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
Hotel Frederick
Built in 1929, the lobby and business areas of the Hotel Frederick were hubs of activity in town. The Blue Room was the site for elaborate dinners, as well as every formal function in town. Now, after restoration in the 1990
Frederick, OK Historic HotelsThe Meers Store
The Meers Store, serving up plate-sized longhorn beef burgers, is all that remains of a boom town born in the Wichita Mountains turn-of-the-century gold rush. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building was once a drugstore, doctor'
Meers, OK One Of A KindsWestern Oklahoma State College
Western Oklahoma State College, established as Altus Junior College in 1926, is the oldest continuing two year college in Oklahoma. An emphasis in academic transfer and more than 59
Altus, OK CollegesMuseum of the Great Plains
At the Museum of the Great Plains, the natural and cultural history of the Great Plains of north America is studied and shown in many exhibits and programs that will be enjoyed by all members of the family. Special events include a twice-yearly encampment of 1830
Lawton, OK MuseumsGreat 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 ParksFort Sill History
The site of Fort Sill was staked out on January 8, 1869 by Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan who led a Campaign into Indian Territory to stop hostile tribes from raiding border settlements in Texas Kansas. Sheridan'
Fort Sill, OK FortsCentennial Park on the Square
Visitors will enjoy relaxing by the fountain in Centennial Park on the Square adjacent to the picturesque Courthouse.
Cordell, OK RecreationOKHS Chisholm Trail Historical Museum
The history of the Chisholm Trail is more than the story of range-tough cowboys, stampeding cattle, and rowdy cowtowns. It is also the story of a people successfully adapting to the political, social, and economic changes brought on by our nation'
Waurika, OK MuseumsQuartz Mountain Golf Course
Breathtaking natural beauty is probably the most distinguishable feature of Quartz Mountain Golf Course. Located at the base of rocky Quartz Mountain on the western edge of the Wichita mountains range, the course is surrounded by a sea of sage and prairie grass.
Altus, OK Golf CoursesQuartz Mountain Camping
Campers and picnickers will find 237 picnic tables, 5 group picnic shelters, 1 enclosed group shelter, 20 modern RV sites w/ all hookups, 101 sites w/ water & electric, and 99 regular campsites w/ no utilities. There are also 8 comfort stations (5 with showers), 2
, OK Camping