#BOONDOCKING IN OKLAHOMA FREE#

There is a dispersed camping area that sits on the eastern edge of the lake that offers no amenities and a more developed campground on the western shore.Īmenities: The developed campground has vault toilets, a picnic area, and potable water along with a boat ramp. More Information: Black Kettle National GrasslandsĪlso managed as part of the Black Kettle National Grasslands, Spring Creek has a couple of camping options depending on your preferences. There’s also a boat ramp for accessing the reservoir. There are two developed campgrounds within the Oklahoma section of the grasslands: Spring Creek Lake and Skipout Lake.Īmenities: Skipout Lake Recreation Area offers vault toilets, a picnic area, and potable water. Camp only in areas you are sure are part of the grasslands.

Similar to Rita Blanca, the grasslands are not one contiguous area, but a patchwork of federal land mixed with private land spread across Oklahoma and Texas. The majority of Black Kettle is located two hours due east of Oklahoma City, near the town of Cheyenne. More Information: Rita Blanca National Grasslands The one developed section within the Oklahoma portion is the Felt Picnic Area, which has a vault toilet, picnic tables, fire rings, and grills. The rangeland is largely flat and treeless, so be sure to bring your own shade.Īmenities: The vast majority of the grasslands are completely undeveloped, providing plenty of boondocking opportunities, but with no amenities to speak of. It’s important that campers only camp in areas that are clearly marked as part of the national grasslands. The nearly 100,000 acres is not contiguous though and is interspersed with private land. Until the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, the area was extensively farmed, but the federal government purchased 93,000 acres of it and allowed it to return to its natural state as shortgrass prairie, preventing another agricultural catastrophe. Most of the Rita Blanca National Grasslands are in Texas, but a sliver of it extends across the border into the Oklahoma Panhandle near the town of Felt. The majority are located in the hilly eastern third of the state, but a few grassland campgrounds and reservoirs can be found in the western panhandle and in the central part of the state. Oklahoma doesn’t have much in the way of national forests, but it does have a patchwork of national grasslands, national wildlife refuges, and a few dozen state parks. Top Locations for Boondocking in Oklahoma You can also catch some sleep at rest areas along the highway, which have no time limits or restrictions on who can camp there. Most municipalities in Oklahoma aren’t too strict about parking RVs in private lots overnight, so it isn’t too hard to go boondocking in Oklahoma if you don’t mind camping in the city. When it comes to urban camping, they’re pretty lenient too.

Most national forests will limit you to 14 days, but that’s about it.

Oklahoma has minimal regulations when it comes to boondocking. However, you can find a few pieces of public land if you try! Less than 2% of the state is owned by the federal government compared to nearly 67% in nearby Utah. Oklahoma, unfortunately, doesn’t have as much of this land as many other states.

#BOONDOCKING IN OKLAHOMA FREE#

These free sites help you save money on campground and hotel fees and are often situated in more scenic regions. Public land owned by the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), or the state park system are the go-to spots for boondockers. Keep reading to learn about the Sooner State’s finest free campsites. Attractions and restaurants are considerably less expensive, and when you’re boondocking in Oklahoma, there are no camping fees either. Whatever kind of terrain you’re looking for, you can probably find it in Oklahoma.Īs an under-the-radar destination, Oklahoma is also one of the cheaper places to vacation. What most people don’t know about Oklahoma is that it’s an incredibly diverse state with arid high plains in the panhandle, bison-inhabited prairie in the center, and lush forests in its southwest corner. Known for its tumbleweeds, tornadoes, and of course, the Tiger King himself, the Sooner State might not be on many camper’s bucket lists.

Boondocking in oklahoma