The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge offers a variety of camping opportunities.
- Doris Campground is a modern camping facility with individual and group sites.
- Fawn Creek Campground is reserved for organized youth groups through the university level.
- Backcountry camping is available in the Charons Garden Wilderness Area.
For any camping reservations, contact Refuge Headquarters.
GENERAL INFORMATION
It is your responsibility to know refuge regulations. A regulation and information leaflet may be obtained at Refuge Headquarters or at each entrance to the Refuge.
CAUTION - You will be camping in a wildlife refuge where animals move about freely. Please be alert for buffalo and longhorn cattle that pass through the area. Should the animals approach your site, secure your food items and seek a safe location. You should not threaten or attempt to scare the animals from your site. The animals may linger in the area for a short period of time before moving. Remember - BUFFALO AND LONGHORNS ARE DANGEROUS - KEEP YOUR DISTANCE.
During periods of high fire danger, permits will not be issued in the interest of public safety and resource protection. In those instances or other emergency situations where permits are temporarily suspended, reservation money will be refunded.
Be prepared for sudden weather changes - thunderstorms, cold fronts with high winds.
Refuge topographic maps are offered as sales items at the Visitor Center.
Bring water with you. Do not rely on streams or ponds in the area.
The possession or use of any alcoholic beverage, including beer containing 3.2% (or less) alcohol content by weight, is prohibited.
When your camping period is over, your campsite location should be left in a "no visible impact" condition.
We hope you enjoy your visit and we ask that you observe Refuge Regulations.
Thank you!
Doris Campground is a modern camping facility designed to enhance your visit to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. The campground offers a wide range of camping opportunities, including single unit camping (with or without electricity), semi-primitive camping, and group camping (with or without shelters and electricity). All campsites have tables, fire rings, and fire grates on site. A centrally located restroom/shower complex is available except during winter months. Drinking water, chemical toilets, and trash dumpsters are conveniently placed throughout the campground, as shown on the Campground Map. A public pay phone is located near the Campground entrance, as are wastewater facilities for RV's. All Refuge regulations apply while camping at Doris Campground.
Campground hours are:
April 1st through October 31st
Sunday through Thursday 8:00 am - 10:00 pm
Friday through Saturday 8:00 am - 11:00 pm
November 1st through March 31st
Sunday through Thursday 8:00 am - 8:00 pm
Friday through Saturday 8:00 am - 10:00 pm
The gates to the campground will be open during these times. Those visitors who already have campsites and return to the campground after hours must park in the Visitor lot and walk to their campsite. Visitors just arriving on the Refuge will need to return to the campground the following morning to obtain a site. A map of Doris Campground is available online, or you will be given one on your arrival to the camping area.
Facilities:
There are 47 Single-Unit Camping sites without electricity which will accommodate either tent or recreational vehicle campers. In addition, there are 23 Single-Unit Camping sites with electricity. Fees for single-unit sites with electricity are $10.00 per night, or $6.00 per night without electricity. There are 20 Semi-primitive Single-Unit camping sites to accommodate only walk-in tent campers which are $6.00. All Single-Unit campsites are obtained on a first-come first-served basis only. No reservations can be taken for Single-unit campsites. A maximum of 8 people is allowed per Single-Unit Campsite, including a responsible adult 18 years of age or older. The maximum number of motor vehicles, recreational vehicles, and trailers per single-unit camping site including semi-primitive shall not exceed a combination of two (2). The combined length of the vehicles must not exceed the length of the parking pad. Extra vehicles shall be parked in visitor parking lot.
Three Group Campsites are available which will accommodate group campers with tent or recreational vehicles. Group Sites A and B have shelters with electricity inside the shelter and may be reserved by contacting Refuge Headquarters for a fee of $30.00 per night. Group Site C is available for reservation at a rate of $20.00 per night and does not have either shelter or electricity. Group sites may be reserved by groups of between 8 and 30 people per site. Reservations for the Group sites may be made up to 90 days in advance. The maximum number of motor vehicles, recreational vehicles, and trailers per group camping sites shall not exceed a combination of eight (8). Extra vehicles shall be parked in the visitor parking lot near the campground entrance.
