Lake Elmer Thomas Recreation Area (LETRA)

I was a bit apprehensive staying at LETRA given the reviews. As long as you follow the directions from Key Gate you will not have a problem finding the campground. We were extremely pleased with the campground and the hostess was fabulous! Fort Sill Garrison have just completed a number of improvements; new playgrounds, mini-golf, cable TV and WiFi have all been recently installed. Everything worked well and the staff was just great! We will return again soon to hike in the nearby wildlife refuge. Wonderful experience!

We had the time to spend a whole month in the Lawton area visiting family during the Thanksgiving Holiday and Ft Sill provided us with a affordable place to park our 38ft 5th wheel. The parking sites were large and clean, full hook ups. We had very little interaction with any of the staff except for at check in. The location of the park was nice we thought, nice views of the lake and mountains. We were not able to take advantage of the recreational equipment at the time due to the weather. The weather was not so much cold as it was windy, we are from Florida so adding 25mph winds almost daily to the cool temps and we thought we were much further north. The drive into main post takes about 15 to 20 minutes or so and was very scenic, and all the wild live wow! Watch out for the deer at night. Over all we enjoyed our stay at Ft Sill and will do so again. Ratings were kinda low due to the restrooms and showers should be updated, all the other building and even the cabins for rent look close to new. Cable/sat tv is on site however the reception needs to be improved, wifi on site was a plus! If you have small kids the will enjoy the playgrounds, they look new and some of the best we had ever seen, you can tell that attention has been given to this campground area, and support for the soldiers and families is strong.

We arrived to LETRA using the Apache Gate, and the site we reserved online was occupied by another RV, no biggie we thought the park was half empty, we'll just go and get another one at the office. The gentlemen in the office was confused as to why "I" picked a spot that was already assigned to a full timer, he preceded to spend the next 20 minutes looking up my reservation and then confessed that he forgot to block out the full timers spots on the computer for that month. At first glance this place looks beautiful with the rolling hills, forest, wildlife and the lake. Then you drive to your site and see the full-timers. It appears people have been living there for YEARS, some of the full timers have wooden fencing, decking and one had rabbit fencing, others have washer/dryers, refrigerators and freezers outside of there RV's. I saw one site had a tool shed, another site had 3-grills, another had tons of random junk laying around. They also need to stop advertising WIFI because it doesn't exist. The sewer connection was approximately 11' above the ground, which made it impossible for gravity to do its work. Bath house was dirty, laundry was dirty but machines were all working. LETRA fam camp has turned into an trailer park and it's really sad because it could be awesome. Now the positives, it is located in a beautiful place, the commissary and px were great. Go visit all the Indian Chiefs graves and museums on post. Lastly take a trip to Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge and Medicine Park.

Our family reserved five RV sites and four cabins for a family reunion. Before we arrived we were notified that our sites were moved. I arrived first and my slot was occupied. The office was closed. I called the camp host number and was told to move into the closest empty slot. When my family started arriving the next day we were placed close together. The park was filled with long time campers. Since it was off season everything was closed. The wind blew 20-30 mph the entire week. Do not plan on sitting outside. We enjoyed the sites off the base. Will not go back.

