Why You Should Visit the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

If you are headed to southwest Oklahoma or the Lawton/Ft.Sill area then you are just a few short miles from the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge where there are some attractions you definitely will not want to miss. It is the second most visited wildlife refuge in the country.

The first thing on your agenda should be a drive through the picturesque refuge where you will get an up close look at buffalo, elk, longhorn, wild turkey and even prairie dogs. The 59,020 acre refuge was established in 1901. There are a variety of activities to partake of at the refuge. You can enjoy picnicking, camping, rock climbing, mountain biking and fishing to name just a few.

Several public tours also take place throughout the year to give visitors a specialized view of this historic land area. If you think you might be interested in "Stars Over the Wichitas", "Fall Foliage Tour", or another tour you may check here http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/wichitamountains/tours.html for dates and times.

A stop at the refuge's Visitor Center is worth taking the time for. The center offers a self-guided tour giving viewers the chance to learn more about the history and geology of the refuge as well as the wildlife, flora and fauna. The center is open every day except Tuesdays and major holidays from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm.

You will be hungry by now and that means a stop at the Meers Store and Restaurant for one of their famous Meers burgers. The store is all that is left of an historic mining boomtown that prospered from 1901-1905. Enjoy a burger as big as your plate and peruse the historic pictures on the wall. You may also want to check out the seismograph installed in 1985 by the Oklahoma Geological Society to monitor the "Meers Fault".