Fees:
Campers pay fees at Campground Contact Station before setting up camp. If a campground attendant/fee collector is not available, campers may proceed to available sites and set up; however, fees must be paid as soon as attendant/fee collector is available. Collector will make rounds prior to manning the booth. Camping fees shall be paid daily or, if desired, may be paid in advance for the duration of the visit. The daily fee covers the use of the facility from 3 pm on the day of payment until vacating time of 3 pm on the following day. Campsites cannot be reserved or "saved" for campers arriving later.
Length of Stay:
Maximum camping period shall be limited to 10 consecutive days during the period of April through October. The 10-day stay may include only one weekend. A 14-day camping limit is permitted the remainder of the year. All camping equipment must be removed from the campground for 48 hours at the end of any 10 consecutive days (14 days in winter).
Check-Out Time:
Campsites must be vacated by 3 pm of the day camping permit expires unless the permit is renewed before 2 pm consistent with occupancy and/or availability. After 3 pm, another day will be charged.
Pets:
Pets are permitted if confined or kept on a leash not to exceed 10 feet in length, one end of which must be secured to restrict the movement of the pet. All livestock are prohibited.
Fawn Creek Campground, located south of Refuge Headquarters near the Charons Garden Wilderness Area, has four camping sites available for organized youth groups through university level. A responsible adult 18 yrs. of age or older must accompany each group. The capacity for each site is a minimum of 8 people and a maximum of 30.
Maximum camping period is limited to 7 days.
Reservation Information
Reservations for Fawn Creek are on a first-come first-served basis and will be taken 90 days in advance. Reservation fee is $ 5.00 per site.
Payment must be received by the Refuge within 10 days after notice of reservation is mailed from the Refuge. Check or money order should be made payable to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Upon receipt of payment, the permit will be sent by return mail.
To confirm a reservation you must send your payment to the Refuge Headquarters within 10 days of the date of the confirmation letter. The fee is non-refundable. If payment is not received within 10 days your tentative reservation will be cancelled. Upon receipt of payment, a permit will be sent to you along with access information to your reserved camping site.
Backcountry camping is allowed by permit in a portion of the 5,000 acres of the Charons Garden Wilderness Area (in designated areas southwest of Sunset Pool). The following regulations and information are established for both the enjoyment and protection of the resource and for visitor safety.
Permit Information
Permits are issued for three-day periods. Friday, Saturday, Sunday -or- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. No permits are issued for Thursday.
No more than 10 people will be issued permits over any three-day period.
If not under reservation, permits are available on a walk-in basis at the Refuge headquarters Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. This is very unlikely during the spring, fall and school break days.
Reservation Information
Reservations are on a first-come, first served basis. Tentative reservations may be made in writing or by telephone up to 90 days in advance (as of December 1, 2000).
A $2.00 per person administrative fee will be charged. The fee is non-refundable once a permit is issued. Payment must be received by the Refuge within 10 days after notice of tentative reservation is mailed from the Refuge. Check or money order should be made payable to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Upon receipt of payment, the permit will be sent by return mail.
To confirm a reservation you must send your payment to the Refuge Headquarters within 10 days of the date of the confirmation letter. The fee is non-refundable. If payment is not received within 10 days your tentative reservation will be cancelled. Upon receipt of payment, a permit will be sent to you along with access information to your reserved camping site.
Camping Regulations
The maximum length of stay is 3 days and 2 nights, beginning with sunup of the first day of the permit and ending at sunset of the third day.
Permittee vehicle can be parked outside the gate in the designated parking lot or inside the gate at Sunset Picnic Area. Do not leave valuables in vehicle.
Display bottom portion of permit on dash of vehicle and keep the top portion with you.
Campfires or open fires of any kind are strictly prohibited. Please exercise extreme caution if using a backpacker stove.
Do not trench around tent or level off tent site.
Do not bury garbage. Pack it out with you. To dispose of human waste, select a screened spot away from any trail or water source and dig a small pit latrine five inches deep and ten inches across. Cover with soil after use.
Do not pollute streams by dish washing, laundering, or bathing.