Written By: Eric Brown, Professional Golfer
On a recent business trip to Lawton, Oklahoma, I had the fortune of stumbling upon the Wichita Mountains. Before my trip, I knew there were a few small mountains nearby but did not realize the expanse of the Wichita Mountains. Lawton itself is an older town in southern Oklahoma and does not offer a whole lot other than some good dining options. A had a couple of free afternoons during my weeklong stay so I decided to do some basic research on the area and check out the Wichita Mountain National Wildlife Refuge.
The drive was only about twenty minutes to the refuge’s entrance from where I was staying in Lawton. I did not have a map but I knew one place for sure I wanted to see, Mount Scott. This is an obvious first stop upon entering from Lawton. Mount Scott’s summit is 2,470 feet and is one of the tallest in the Wichita Mountains. To reach it, one can either hike or take the much shorter 10–15-minute drive to the top. The top of Mount Scott offers 360-degree panoramic views of the wildlife refuge and other surrounding mountains. Mount Scott is a must-stop for visitors. There are many spots for pictures and rock climbing at the summit. The winding road to the top also offers several scenic overlook pull-off spots.
Next, I headed to the Jed Johnson Tower Trail. A short drive once you have reached the bottom of Mount Scott, this half-mile trail meanders near a lake and forest ultimately reaching the Jeb Johnson Tower which from a distance looks like a tower from a medieval castle. A relaxing hike that does not take long to complete seemed to connect me with nature as I strolled to the tower and back.
Right down the road from the Jed Johnson Tower Trail is the Holy City of the Wichitas. This is home to the largest Easter Pageant in North America. The Holy City of the Wichitas has a stone chapel and buildings that resemble Biblical times when Christ walked the Earth. Built upon the belief that the terrain and backdrop resembled the land where Christ lived, the Holy City may have been the most surprising and unique feature in the Wichita Mountains. The chapel reminds me of the Orthodox churches I have visited around the world with icons and paintings on the ceilings. I would consider this a must if visiting the area as it almost felt like I was in the Holy Land for the brief time I was there.
Another unique feature of this refuge is the free-roaming bison that takes visitors back to the time of the 19th century. According to the National Park Service, approximately six hundred and fifty bison make the refuge their home. These bison are all over the park and can even be seen right next to the road on some occasions. One nearly crossed right in front of me while I was driving to the entrance to the Holy City. There are also pull-off places on the sides of the road where bison are frequently known to graze. Bison are not the only animal a visitor might spot, as longhorn cattle also can be found close to bison as well. Seeing these animals free roaming was refreshing and reminded me to be thankful that there are still protected, natural, and undeveloped parts of this country.
My favorite part of my visit to the Wichita Mountains was easily the visit to Quanah Parker Lake. Here I was able to take in the great view of the lake and walk across a dam that was almost like a mini Hoover Dam. The most fun I had was hiking the short but adventurous Little Baldy Trail. The trailhead is on the south side of Quanah Parker Lake near Quanah Creek. From there I headed west on a rocky path that was not well-defined to the top of a rocky hill. The end of the hike did require some minor rock climbing, but the views once I reached the top were worth it. The top offered a panoramic view of the lake and surrounding mountains that once again made me feel like I was anywhere but Oklahoma. This was one of the hikes recommended for those that only have a couple of hours at the refuge on their website.
These stops and a quick stop at the visitor center for a souvenir concluded my trip to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. I did drive from one entrance of the refuge to the other and saw many other cool places to stop but since I was alone decided not to. Hopefully one day I can bring my wife and we can explore together. The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge has everything an explorer would want and offers almost all the amenities a national park does minus the entry fee and crowds. I will link some helpful information to the bottom of this article that will go into more detail about the places I visited and other sites I did not. Next time you are in Oklahoma make sure to stop by and see for yourself why the Wichita Mountains will take you back in time.
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