USFWS · National wildlife refuge · Oklahoma

Ozark Plateau National Wildlife Refuge

Originally known as the Oklahoma Bat Caves National Wildlife Refuge, Ozark Plateau National Wildlife Refuge was established for the protection of endangered bats and their habitat. The refuge is made up of several parcels of land located in northeastern Oklahoma. These parcels contain numerous caves considered crucial for the bats' survival.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

National Wildlife Refuge5,006 acresUSFWSOK4 campgrounds within 10 mi
Official page at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationNational Wildlife Refuge
Managed byU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
StateOklahoma
Size5,006 acres (computed from the boundary polygon)
FWS regionRegion 2
Center point35.7446, -94.5315
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 16)

Boundary map

15 outlines

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground

The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 4 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

USACE · 8.5 mi
Chicken Creek
Reservable103 sites
USACE · 8.6 mi
Snake Creek
Reservable112 sites
USACE · 8.7 mi
Elk Creek Landing
Reservable43 sites
USACE · 9 mi
Cookson Bend
Reservable134 sites

Most refuges do not allow overnight camping. The campgrounds listed are outside the refuge.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Park System units within 30 miles · Park Atlas
National Historic Site · 20 mi
Fort Smith National Historic Site
National Monument · 21 mi
George Washington Carver National Monument
National Register listings within 15 miles · 118 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Ozark Plateau National Wildlife Refuge?

5,006 acres, measured from the published boundary polygon. The agency’s own figure can differ where the boundary includes water or inholdings.

Source: How acreage is computed

Who manages Ozark Plateau National Wildlife Refuge?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

What state is Ozark Plateau National Wildlife Refuge in?

Oklahoma.

Source: How states are assigned

Can I camp at Ozark Plateau National Wildlife Refuge?

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Chicken Creek, 8.5 miles out. 4 in all are within ten miles. Most refuges do not allow camping inside the refuge, so the campgrounds listed are outside it.

Source: Where to camp

How do I get to Ozark Plateau National Wildlife Refuge?

A point inside the boundary is at 35.745, -94.531. Fort Smith National Historic Site is 20 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

How dark is the night sky at Ozark Plateau National Wildlife Refuge?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 16 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Which national parks are near Ozark Plateau National Wildlife Refuge?

Fort Smith National Historic Site (20 mi) and George Washington Carver National Monument (21 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.

Source: Nearby on the other atlases

Are there historic places near Ozark Plateau National Wildlife Refuge?

118 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Murrell Home and Baxter Springs High School.

Source: Register Atlas

Sources

  • Boundary, name: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundary layer.
  • States: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons; a state is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area.
  • Acreage: geodesic area of the published polygon. The agency’s official acreage can differ where the boundary includes water, easements or inholdings.
  • Description: Ozark Plateau National Wildlife Refuge on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. The article was accepted because its title contains this unit’s name.
  • Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
  • Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
  • Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.