Hugh Beebower/PCS Adventures
A black-tailed prairie dog stands up in alarm at Prairie Dog Town.
Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, OK
Denise Sloan
One little furry head popped up out of the dirt mound. The critter looked around and then carefully climbed out of the hole. Behind him, another little furry head popped up and then another. When I inadvertently gasped in delight, the first prairie dog leapt to alert mode. Within seconds all three creatures quickly dashed back down the hole and out of sight.
My parents introduced me to the Wichita Mountain’s Prairie Dog Town at a young age. I loved seeing all of the animals at the refuge, but the adorable prairie dogs sealed the deal for this 10-year-old.
Over the following years, my family would make the trek from Dallas to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge near Lawton, Oklahoma a number of times. Sometimes we just camped. Other times we hiked. Sometimes my Dad, a professional photographer, would photograph the wildlife or rock climbers. But every time we visited it was a great adventure!
A Date with History
President William McKinley set side the Wichita Mountains and the surrounding mixed grassland prairie as a refuge in 1901, making it one of the oldest wildlife refuges in the country. Today the refuge sprawls over 59,020 acres some of which is open to the public and other parts closed to protect animals and their habitats.
Hugh Beebower/PCS Adventures
A herd of buffalo relax at the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.
Two of the earliest animals brought to the refuge were bison and Rocky Mountain elk. Around 1927 two men scoured Texas to find genuine longhorns for the refuge.
Texas longhorns epitomize the Old West culture of epic cattle drives and tough cowboys. But, unbelievably, the Texas longhorns’ future looked bleak for a while. In fact, they faced extinction after the trail drives of the 1800s stopped and stockier cattle became popular.
Hugh Beebower/PCS Adventures
A Texas longhorn peeks through the grasses at the wildlife refuge.
But one determined man named Will Barnes moved heaven and earth (otherwise known as Congress) to give him $3,000 to purchase a herd for what would eventually become the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.
Money in hand Barnes and John Hatton, both U.S. Forest Service officials, set off on a 5,000 mile journey through the rugged Texas terrain to track down true longhorns. They returned to Oklahoma with 20 cows, three bulls, three steers and four calves plus great stories of their grand adventure.
Hugh Beebower/PCS Adventures
Establishing a Texas longhorn herd at the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge was extremely successful.
Ninety eight years later, descendants of that herd are thriving, giving visitors a thrilling look into our American history. In fact, the cattle are doing so well, refuge officials hold an auction each year to prevent the herd from becoming too large and decimating their food source.
Other animals make the refuge home too. In addition to the bison, elk and longhorns, visitors might see white-tailed deer, wild turkeys or any of the 240 species of birds living there.
Plenty to Do
Looking for wildlife and taking photographs doesn’t interest everyone. The refuge offers plenty of other activities like biking, hiking, boating, scuba diving, hunting, camping or climbing. A few of those activities might make newcomers pause. Climbing? Scuba diving? In Oklahoma?
Hugh Beebower/PCS Adventures
Climbers love the challenges at the Wichita Mountains.
Yes, indeed! Four sets of mountain ranges dot the Oklahoma landscape: the Arbuckles, the Ozarks, the Ouachitas and, drum roll please, the Wichita Mountains.
In fact, the Wichita Mountains offer world-class climbing thanks to their granite composition and unique formations. Multiple domes, spires and even a balanced rock take this climbing experience to the next level. There’s a bit of everything from scrambles to difficult roped climbs.
Hugh Beebower/PCS Adventures
The granite that makes up the Wichita Mountains provides the perfect surface for rock climbers.
After a long day of climbing head to one of the camping options within the park. We usually stayed at the Doris Campground. There’s also the Fawn Creek Campground for organized youth groups and backcountry camping in the Charon’s Garden Wilderness Area. Make reservations for the campgrounds online and apply for a backcountry camping permit before arriving at the refuge.
And who knows, the wildlife might just come to your camping spot. One day a couple of years ago, a flock of turkeys appeared suddenly next to my parents’ camper nicknamed the Mouse House thanks to it’s diminutive size. The turkeys casually strolled through the campground as if it were a normal thing to see a flock of turkeys next to a camper.
Little did the turkeys know, they’d just become the center of my Dad’s universe. Dropping the hose he had been hooking up, Dad raced inside the camper to grab his photo gear and get back outside before the flock left. He needn’t have worried.
Hugh Beebower/PCS Adventures
A wild turkey strolls through the Doris Campground.
The turkeys got closer to the Mouse House with the tom gobbling all the way while flashing his full tail feathers at a hen. None of them seemed concerned about the weird human with the large pointy thing staring at them. In fact, none of them even flinched as Dad’s camera clicked away.
After determining the folks had nada to eat, the flock moseyed toward the lake and eventually disappeared in the brush. They made my Dad a very happy camper.
Seasonal Delights
There’s always something to see at the refuge, some of it driven by the seasons. From May through August wildflowers burst to life bringing color to the prairie grasslands. Lots of babies, of course, appear in the spring too. Fall brings changing colors and the elk rut. Winter is a quieter season with fewer people and no mosquitoes or snakes. There’s also a chance to see the river otters, bald eagles and golden eagles.
Hugh Beebower/PCS Adventures
A Texas Longhorn grazes amidst spring wildflowers at the Wichita Mountains.
The Friends of the Wichitas Association offer many tours and hikes across the refuge. Pick a tour based on your interests: bugling elk, fall foliage, geology, history, wildflower or wildlife. Their website gives details about the tour conditions, minimum age and meeting location.
The Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge is a hidden gem no matter what time of the year you visit. In fact, I’d highly recommend visiting as often as possible. Each time you’ll see something different that will make your trip worthwhile.
Closest Military Installations
MWR Locations Nearby
If You Go:
- Visiting the refuge is free, but camping does cost a fee. Stop by the Visitor’s Center for more information or check out the website.
- Friends of the Wichitas Association offers seasonal tours of the refuge. To learn more and make reservations, visit their website.
- Visit during a week day to avoid crowds.
- Summer can be brutally hot and winter cold. Dress appropriately.
- Bring more water than you think you’ll need. There isn’t a potable water source on the refuge.
- Cell phone coverage is limited if you need help. This is a remote area take an old fashioned map with you.
- Bring insect repellant during the summer months when ticks and chiggers are active.
- Keep your eyes peeled for and avoid the rattlesnakes and copperhead snakes that live on the refuge.
- Don’t mess with the wildlife. They are wild. Enough said.
- Dogs are allowed but must be leashed.
- Book campsites through recreation.gov