Cimarron Recreation Area
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct
- best months
Caution today
Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 2 h ago
Is Cimarron Recreation Area open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 7 alerts for Pike and San Isabel National Forests.
FSR 286, Radical Hill, is closed due to washouts and unsafe conditions
Agency alert covering Pike and San Isabel National Forests · USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Interlaken Hotel Tree Hazards
Agency alert covering Pike and San Isabel National Forests · USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Sharpe Fire Update
Agency alert covering Pike and San Isabel National Forests · USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Turquoise Lake Road (County Road 4) Closure
Agency alert covering Pike and San Isabel National Forests · USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Food Storage Prohibitions on Pike-San Isabel National Forests
Agency alert covering Pike and San Isabel National Forests · Order 02-12-00-23-07 · USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests
As of · Source: USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Cimarron Recreation Area is a Forest Service fishing spot in Kansas, set within the Cimarron Ranger District of the Pike and San Isabel National Forests. It sits right beside Cimarron Campground, about a tenth of a mile away, and the East Turkey hike starts just 0.2 miles off. The area is managed by the Forest Service, and the recreation area itself is not reservable. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from the nearby Richfield weather station show May highs around 79°F and October highs around 73°F, while July averages climb to about 94°F. Cimarron National Grassland, another fishing destination, lies about 1.6 miles away. Point of Rocks Ponds is roughly 5 miles off, and Middle Spring Nature is about 6 miles away.
- Cimarron CampgroundCamping0.1 mi
- East TurkeyHiking0.2 mi
- Cimarron National GrasslandLake fishing1.6 mi
Point of Rocks PondsHikingPhoto: nickavarvel, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)5.3 mi- N Rte Middle Spring ConnectorHikingPhoto: nickavarvel, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)5.9 mi
- Middle Spring NatureHikingPhoto: nickavarvel, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)6 mi
- Santa Fe Nht-North RteHiking6.2 mi
- CompanionHiking7.2 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- Cimarron National GrasslandLake fishing · ~3 min drive
- Mallard Ponds Fishing SiteLake fishing · ~3 min drive
- Wilburton Pond Fishing SiteLake fishing · ~6 min drive
- R R Rutherford ReservoirLake fishing · ~1h 7m drive
- Ulysses City LakeLake fishing · ~1h 8m drive
- Point of Rocks PondsLake fishing · ~9 min drive
Best time to visit Cimarron Recreation Area
Best months: April–May and September–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
48° / 19°
2 wet · 2 snow
Feb
53° / 22°
2 wet · 1 snow
Mar
61° / 28°
3 wet · 1 snow
Apr
70° / 36°
4 wet
May
79° / 48°
6 wet
Jun
90° / 59°
7 wet
Jul
94° / 64°
7 wet
Aug
91° / 62°
6 wet
Sep
85° / 53°
4 wet
Oct
73° / 40°
3 wet
Nov
60° / 28°
3 wet · 1 snow
Dec
49° / 20°
3 wet · 1 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Richfield, KS, 9 mi away at 3,408 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
