Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge
US Fish And Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge; Charon'S Garden Wilderness Designated 1970 · Cache, Oklahoma
A refuge of granite mountains and mixed-grass prairie in south-western Oklahoma, set aside in 1901 and stocked in 1907 with fifteen bison shipped by train from the Bronx Zoo, at a time when the species had been shot almost to extinction on the southern plains. Today herds of bison, Rocky Mountain elk and Texas longhorn cattle live on ground that has never been ploughed, along with a large black-tailed prairie dog town beside Highway 49. A paved road climbs Mount Scott to 2,464 feet for a view across the plains, and trails lead into the Charon's Garden Wilderness boulder field, to the Narrows on West Cache Creek and up Elk Mountain. Entry is free and the Visitor Center opens daily, but this is a working wildlife refuge first: an extreme-heat order in force since 1 July 2026 allows hiking only from sunrise to 10 AM, and roads and areas also close for public hunts, prescribed burns and round-ups.
21088 State Highway 115, Cache, Oklahoma, 73527, United States
Refuge lands, roads and trails open sunrise to sunset daily, but under the extreme-heat order effective 1 July 2026 hiking is permitted only from sunrise to 10 AM, and backcountry camping is prohibited. Visitor Center daily 9 AM-5 PM; Headquarters Monday-Friday 8 AM-4:30 PM (check fws.gov/refuge/wichita-mountains or call 580-429-3222).
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