DIG CRYSTALS! Wichita Mountains of central Oklahoma.

NEW DESTINATION for weekend trip to camp, hike and look for crystals... to Copper-Breaks State Park near Quanah Texas, about 3 hour drive from Dallas. -The original trip destination was to the Wichita Mtns. of central Oklahoma is OFF unless the park re-opens by Oct. 11th for the dates Oct. 12-13. It is closed due to the "government shutdown". Update your status based on going to Copper-Breaks State Park near Quanah TX instead of the Wichita Mtns. near Lawton OK. I will update this announcement prior to Oct. 11th but we will have the trip at one of these locations. -I have confirmed that there is plenty of room for 20+ people to camp at Copper-Breaks State Park, and they also have showers and toilets. Pets are allowed. See details at: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/copper-breaks See Map: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/copper-breaks/map Both are about 3 a hour drive from Dallas. Entry fee is $2 and camping fees are $20 per site with electricity, or less without, but we can put up to 8 people at one camp site. Both have nearby motels if you prefer one but make your own reservations. The park official said there are a lot of rock formations and crystals are found there but they do not officially allow the removal of rocks or crystals from the park. There is one main campground at Copper Breaks and I will reserve the spaces needed based on RSVP's to go. Park numbers: 512-389-8900 for reservations and 940-839-4331 for information.

We have a geologist coming too (Doug Schwartzenberger) that can aide us in our search and identification. It will be cool enough at night to enjoy a campfire. Like the Wichita Mtns, we will primarily be hiking and spotting various crystals on the ground or in certain types of geological formations. (If we go to the Wichita Mtns, we will camp at Doris Campground by Lake Quanah Parker, in section "B", with showers and toilets, and electricity at some sites (see below). Or, you can get a motel room or cottage/cabin nearby. It is no more than 3 hour drive to Lawton, OK. The Doris Campground is another 30 minutes from Lawton. From Interstate 44, take exit 45 west 10 miles to the Refuge gate. If coming in from Highway 62, take Highway 115 (Cache exit) north to the Refuge gate. Try to be at the campground between 12 and 12:30 PM. I will try to post some signs as to our spot at the entrance and at the office.

(Just in case it re-opens, the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge and Nature Preserve is located 25 miles northwest of Lawton, Oklahoma. -We cannot get a permit Oct. 12-13 to do "Back Country Camping" so we will be camping at Doris Campground with clean water, showers and toilets. It does require a fee and permit (we are in section B): $20.00 Electric Site; $10.00 Non-electric; $8.00 for walk-in sites. For reservations email me or call the Wichita Nature Preserve office and ask for Quinton Smith at 580-429-2110 . Or email him: quinton_smith@fws.gov As we get closer to the weekend of the trip, Oct. 12-13, we will finalize the plans and make sure everyone knows what they are. I may go up the afternoon of the 11th just to be sure our campsite is as good as we can find and there are no surprises. The Wichita Preserve website with maps is: http://www.fws.gov/refuge/wichita_mountains/ The map of the Doris campground on Quanah Parker Lake is at: http://www.fws.gov/uploadedFiles/map-camp-doris.pdf The map showing the lake is: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=map+lake+quanah+parker+ok&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x87ace538a9a7d7bd:0x2bdebcac515d7312,Quanah+Parker+Lake&gl=us&ei=AWQ3UpPAJuqe2QXv0oHICA&ved=0CDkQ8gEwAA There are motels, cabins, cottages nearby in towns of Cache, Lawton and Medicine Park but you will need to make your own selection and reservations. If you want to share a room or cabin/cottage then please post a message on this Meetup page, and how to contact you. If you want to get a ride or can give a ride, then post that information and what part of the metroplex you live in.)

Call or email me if there are questions. 817-715-0338 Dale