally for the summer. It opens no later than Memorial Day Weekend and closes no earlier than Labor Day Weekend.…

Buckhorn Campground Loop B

Buckhorn Campground has four loops. Loop B is open seasonally on a first come, first served basis. There are no hookups for RVs on Loop…

Buckhorn Campground Loop C

Buckhorn Campground has four loops. Loop C is open year round by reservation only. Located next to Lake of the Arbuckles, Buckhorn Campground is also…

Buckhorn Campground Loop D

Buckhorn Campground has four loops. Loop D is open year round. Campsite on Loop D are first come, first served. Located next to Lake of…

Nearby National Park Service Sites

These sites are ordered by straight-line distance between NPS reference coordinates. This is useful for comparison, but it is not road mileage. Trails, parkways, rivers, and distributed units may extend far from their reference point.