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
Quartz Mountain Rock Climbing
Discover the rugged geology of Quartz Mountain Resort Park which is surrounded by the stark beauty of rough granite hills and outcroppings, remnants of the Wichita Mountain Range, whose peaks once stood over 20,000 feet tall. The park'
, OK RappellingOld Pioneer Hall of Fame
On the grounds of the Museum is the Old Pioneer Hall of Fame to honor the Pioneers who were in this area before 1907. Their picture and history are carved in Pink Granite stone and is unique, as there is none other like it in this country. By 1986, there were 160
Mangum, OK Halls of FameWichita Mountains - Holy City
While you're in the Refuge, be sure to visit the Holy City of the Wichitas, an interesting manmade intrusion that is historic in its own right. Built as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project during the 1930's, the Holy City is located on 110 acres and features 22
Cache, OK Historic SitesWichita Mountains NWR - Fishing
There are 13 Public Use Lakes on the Refuge which provide ample fishing opportunities for both bank and boat anglers. Largemouth bass, sunfish, crappie, and channel catfish are likely to be caught in Refuge lakes.
Lawton, OK FishingGreat Plains State Park
Great Plains State Park is located on 6400-acre Tom Steed Lake west of the Wichita Mountains in Kiowa County near the town of Mountain Park. A drive along Hwy 183 provides a scenic route that winds its way through the mountains along the lake'
, OK State ParksLake Elmer Thomas Recreation Area
Lake Elmer Thomas Recreation Area is your one-stop family fun and outdoor recreation location. LETRA is nestled in the picturesque Wichita Mountains and offers a 360-acre lake surrounded by native prairie.
Lawton, OK RecreationPost Office Mural
Displayed on the lobby wall of the art deco post office is a WPA commissioned mural capturing a moment of the infamous Oklahoma Land Run. - Artist, Vance Kirkland, 1940
Sayre, OK Arts