Winding Stair Campground (Ok)

4.21

159 reviews

Quick Facts

Price

Varies

Booking

First-Come

Sites

Varies

Season

Year-round

Cell

Unknown

Pets

Not Allowed

RV Friendly

Opens booking site

Get Directions

Quick Facts

Price

Varies

Booking

First-Come

Sites

Varies

Season

Year-round

Cell

Unknown

Pets

Not Allowed

RV Friendly

Opens booking site

Get Directions

Winding Stair Campground (Ok)

No fees available

Campsite Fees

No fee amounts listed. Payment is made on-site by cash, check, money order, or by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app. Once...

Standard Site Fee$0.00

Hookup Site Fee$0.00

Premium Site Fee$0.00

Hike and Bike Site Fee$0.00

Group Site Fee$0.00

Food Storage Locker Fee$0.00

Total Campsite Fees$0.00

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Recreation Dot Gov

Provider

(918) 653-2991

What Campers Say

4.21

Satisfactory

Based on 159 reviews

155 Google reviews

Most mentioned

viewsquietpeacefulclean

"Reviews are overwhelmingly positive, describing Winding Stair as a quiet, beautiful, and very clean primitive campground with great views and a serene atmosphere. Campers appreciate the spaced-out sites, simple facilities, and access to hiking, often calling it a “true camping experience” and saying it’s worth the visit and a return stay."

Read all reviews

Best Time to Camp at Winding Stair Campground (Ok)

The campground welcomes visitors throughout the year, operating on a first-come, first-served basis with payment collected on-site. While you can pitch your tent any season, spring and fall transform this mountain haven into something truly special—crisp, invigorating air sweeps across the peaks, making every campfire story and morning coffee that much more memorable. Summer brings warmth tempered by elevation, while winter offers solitude seekers a peaceful escape.

Spring (Mar-May)

Wildflowers bloom, mild temperatures, fewer crowds. Great for hiking and photography.

Best

Summer (Jun-Aug)

Peak season with warm days. Most facilities open. Reserve ahead.

Fall (Sep-Nov)

Beautiful fall colors, cooler temps, quieter campgrounds. Ideal for peaceful trips.

Winter (Dec-Feb)

Off-season, limited services. Check for closures before visiting.

Planning Tips

Operating Season: Open year-round

About Winding Stair Campground (Ok)

Perched atop the mountains along Oklahoma's stunning Talimena Scenic Byway, Winding Stair Campground offers adventurers a front-row seat to the Ouachita wilderness. This well-maintained, year-round retreat features paved roads and gravel tent pads, serving as the perfect basecamp for exploring the legendary Ouachita National Recreation Trail while soaking in panoramic views from nearby Emerald Vista.

Developed campground with sites for RVs and tents; a Backpackers Camp with designated tent pads is located adjacent to the campground. The campground is open year-round and operates on a first-come, first-served basis.

Weather and SeasonsThe campground welcomes visitors throughout the year, operating on a first-come, first-served basis with payment collected on-site. While you can pitch your tent any season, spring and fall transform this mountain haven into something truly special—crisp, invigorating air sweeps across the peaks, making every campfire story and morning coffee that much more memorable. Summer brings warmth tempered by elevation, while winter offers solitude seekers a peaceful escape.

ElevationWinding Stair claims its place among the clouds as a genuine mountain-top destination. The elevated position doesn't just provide cooler temperatures and fresher air—it grants campers that rare sense of being above it all, where the concerns of the valleys below fade into distant memory.

Natural Features and SceneryThe campground's crown jewel is undoubtedly Emerald Vista, positioned right next door and offering sweeping panoramas of mountain ridges and valleys that stretch toward distant horizons. Each campsite nestles beneath a generous canopy of shade trees, creating private pockets of comfort along one of America's most scenic byways. The proximity to the Ouachita National Recreation Trail means you're never more than a few steps from adventure, whether that's a leisurely morning stroll or a challenging day hike through ancient mountains.

