wichita mountains national wildlife refuge

Great day and views. You can drive up to the summit and spend some time crawling on the rocks at the top. Be sure to stop in a medicine Park on the way!

I saw an ad for this place on Facebook and when we were near the area we decided to take a detour on our way home to visit. I thought the visitors center was very well put together and very informative. We enjoyed the drive through the park seeing buffalo and longhorn along the side of the roads. There were many prairie dog towns full of cute scampering prairie dogs. There were many hiking trails that we didn't have time to take advantage of. Many lakes dotted the landscape giving you beautiful views from many angles. The Holy City was picturesque and I'm sure the Passion play performed during the Easter season would be worth a visit. The winding road that led to the top of Mt. Scott allowed beautiful views at panoramic view points. I'm glad we decided to take the detour. Well worth it!!! Free too.

This is a must do if you're in this area. My children ages 8 & 7 thoroughly enjoyed it. Do take time to stop at Prairie Dog Town, these little critters are amazing. If you are still and quite their are a few that will come pretty close to you. This makes for a great photo and memories for the children! Stop and hike up one of the many trails for an amazing view of the valley. We saw bison and longhorns right along the road! Don't miss the visitors center, it's a wealth of information about the area and animals. I really appreciated that there is no fee to drive through and enjoy nature and it's beauty.

Okay, so there isn't a lot to do in this part of Oklahoma, but I must say....if you live here, or anywhere near here...you NEED to visit the wildlife refuge. It is absolutely stunning. I have been here during the spring/summer, and the trees are beautiful! This past visit was during a warmer day in February for Valentine's day, and even though the trees weren't pretty, it was still so worth it!There are many different trails to hike at the refuge, ranging from short to quite long (anywhere from half an hour to four hours). Some of them are more challenging than others. My husband and I hiked the Dog Run Hollow trail, and it was somewhat challenging, but nothing that even an amateur couldn't handle. The trail is very clear, and the only thing that makes it challenging is that the terrain is a little rocky/hilly.The refuge is open range, so please be aware. There are buffalo/bison and long-horn cattle roaming free. I did not see any on the road, but I am sure that it does happen. The speed limits are quite slow for this reason.There is also a prairie dog home at the refuge, and I highly recommend visiting it and watching the prairie dogs. They are so very cute and inquisitive! Please obey the signs, though...don't feed them anything. They don't naturally drink much water, and if you give them salty foods it can kill them. They are too cute to do that to!In short, it is a great outdoor adventure! There is more to do than just hiking as well. There is also an information center with displays and a gift shop, and the lost village, but that will be another review!

We were back again with an even larger crowd this time. We brought the whole family, about 20 in all. We had a great time. The weather mostly cooperated, though we had a little rain. Bring an umbrella if rain is in the forecast because it's a long walk back to the car on a hike.Make sure to bring some binoculars for bird/wildlife watching. My little ones like to bring little trail guides to identify wildflowers and plants.When viewing the prairie dogs, watch out for ants. I was in flip flops (we hadn't started our hike yet) and got bit twice.

I enjoyed my time spent at the refuge. Titled "historical context" because I particularly enjoyed their visitor /interpretive center. Nicely organized "mini-museum" which addressed the multi-facets of this region; historical, environmental, and anthropological. A significant look at the U.S. ideal of Manifest Destiny.

I was in the area for 4 days and went there 3 of them. The whole trip would have been different if we had not gone there. Saw bison, elk, hawks, deer wrestling with each other, geese, turtles, longhorn cattle, and prairie dogs. This is a must see. Be sure to climb Mt. Scott in your car and visit the Visitors Center. So much to do.

This is more than a refuge.The prairie dogs are adorable. Buffalo and bighorns are plenty. Everyone got excited here and the pullouts are easily navigated.There are lakes, picnic areas and hiking trails. The views of the mountain and the great plain all in one. The visitor center will give you map, direction and where the best sightings are, and of course the bathrooms. Bring food if you plan to stay longer than couple of hours.

We drove down for the day from OKC. Spent the day hiking and exploring this beautiful place. Our main hike was Elk Mountain Trail. We had a picnic at the highest point (where the survey marker is located). On the way back down, we saw a huge buffalo. Amazing Day!

700 ELK, 650 BISON, tons of DEER and PRAIRIE DOGS!!! If you love wildlife, lakes and cute little mountains, then you will really like this place. We camped at Doris campground by Lake Quannah Parker and had 7 deer walk through our campsite early in the morning. We went for a nice little hike up the mountain and saw more deer and heard an ELK bugle! On the drive out we saw a ton of adorable fat little prairie dogs and then 4 ELK!! Definitely worth a night or two in the campground to explore the area or spend the night in one of the nearby towns. Worth a weekend for sure! It reminded us of driving through parts of Wyoming!

We only had a few hours and had just come from Army Basic Training Family Day, so we were not dressed to do any hiking. But had a wonderful time. Drove up to the top of Scott Mountain and had the most wonderful view! You could see for miles, you could see the lake, the wind farms, mountains and flat lands. The visitor center is also a nice place to stop, they have a small gift shop, restrooms, and a small musuem. While driving through the area we saw longhorns, deer, elk, lots of birds, bison and the cutest prairie dogs!!. You have to stop at the prarie dog town. They arent afraid of you. You pull into the parking lot, and they are everywhere. You can hear them barking at each other, and some will even come up fairly close! This isnt a zoo, these animals are wild. It is truely amazing.

My favorite weekend spot in Oklahoma. The views are spectacular; specially at Mt. Scott during sunrise and sunset. There are so many photo opportunities and many places to explore. Visitors Center staff was very helpful and they even offered guided hiking tours. I recommend this place for those whiling to relax and take a break from the busy city.

Just recently moved to Oklahoma, and this place was a wonderful surprise! It was a beautiful day, a beautiful drive, and seeing animals in their environment was really neat. Your kids will love it!

We had a great morning driving around the wildlife refuge. We were able to see prairie dogs up close, and we saw buffalo and Longhorns from further away. The drive up to the top of Mt Scott was worth it, but make sure you bring a coat, it gets windy!

Have been to the wildlife refuge numerous times and at all times of the year. This is a large area with multiple trails of varying difficulty. To really experience the park at its best hiking is required. One can hike from a few hundred yards to 11 or 12 miles. Get a trail map at the visitor center and ask about the trails as some can be strenuous. Inexpensive short books describe the trails and attractions and are worth the price. When hiking one may encounter bison or long horn cattle; give them their distance and they won't bother you, but remember they are wild, big and can injure if you try to approach them. Pay attention to your surroundings on the trails because some are not well marked. It is best to hike with someone because falls are possible. It is particularly important to make children stay close because some valleys are quite steep. People have been injured and at least one death occurred from a fall. Despite the warnings almost all hikes are safe and vary rewarding. In addition to the Bison and longhorn there is the possibility of seeing wild turkey, deer, and the collared lizard. The prairie dog village is entertaining particularly for children. Elk are occasionally seen that come over from the fenced off area. When hiking give yourself plenty of time and be sure and carry water for anything over a mile walk. Is you are unable to walk far the short hikes are worth the effort. Even if you can't hike at all much can be seen from your car. The ride up Mount Scott is worth the trouble. Everyone has his/her favorite area. I personally like post oak lake and falls, my daughter prefers the narrows which is a bit more strenuous but is beautiful. After your hike you might want a buffaloburger in Meers. Great day trip.