There were new phone numbers for Outdoor Rec (580-442-0930), Reservations (580-250-4040 or 580-250-4000), and Park Office (580-583-0670). Staff and all Post signage referred to this RV Park as LETRA (the acronym for the lake). The reservation system worked smoothly. These directions to LETRA worked well: Traveling South on I-44, take the Hwy 62/Rogers Lane exit (40B) and head West for 0.8 mile. Exit again to Northbound, Fort Sill Blvd.  Enter Fort Sill and turn left at Mow-Way Road (1st light). Go past the Welcome Center. Turn right on Tower Two Road and go approximately 4 miles. Turn left on North Boundary Road and go approximately 4 miles. LETRA will be on the right.
We arrived mid-day on a Tuesday. We had no problem coming in the gate. Just showed military ID. We stopped at the Welcome Center. Parking lot can accommodate RVs. Nice guy at the desk, but he had very little visitor info. We detoured a bit and stopped at the Commissary on the way out to the lake. It was well-stocked and staff were helpful. PX, Commissary, and gas station were centrally located. Parking lots were tight but adequate for RVs. We were told by several locals that every Thursday and Friday the post is filled with people attending AIT graduations and these shopping areas get crowded. The drive to the lake was a little freaky due to its rural nature, lots of curves, and the signs warning it was an impact zone, but street signs were well-placed, the directions were clear, and the road was in good shape. There were several low-water crossings, but they were dry on our visit. I would not do the drive at night. This quiet, well-maintained park was pretty amazing. I imagine that it is very busy in spring and summer with the beach, boat rentals, fishing, and multiple playgrounds. Camp host and office staff were friendly and knowledgeable. The electric and sewer hookups were new. Park was full but voltage was good. Water pressure was very low. The natural setting of lake and hills was awesome. On Wednesday the constant whump sound of artillery fire was interesting. Silent on Thursday. We stayed here during the fall, so the beach, water park, cafe, and lodge were closed, but all the other amenities (mini-golf, marina, playgrounds, archery, bathrooms, showers, laundry, etc. were open). Rental office and general store were open limited hours. We walked sidewalks and trails all around the park. Top of Pratt Hill was lovely. Never could get WIFI to work, but Verizon signal and satellite TV were good, so did not need it. Did not try the free cable TV. There are no trees in the RV Park, but there are plenty at each of the playgrounds and beach along with ramadas and covered picnic tables. Laundry room was clean ($1 to wash and $1 to dry). The hard-pack gravel sites were long, wide, and level. I made reservations by phone without a problem (580-250-4040). I paid $30 a night for E/W/S (30 amp). I made it clear I was military, but was not offered a lower rate.

L.R. left this review using the Directory software: Was assigned a space number when I made reservation and found site occupied upon arrival (have stayed here numerous times & this is first time this has happened). Camp host was not very helpful in correcting it. There is no cable television. With the change to digital broadcast, no television signal can be received on antenna.

We stayed in a small cabin at LETRA to fish, enjoy Medicine Park, and the Wildlife Preserve. The location is optimal as the facilities are close to Medicine Park but the Apache Gate is not open 24 hours and we had to use the Key Gate several times, which added 20 minutes to the trip. The cabin was clean, came with Direct TV, and WI-FI; you will need to supply our own linens. Most of the amenities were closed due to it being the winter season, but the facility promises to be fun in the summer. The staff was professional, courteous, and most helpful. The cost of the small cabin was $80 per night, which we felt was a bit much. The RV park is only $30 per night with full hook-ups. If you want a quick trip to the Lawton, OK area, I recommend staying at the LETRA.

Drove by today to check on this location from the Medicine Creek campground. I wanted to verify their rates since MC raised from $12 to $17. LETRA fees as told to me by the store clerk (office not open on Sunday) were $20 until May 1st when the go to $22. I asked about the $30 as listed here and clerk didn't know and reaffirmed $22 for in season. The weekly rate is still $90 but the clerk said that will probably change as their monthly is $390. ($90 x 4 =$360?????) The place looks great but oh my, was it ever windy!

LETRA is a fantastic recreation area. Plenty to do for the entire family. The location isn't convenient for shopping and the main post, but this makes it ideal for a recreation area. The RV sites are huge. Although many sites had long-term campers, there were plenty of available sites this time of the year. Summer may be another story. The cabins look real nice and are in a good location overlooking the lake. Tent camping is also along the lake shoreline. The restrooms and showers are starting to get old, but had a good cleaning. If I had the time, I would enjoy spending a month here. Fort Sill is a large post, with plenty of dining and amenities. The museums, Old Fort Sill, and the Post and POW Indian cemeteries were interesting. The current rate (off season) of $20 a night makes this an "okay" deal. $30 for the summer is getting to be a little high for a military campground.

We enjoyed our stay here. The campsite was very roomy and not to bad off level. We were going to Wichita Mtns. on a day trip and found the back gate closed but the drive to Apache gate is a nice drive. I would think this CG would be very active during the summer months because of all it has to offer. We only had one bad experience when one of the permanent residence let her 2 large dogs out without a leash and they ran towards my dog on her leash. The owner was quick to catch them before they reached us but it was a little scary for a minute. The ability to have a campfire if you had a firepit off the ground was really nice. All and all, we would return. We camped here in a Motorhome.