Geological RegionSituated in the heart of the Ouachita Mountains, this campground occupies a distinctive mountain-top position where the Talimena Scenic Byway intersects with the Ouachita National Recreation Trail. This east-west running mountain range—one of the few in North America oriented this way—creates the dramatic ridgelines and valley vistas that define the camping experience here.

Campsite details

Sites SizeCampsites and roadway are paved; campsites include gravel tent pads for tent placement.

Sites PrivacyAll campsites are well shaded; mountain-top location with scenic views nearby.

Total Campsitesnull campsites

Recommended CampsitesAll RV/tent campsites have paved surfaces and gravel tent pads. The adjacent Backpackers Camp provides designated tent pads. Download the Recreation.gov mobile app prior to arrival if you plan to pay by QR code due to limited cell service.

Best Campsites

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Reserving a campsite

Tents

Tents are allowed

RV vehicles

RV vehicles are allowed

Primitive

Primitive are not allowed

Reservable

Reservations are not allowed

Site layoutDeveloped campground with paved roadway and paved campsite surfaces; gravel tent pads at each site; adjacent Backpackers Camp with designated tent pads.

Open and Closed SeasonOpen year-round

Reservation PlatformsRecreation.gov mobile app (QR code used for on-site payment)

Walk-in AvailabilityFirst-come, first-served only; visitors must physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site.

Cancellation PolicyOnce payment is made on-site, no refunds or modifications are offered.

Amenities available

Vault toilets

Activities you can enjoy

The campground serves as a trailhead for the Ouachita National Recreation Trail and is located along the Talimena Scenic Byway, providing scenic mountain-top and valley views from adjacent Emerald Vista.

Hiking

Serves as a trailhead for the Ouachita National Recreation Trail (OT); located along the Talimena Scenic Byway.

Campground rules

Pets are not allowed

Hazards

General hazardsSome remote areas have limited or no cell service. No potable water is currently available at the campground.

Weather at Winding Stair Campground (Ok)

°F

Dec 11

Thursday

Clear sky

Precipitation: 0%

Humidity: 46%

Wind: 5.4 mph

Clear sky

Weather History

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Detailed 7-Day Forecast

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Good to know

Proximity to water featuresNo water available at the campground.

Campground Map

Winding Stair Campground (Ok)

Driving directionsThe campground is located on the Talimena Scenic Drive (Oklahoma State Highway 1), two miles west of US Highway 259 junction.

Located on Talimena Scenic Drive (OK State Highway 1), approximately two miles west of the US Highway 259 junction.

Reviews from booking and map sources

4.2

159 reviews

Satisfactory

Winding Stair Campground (Ok) is satisfactory, placing it in the bottom 60% of campgrounds based on reviews

Reviews are overwhelmingly positive, describing Winding Stair as a quiet, beautiful, and very clean primitive campground with great views and a serene atmosphere. Campers appreciate the spaced-out sites, simple facilities, and access to hiking, often calling it a “true camping experience” and saying it’s worth the visit and a return stay.

Review Summaries

Based on 159 reviews

What Campers Love

Campers repeatedly praise the peaceful, quiet setting and the natural beauty, including valley views, Emerald Vista, and “amazing views” around the campground. Reviewers like that it’s a small,...

Based on 159 reviews

Common Concerns

Very few complaints are mentioned. One reviewer notes there is no playground, no showers, and that water is seasonal, and another alludes to the need to “up our game” for primitive camping, implying...

Based on 159 reviews

Pro Tips & Recommendations

Expect primitive conditions: vault toilets, no showers, and possibly no water outside the seasonal supply period, so plan to bring your own water and be self-sufficient. If you want more solitude,...

Based on 159 reviews

Camper Quotes

“This place is so serene and peaceful. The sites are spaced wide enough apart that you didn't have problems with neighbors with plenty of hiking trails.” “Small campground, vault toilet, sites have...

Based on 159 reviews

Site-Specific Reviews

One reviewer specifically mentions staying at site #15 and describes it as having a “beautiful view,” suggesting that at least some individual sites offer standout vistas along with the general...

Based on 159 reviews