The Wichita Mountains - Oklahoma

 

THE WICHITA MOUNTAINS

“The farther one gets into the wilderness, the greater is the attraction of its lonely freedom”

President Theodore Roosevelt

Large Bison on side of the road in the Wichita Mountains of Oklahoma - JDJ Photo

One year on my way to Dallas, I decided to make a pit stop and take a day to explore a place that was somewhat mysterious to me – the Wichita Mountains of Oklahoma. I was skeptical of anything in Oklahoma being labeled as mountains but when I reached the Witchitas, I was surprised to find a handful of peaks that rose over a thousand feet above the plains. The Wichita Mountains are located about 90 miles southwest of Oklahoma City. Most of that distance is covered on Interstate 44. The range extends 60 miles from Fort Sill in the east to the town of Granite in the west. These ancient mountains are made up of igneous rocks like granites, rhyolites and gabbros that were formed approximately 525 million years ago when magma was pushed to the surface creating this range. Upon closer inspection, the rocks have a red / pink color with crystals of feldspar, quartz and dark clusters of mica, hornblende and magnetite that make sunsets particularly beautiful and a chunk of rock from them held in the hand quite interesting. Average annual rainfall in these mountains is from 25- 30 inches. Temperatures

  

View from the summit of Mount Scott looking down on to one of many reservoirs in the Wichita Mountains - JDJ Photo

extremes range from -16 in the winter to 117 in the summer. The mountains rise abruptly from the surrounding plain and appear quite dry but due to the annual rainfall and runoff from the rocky terrain, there is quite a bit of water. The Civilian Conservation Corps understood this fact and in the 1930s, constructed dams on 20 streams in the area to retain water and create additional ponds and lakes. This greatly improved the environment for animals, amphibians, and birds – all of which now thrive in the range. Several US Presidents realized the natural beauty and significance of the Wichita early on. First, a refuge was established here in 1901 as a forest reserve by President William McKinley. Then in 1905 President Theodore Roosevelt re designated it as a forest and game preserve. The area is now protected as the Wichita mountains Wildlife Refuge. This refuge consists of 59,020 acres in Comanche County, Oklahoma. There is a great visitors center at the refuge that has all kinds of information on the flora and fauna found within the refuge. If you visit the Wichita, you will notice that much of the terrain surrounding the mountains themselves is covered with a thick prickly jumble of, almost carpet like covering of low scrubby trees, prickly bushes, and other undergrowth. These forests are a remnant of the famed and dreaded “Cross Timbers,” which was a belt of forest so dense and impenetrable that early explorers avoided it. Historically, the cross timbers stretched from Kansas and Oklahoma down to Texas and formed the boundary between the heavily wooded eastern areas and the treeless plains of the west. Washington Irving traveled through this area in 1832 on an ecological expedition and described it as a “forest of cast iron” that was incredibly difficult to pass through. He documented this trip in his book “A tour on the Prairies” and it is a joy to read if you have the time. Beginning at the edge of the cross timbers and in between the peaks of the Wichita are numerous prairies consisting of short, mid and tall grasses. These prairies contain over 80 types of mixed grass and along with the cross timbers provide feed, forage and cover for a plethora of wildlife that call the Wichita home. The midcontinent location of the range puts it in a natural transition zone for migrating birds and you can snag a checklist from the visitor center that lists all 291 species that either nest or visit the refuge. I have never been a checklist toting bird watcher but if you are, this is a great place to visit. Due to the available forage and water coursing in small streams through the canyons, stored up in reservoirs, and preserved in wind and rain hollowed tanks or huecos in the pink granite, the Wichita are home to a wide variety of creatures. Historically, Bison roamed the range but were wiped out during the horrendous slaughter of these animals in the late 1800s. They were re-introduced to the Witchitas in the early 1900s and there are now over 500 Bison roaming through the refuge. The refuge also maintains a herd of approximately 300

  

Mount Scott as seen from the Prairie - Wichita Mountains - JDJ Photo

Texas Longhorn cattle and this herd is supposedly one of the highest quality herds of this species in the country. There are also a here of 350 head of Elk within the mountains and the White Tail Deer population is estimated at around 450 so as you can see there are plenty of large animals, some of which you will surely see if you visit this area. The park is also home to hundreds of Rio Grande Wild Turkeys. There are other novelties for city dwellers as well in the form of Black Tailed prairie dogs that burrow and create prairie dog towns. Burrowing owls and cotton tail rabbits sometimes occupy abandoned prairie dog burrows as well. In the streams, ponds, and lakes, you may see Box Turtles, Mud, Pond, and Snapping Turtles. There are dozens of species of snakes, a dozen species of toads and frogs, and many different types of lizards. To enjoy this unique landscape and all of these fascinating creatures, the park maintains 15 miles of designated hiking trails, numerous campsites for both trailers and back country campers and a multitude of fishing opportunities. There is also a paved road to the top of the highest peak, Mount Scott, that rises to an elevation of 2,464 feet. That might not seem like much but as it rises from the flat surrounding plains and is 100% pink granite, it is quite impressive. From the top of that peak the views of the surrounding terrain are outstanding. These mountains are also full of folklore and legends of Native Americans, Outlaws, and strange creatures such as the Red Deer Man and the Legend of the lost treasure behind the Iron Door. In another post we will explore those legends and I will describe my hike up to the top of Elk Mountain. 

Looking north west from Mount Scott across the top of the Wichita - JDJ Photo