Current Conditions

Alerts

 

Open Areas:

• All trails
• The Platt Historic District east of U.S. Route 177 including:
  • Travertine Nature Center
  • Cold Springs Campground
  • Central Campground
  • Bear Falls, Garfield Falls, Panther Falls, and Little Niagara
• Flower Park
• Veterans Lake
• Bromide Hill
• Cats Eye Road
• Bromide Pavilion
• Bromide Picnic Area
• Buckhorn boat launch, courtesy dock, fishing dock, picnic areas, and campground
• Guy Sandy courtesy dock, fishing dock, and boat launch.
• The Point courtesy dock, boat launch, picnic areas, and campground.
• Eagle Bay boat launch (no courtesy dock at this time)
• Breezy Point and Post Oak Roads
• Bluestem Prairie
• Catfish Bottoms

Closed Areas:

• The Point fishing dock
• All areas marked as closed with physical barriers such as gates, traffic cones, flagging tape, and sandwich boards.

As you reenter the park, limit your stay to open areas. There are crews working with heavy equipment, and several types of active hazards still exist.

 

Summer Campground Schedule

The park is currently on its summer campground schedule.The following camping areas are open:

• Buckhorn Campground Loops C and D. Loop C is reservation only. D Loop is first-come, first-served.
• The Point Campground. Upper Loop by reservation only. Lower Loop is first-come, first-served.
• Cold Springs Campground, by reservation only.
• Central Group Campground, by reservation only.

Changes to Campground Schedule for the 2025 Summer Season

Buckhorn Loops A and B and Rock Creek Campground will only be open on holiday weekends (Memorial, 4th of July, Labor Day) during the 2025 summer season.

For more information, visit our camping page. To make campsite reservations, visit recreation.gov

 

More information about popular activities

Fishing
Boating
Swimming
Hunting
Hiking

 

Addresses

Directions

Hours & Seasons

Amenities

Contact Information

Image Gallery

 

Other things that are helpful to know before your visit

Lake of the Arbuckles

• Up to date lake level information

• The runoff into Lake of the Arbuckles can carry debris (tree limbs, logs, etc.) and boaters are cautioned to slow down, see and avoid
  

Platt Historic District Alcohol Closure

All areas east of U.S. 177 are closed to alcoholic beverages from May 1 through September 30 each year by the authority of the Superintendent's Compendium (36 CFR §1.5). This includes Central Campground, Cold Springs Campground, Little Niagara, Bear Falls, Garfield Falls, and Panther Falls.

Pets

Pets are allowed in many areas of the park, but not all. Find out where pets are and are not allowed on our visiting with pets page.

Bison

The park now has two bison pastures. The bison are currently in the east pasture. The best way to view the east pasture is to park at Pavilion Springs and take the Veterans Trail. The pasture fence starts about .1 miles from the parking area and runs along approximately the next .4 miles of the trail. There is little shade available on the trail in the afternoon; please go early in the day if visiting during hot weather.

Limited parking is available on a gravelled pullout along Highway 177. Do not cross the highway from the west pasture viewpoint.