Great Plains Country, Oklahoma
In southwestern Oklahoma the golden shortgrass prairie extends for mile after undulating mile, mirroring the sky in its vastness. Less than a century and a half ago, the Southern Plains were the domain of the Kiowa and Comanche, who hunted buffalo on horses bridled with Spanish silver and traded with the Wichitas, farmers who lived in grass houses. To the Kiowa, the earth was sacred, and the Wichitas believed their ancestors lived on in the 650-million-year-old granite boulders of the Wichita Mountains. Travelers exploring the region today may encounter moments of similar reverence -- watching the sun set from atop Mount Scott in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, for instance, or watching an eagle soar in winter. A rowdier spirit lives endures in the area, too: Teddy Roosevelt created the wildlife refuge after he traveled to Oklahoma Territory to hunt wolves. Bison now graze on the 60,000-acre preserve, along with longhorn cattle, antelope and elk -- rugged mountain biking, hiking, camping and backpacking are permitted in some areas.
Explore Great Plains Country
Mattie Beal Home
The Historic Mattie Beal Home is a 3,580 square foot, 14-room mansion constructed in 1907-1909. It sits on a portion of the 160-acres selected by Mattie Beal, the young woman whose name was drawn second in the Kiowa-Comanche-Apache Land Lottery of 1901
Lawton, OK MuseumsWashita County Courthouse
The imposing Washita County Courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was designed by Solomon Andrew Layton in 1910 and completed in 1911, and has been called the "Grandfather of Oklahoma's Courthouses."
Cordell, OK Historic CourthousesNational Route 66 Museum
Step back in time at the National Route 66 Museum and Old Town Museum Complex. The museum focuses on the people who lived, worked and traveled "The Road" and offers visitors a road motif to travel through all eight states along Route 66 "The Mother Road".
Elk City, OK MuseumsFort Sill's Leisure and Recreation
Fort Sill's Leisure and Recreation is open to active-duty, retired, and warrant officers, and most Department of the Defense civilians. Public access is limited to certain activities. Please contact the Public Affairs Office at 580-442-4500 for further information.
Red Rock Canyon Trails
Red Rock Canyon features two wonderful nature trails. The Rough Horsetail Nature Trail is located in the Caddo Maple Conservation Area portion of the park at the bottom of the steep entrance hill. This 0.4 mile loop trail is marked with interpretive signs. Trail difficulty is mild.
, OK Hiking TrailsLake Lawtonka
Water recreation, camping, hunting - 2,398 surface acres and 21 miles of shoreline. Noted for smallmouth bass catch and release program. Also largemouth bass, catfish, walleye, saugeye and crappie. 30 primitive sites, group shelters, restrooms/
Medicine Park, OK RecreationMangum Library & Genealogy Center - WPA
The Native stone building was built in 1936 and was a WPA project. The stone was dug from the ground and hauled in by teams and wagons, each piece of stone was cut by hand by the laborers and put into place.
Mangum, OK Historic BuildingsMuseum of the Western Prairie
The Museum of the Western Prairie examines the development of Southwest Oklahoma, the geographic area bounded by the North Fork of the Red River, the 100th Meridian and the Red River. The area, organized in 1873
Altus, OK MuseumsRoute 66 - America's Main Street
It is known as the Main Street of America - The Mother Road - The Free Road - even the Will Rogers Highway. And it evokes images of roadside diner's, mom-and-pop truck stops, old-fashioned service stations, motor courts, neon signs, and classic American automobiles.
Elk City, OK LandmarksSidewalk Art
Sidewalk pavers display an Indian mosaic design of the teepee, fire and arrows representing home, warmth and protection of the home respectively.
Anadarko, OK Arts