USFWS · National wildlife refuge · Oklahoma

Washita National Wildlife Refuge

Washita National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) of the United States located in Custer County, Oklahoma. Created in 1961 on the shore of Foss Lake, it was the fourth NWR in the state. It is 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Butler, Oklahoma.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Official page at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ↗
DesignationNational Wildlife Refuge
Managed byU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
StateOklahoma
Size8,112 acres (computed from the boundary polygon)
FWS regionRegion 2
Center point35.6149, -99.2627
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 21)

Boundary map

1 outline

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees

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

Fire nearby

Within 50 miles · as of 2026-09-17
  • Wildfire
    Black Kettle

    24 mi from the center point · 1,526 acres · 50% contained

  • Wildfire
    Calvary Creek

    35 mi from the center point · 906 acres · 60% contained

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 8 in all · Register Atlas

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

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Washita National Wildlife Refuge?

8,112 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 Washita National Wildlife Refuge?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

What state is Washita National Wildlife Refuge in?

Oklahoma.

Source: How states are assigned

How do I get to Washita National Wildlife Refuge?

A point inside the boundary is at 35.615, -99.263. Washita Battlefield National Historic Site is 22 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Is there a fire near Washita National Wildlife Refuge right now?

2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Black Kettle at 24 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.

Source: Fire nearby

How dark is the night sky at Washita National Wildlife Refuge?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 21 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Which national parks are near Washita National Wildlife Refuge?

Washita Battlefield National Historic Site (22 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.

Source: Nearby on the other atlases

Are there historic places near Washita National Wildlife Refuge?

8 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Dorroh-Trent House and Canute Service Station.

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: Washita 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.