We have stayed in numerous FamCamps over many many years. This is the first campground that we would not recommend you stay at. First off, we left a voice mail per the reservation instructions. No one ever responded nor could we get anyone to answer the phone over several days and numerous phone call attempts. Upon arrival, we were told we needed to pay for check-out day also. We kept insisting that wasn't right until the gal called the manager. He explained the pricing to the gal and that part was corrected in the system. Later upon checking the receipt, I realized we were charged too much. Even though my husband had given the gal his retired military ID, were charged the civilian rate. Again, the manager came to the rescue and corrected the problem. He explained that the gal had only been there a week which explained a lot. The sites were nice enough for visitors but the long-term sites didn't seem to be held to any type of standard. Many sites had multiple vehicles, transportable storage trailers, boats, patoons, multiple dogs and cats. The was surprising given we were on a military base! The restrooms were rapidly deteriorating and didn't appear to have been painted or the worst part cleaned for extended periods of time. The laundry room wasn't much better. Dirt, layers of cobwebs decorated the walls while dead bugs lined the edge of closed washing machines. Yuck! The Beach House was obviously a nice place at one time. Some stalls had doors hanging off the hinges, the paint was peeling, wood had exposed dry-rot, electrical outlets were either missing or the covers were laying on the floor. The place hadn't been cleaned in forever. The lagoon was another story. Naturally the water levels were down in the constant 100+ degree weather. The water inside the lagoon was not only stagnant through no fault of the theirs but the trash and garbage inside the lagoon was disgusting. There was a huge trash barrel floating within reach. Seems no one cares. There seemed to be a full-time civilian maintenance staff on-site. Hummm? We realize with the economy the way it is that funds have been cut but there is no excuse for filth. If nothing changes or improves here, we will never stay here again nor will we recommend it to anyone.

R.G. left this review using the Directory software: - Checked in and liked the fact that it is out in the boonies! A bit windy but OK. The Camp Store had very limited supplies. Lake Swimming Lifeguards have short hours of work.

I will echo everything that was posted on November 9th 2013. In addition to the comments: There is WiFi but the signal it has somewhat to be desired. I used MiFi, Verizon, 2 bars but not constantly. They do need to do some gravel replacement but overall not bad. Mark (Manager) is working hard for improvements. There is so much for the family to do, boating, fishing, hiking, archery, miniature golf, plenty things for the kids to be entertained. Laundry available, $1.00 for washer and the same for the dryers, very clean. You will not have any trouble with acquiring a satellite signal, its wide open. I checked with the office and the phone # for them is 580-442-5858, Mon-Fri ., The Store number is as posted on this site, although you can call the posted number and it should transfer to the office after 4 rings, per management. Over-all a nice place to stay! I would return and recommend it to others, would love to come here during warmer weather.

I made reservations for a FHU site on-line the day prior to arrival. We arrived on a Tuesday. I discovered later that the facilities near the campground are closed on Monday and Tuesday. I figured no big deal. I had a campsite assignment, so I drove there and set up. The next morning, a friendly campground host came over and said she did not have a reservation for me. To make a long story short, my reservation was at the Medicine Creek RV Park instead of the Lake Elmer Thomas Recreation Area (LETRA). So I packed up and moved to the Medicine Creek RV Park. By the way, both campsites were campsite #10. Both campgrounds are on Fort Sill property. The campground at LETRA is not much more than a parking lot with full hookups. The campground at Medicine Creek is smaller with back-in sites. I didn't like either campground. I wasn't in the mood to put up with the experience, so we left Medicine Creek and moved on. I wouldn't recommend either campground for the recreational camper. Unless you have a real good reason to be on Fort Sill, I would recommend camping somewhere else. A good place to start improvements is to re-number the campground campsites, so there is no duplication between the LETRA and Medicine Creek campsites. Also, pay attention to bathroom cleanliness. Campers are actually paying customers. The bathrooms should be clean and well-maintained.