About Winding Stair Campground
Visitors enjoy the peaceful setting of this campground located within three miles of several trail systems, including Horsethief and Billy Creek Trails. The Mountain-top Trail has a one-mile loop and a two-mile loop adjacent to the campground. The 192-mile Ouachita National Recreation Trail passes the campground as it extends from Talimena State Park in Oklahoma to Pinnacle Mountain State Park in Arkansas. This campground is one of many attractions along the Talimena Scenic Byway, a 54-mile highway winding along the crests of Winding Stair and Rich Mountains. Emerald Vista, north of this campground, boasts a birds-eye view of the Ouachita National Forest from atop the Scenic Byway. Picnic tables are available. A backpacker’s camp, located about 300 feet west of the main campground, is open year-round. Facilities include five tent pads, table, fire ring, lantern poles and pit toilet.…
- Fees: - Campground: - Backpacker's camp- $3/night - Single sites- $8/night - Double sites- $14/night
- Managed by: USFS - Ouachita National Forest
- Where: 9 mi south of Hodgen, OK · 34.71447, -94.6751
Things to do:
Official page for this camp (fees, closures, booking)
Weather by month
Typical daily highs and lows (°F), 1991–2020 NOAA normals. Best months: Apr–May & Sep–Oct (comfortable days, mild nights, little rain). Nights below freezing: Dec–Jan.
Fly over it in 3D, check today's weather and fire news, plan the drive and print a trip plan.
Trails near camp
| Trail | Open to | From camp | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Oil Well | ATV road | 1.3 mi | 1.1 mi |
| Billy Creek | ATV / OHV, Dirt bike | 1.4 mi | 3.3 mi |
| Billy Creek Spur | ATV / OHV, Dirt bike | 1.6 mi | 1.8 mi |
| Tram Ridge | ATV road | 1.7 mi | 3.9 mi |
| Billy Creek West | ATV / OHV, Dirt bike | 2.7 mi | 2.0 mi |
Straight-line distance from camp, from Forest Service, BLM, state and OpenStreetMap trail data.
Good to know
Verizon 4G · AT&T 5G · T-Mobile 5G
From the carriers' FCC coverage maps, which tend to be generous.The Milky Way shows rich detail, horizon to horizon.
Class 2 of 9, from NASA/NOAA night-light data.Propane: 23.6 mi
Nearest of each within 25 miles, straight-line.Camps nearby
- Billy Creek Recreation Area 3.6 mi
- Oklahoma Ranger District 4 mi
- Cedar Lake Equestrian Camp 4.2 mi
- Cedar Lake Shady Lane 4.3 mi
- Cedar Lake Recreation Area 4.5 mi
- Campsite · 5 mi SW of Hodgen 4.7 mi