Washita Battlefield National Historic Site
On November 27, 1868, Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer led the 7th US Cavalry on a surprise dawn attack on a Cheyenne village led by Peace Chief Black Kettle. The event was an example of the tragic clash of cultures that occurred during the Great Plains Wars. It is also a place of remembrance and reflection for those who died here. Read More
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
Hours
| Overlook and Trail | Daily · Sunrise to Sunset |
When to go
April draws the most visits here and February the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Visitor centers
- Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
Open 7 days a week from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
Explore
Things to do
- Walk Washita Battlefield Park Trail30-90 Minutes
Walk the 1.5 mile trail around Washita Battlefield.
Opens on the Park Service site - Become a Washita Junior Ranger30-90 Minutes
Become a Junior Ranger at Washita Battlefield.
Opens on the Park Service site - Explore the Visitor Center15-120 Minutes
Learn about Washita Battlefield through the park visitor center
Opens on the Park Service site - Watch the Park Film20-27 Minutes
Watch the park film to learn about Washita Battlefield
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Events
- 30th Anniversary Artist Showcase11/1201:00 PM · free
- 30th Anniversary Commemoration11/1211:00 AM · free
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Forest Service trails nearby
These trails are outside the park on National Forest land, within 15 miles of Washita Battlefield. Each one opens on Trailhead Atlas.
Distance is measured from the park's reference point to the nearer end of the trail.
Guidebooks for the Southwest
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Full checklist: 7 birds, 21 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAmerican Kestrel · Bald Eagle · Short-eared Owl
Shorebirds & seabirdsUpland Sandpiper
WoodpeckersNorthern Flicker
Also on the checklistAmerican Goldfinch · Lesser Prairie Chicken
Small mammalsDeer Mouse · Eastern Cottontail Rabbit · Hispid Cotton Rat · Hispid Pocket Mouse · Northern Grasshopper Mouse · Ord's Kangaroo Rat · Plains Pocket Gopher · Southern Plains Woodrat · Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel · Western Harvest Mouse · White-footed Deermouse · bee shrew · common porcupine
PredatorsAmerican Badger · Bobcat · Coyote · Striped Skunk · common raccoon
Hoofed mammalsWhite-tailed Deer
Also on the checklistVirginia Opossum · long-nosed armadillo
Activities
Activity guides for this park Hiking in the national parks
All 13 activitiesHide
Weather & climate
Weather in western Oklahoma can vary considerably. Winters can be mild to severe with ice storms being the biggest concern. Spring is usually short but pleasant although severe weather, including tornadoes, is still a possibility. Usually a strong breeze is associated with spring weather. Summers are brutally hot and visitors should be cautioned about spending any length of time in the heat. Falls are cool with a bitter wind.
Questions people ask
Does Washita Battlefield charge an entrance fee?
No. Washita Battlefield is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Washita Battlefield?
Standard hours are Sunrise to Sunset, every day.
Source: National Park Service
How busy is Washita Battlefield?
11,048 recreation visits in 2025, number 349 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Washita Battlefield?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 4G LTE, and T-Mobile 5G. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
When was Washita Battlefield established?
1996.
Source: Wikipedia
What is the weather like at Washita Battlefield?
Weather in western Oklahoma can vary considerably. Winters can be mild to severe with ice storms being the biggest concern.
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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