Camp Nichols

Camp Nichols, also known as Fort Nichols or Camp Nichols Ranch, was a historic fortification located in present-day Cimarron County, Oklahoma. It was built by New Mexico and California volunteers under the command of Col. Kit Carson to protect travelers on the Cimarron Cut-off of the Santa Fe Trail from raids by the Kiowa and Comanche Indians. Established in 1865 and abandoned the next year, it was the only manmade structure along the Cimarron Cut-off while it was an active route. Only ruins remain. The site is located on private property and is not accessible to the public. The site was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1963 and subsequently listed on the National Register of Historic Places *