Chickasaw National Recreation Area

Usual hours

• Mon–Sun 0:00–0:00

From 56 published days, 2026-10-25 to 2026-12-19; community-mapped.

About

Entrance / day-use fee applies.

This park's official page lists: Store / concessions.

This park's official page lists: Visitor center.

Official facts

Public access: Open access.

Protected area: 9,678 acres (3,917 ha).

Designation: National Recreation Area. Listed as "Chickasaw National Recreation Area" in the Protected Areas Database of the United States. Protection: protected from conversion, multiple uses allowed (GAP 3).

Established: 1976.

Managed by: NPS.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gap Analysis Project (GAP), 2025, Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) 4.1

Before you go

Limits

Yes, service dogs are legally permitted anywhere in a park that visitors can go

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.

Weather & when to go

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.

Visitor center

Travertine Nature Center

Visitor center

Travertine Nature Center

Visitor center

Travertine Nature Center

Visitor center

Travertine Nature Center

Visitor center

Travertine Nature Center — The Travertine Nature Center is in the northeast section of the recreation is the eastern most point of the loop road, Perimeter Drive. It is also the trailhead for the Antelope Springs and Buffalo Springs area, which has a number of small loop trails spurring off of a stem trail. It is located… — From I-35 drive through the towns of Davis and Sulphur to the intersection of State Highway 7 and 177. Drive south on Hwy. 177 and take the first left to the Travertine Nature Center.

Facilities on the park map

1 defibrillator, 1 first aid kit, 2 restroom, 5 visitor information.

Where to stay

• 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 only. The Lower Loop is first come, first served. Located near the shor of Lake of the Arbuckles and The Point Boat Launch. · 55 campsites
• 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 located near the Buckhorn Boat Launch and near the southern trailhead for the Rock Creek Multi-Use Trail. · 41 campsites · Accessibility: 3 sites are wheelchair accessible - sites #62 and #76 are utility sites with electric and water hookups for RVs. They are not located near the restroom…
• 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 the Arbuckles, Buckhorn Campground is also located near the Buckhorn Boat Launch and near the southern trailhead for the Rock Creek Multi-Use Trail. · 48 campsites · Accessibility: 3 sites are designated as accessible. Sites #119 and #125 are utility sites. Both are located near the restrooms, but there are no sidewalks connecting the…
• 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 A. Located next to Lake of the Arbuckles, Buckhorn Campground is also located near the Buckhorn Boat Launch and near the southern trailhead for the Rock Creek Multi-Use Trail. · 19 campsites · Accessibility: Campsite 1 is designated as an accessible site, constructed to be fully accessible by people in wheelchairs. It is located across the road from the restroom…
• 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 B. Located next to Lake of the Arbuckles, Buckhorn Campground is also located near the Buckhorn Boat Launch and near the southern trailhead for the Rock Creek Multi-Use Trail. · 25 campsites · Accessibility: Campsite 41 is designated as an accessible site, constructed to be fully accessible by people in wheelchairs. It is connected by a sidewalk to the restroom…
• 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. It is located on the western shore of Lake of the Arbuckles. This primitive campground offers basic amenities only. RVs are permitted, but no hookups are available. Communal water spigots and pit toilets are available. Each campsite has a picnic table an · 40 campsites · Accessibility: None designated
• 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 campground is good for primitive camping. No hook ups are available. · 100 campsites
• Central Campground Central Campground consists of ten group sites. It is located near downtown Sulphur.
• 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 trailers may fit in the parking spaces at some campsites. · 65 campsites

History

Opened

1902

• Park opened