Cold Springs Campground — Hotel in Sulphur

This is my favorite campground for a bigger group here at Chickasaw National Recreation Area. This campground offers a very large campsite, two charcoal grills, and several picnic tables (one of which is super long!) and they are all in great shape! The campsite has a bathroom just up the road a short walk. It’s clean, and well-lit. I recommend taking a headlamp or flashlight and a hiking stave with you when walking at night to the restroom…well when walking anywhere at night. There are TONS of wildlife here and it’s always best to be prepared on the trail.

PLEASE DO NOT HARM WILDLIFE! You are invading on their homes. My recommendation for bringing your flashlight is so you can easily see what you may encounter and the hiking stave is useful for many scenarios…for instance, gently coaxing a tarantula off the walking trail or holding in front of your face while walking between two trees so that you don’t take a spider web across the face.

Back to my review…between our whole group, we encountered a opossum, an armadillo, a skunk, 3 tarantulas, one adolescent King Snake, 2 cats trying to steal food, and one of the world’s most persistent raccoons ever! He knew how to open coolers and such, so please secure your smellables well, including your trash.

Our group consisted of 21 youth and 4 adults and this campsite was a perfect fit. We had lots of tents, hammocks and 3 separate Chuck box kitchens set up, with plenty of room to spare.

The two ends are grassy and great for tents, the middle area around the picnic table/community area is rocky. We had tents in there too, but know it’s rocky so bring a cot and good tent stakes.

Oh, and there’s access to the creek directly across the street. Great hiking trails all around, up to the Travertine Nature Center (gift shop) and to Little Niagara. And if you happen to be affiliated with a scouting group, contact the Park Ranger before you arrive and set up a service project set by the Ranger. We did this this the weekend before May 1st when it opened to the public and helped clean out every fire pit and clear debris from each campsite in this area. In doing so, we were allowed to camp for free and our service hours went to the completion of the Junior Ranger Award. 10 hours of service...

We’re experiencing the pristine enjoyment that comes from our overnight trips through from Colorado to Biloxi MS and into the ATLANTIC near Savannah . Primary restrooms were locked on men’s side with tour turns in lady’s bathroom. The auto hand dryer didn’t work and would have been nice to blow dry out the non ventilated humidity dripping windows. Good water pressure and flushing . Waist deep or knees to dunk in water near bear falls, there were several groups in all stages of come, go, start, starting. This was expected with popular local gem and just a few turns up the creek and numerous waterfalls cascading through the valley… our moments of secluded places. The clear water cleanliness was relaxed with playground sounds echoing. No actual monkey bar slide n swing. We made a small fire with foraged sticks at sunset while cooked fish using Colman 1lb propane burner grilled corn street tacos . Definitely a dark sky designed concept worthy site 28 with a tiddle light or noise pollution from seldom cars passing. Gets to hear a large amount of waterfalls thus soothingly connected. Melony hadn’t seen firefly’s after her adolescence. This was my only time seeing bright sparks dance around our primitive boundary oto campsite also along with through the canopies treetop. Safety is a plus, reservation requested, no camp host, no $firewood , lots of parking space room for 2 vehicle not enforced / monitored with auxiliary capacity nearby. Site 28 greeted us with a name card identification when we arrived. Left 0’Dark:30 and nothing additional on congested morning...

My family experience was great at the Springs, until a park ranger told me that I couldn't have my Service Dog with me in that area. She was on the falls close to me out of the water. We were told that I could sit in the shallow water with my dog on the bank. I wasn't able to be in the deep end with my family. I was then instructed that I could have my "dog" at the lake, which wasn't near the campground or the cold springs. The lake was warm, had drinks and pot smokers out there. Their website states that Service Dogs are not pets and they are allowed anywhere I am allowed to go. No one is above the ADA. I felt very secluded and hurt. My family was frustrated because we specifically went there for the Springs and my youngest daughters birthday. We went to the lake and did not...