An enchanting landscape awaits you in southwestern Oklahoma on the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Located within the more than 59,000 acres that make up the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, the Charon’s Garden Wilderness Area offers a unique back-country camping experience. The Charon's Garden Wilderness area consists of a rocky, rugged landscape, with areas featuring huge granite boulders, scattered around on the granite surface. In addition to enchanting landscapes the Charon's Garden Wilderness Area offers miles of walking and hiking trails and opportunities for solitude, inspiration, physical challenge, renewal, and back country camping. A back country camping permit is required year-round for all overnight trips into the Charon’s Garden Wilderness Area. Permits are not required for day hiking. Permits are issued for three-day periods: Friday-Saturday-Sunday or Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday. No permits are issued for Thursday. No more than 10 people will be issued permits over any three-day period. To reach the designated back country camping area a 1.5 mile hike is required. The trail is not marked and is considered a moderate to strenuous hike. The back country camping trail head begins at the Sunset Picnic Area. Back country campers are required to park vehicles at the Sunset Picnic Area and display permit on their dashboard.