Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge is experiencing extreme heat with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees, which is expected to continue. These weather conditions, coupled with the rocky and rugged terrain of the Refuge, pose safety hazards for visitors as well as Refuge and other emergency response personnel who may be called upon for search and rescue operations during this extreme heat.
To reduce potential safety hazards associated with heat related illnesses or injuries, the Refuge is implementing the following Emergency Closure Order to restrict hiking during extreme temperatures effective Thursday, July 24, 2025 until removed.
1. Hiking is permitted from sunrise until 10 a.m. ONLY.
2. All hikers on trails and the Mt. Scott Roadway must exit by 10:00am
3. After 10 a.m. daily, the Refuge will be closed to all hiking.
For more information and safety tips, please review our Press Release.
Visit Us
An enchanting landscape awaits you in southwestern Oklahoma at the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Worn by time and nature, the Wichita Mountains loom large above the prairie 鈥攁 lasting refuge for wildlife. Best known for its roaming herds of bison, longhorn, and Rocky Mountain elk, Wichita Mountains also offers quality opportunities for wildlife dependent recreation.
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Location and Contact Information
About Us
Worn by time and nature, the Wichita Mountains loom large above the prairie in southwest Oklahoma鈥攁 lasting refuge for wildlife. Situated just outside the Lawton/Ft. Sill area, Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge preserves approximately 60,000 acres of mixed grass prairie, ancient granite mountains, and fresh water lakes and streams for the benefit of wildlife and the American people. Best known for its roaming herds of bison, longhorn, and Rocky Mountain elk, Wichita Mountains also offers quality opportunities for wildlife dependent recreation including fishing, bird watching, wildlife photography, hiking, camping, and kayaking.
What We Do
The National Wildlife Refuge System is a series of lands and waters owned and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Wildlife conservation is at the heart of the refuge system. It drives everything we do from the purpose a refuge is established, to the recreational activities offered there, to the resource management tools we use. Selecting the right tools helps us ensure the survival of local plants and animals and helps fulfill the purpose of the refuge. The wildlife and habitats of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge are managed using prescribed fire, grazing management, invasive species invasive species
An invasive species is any plant or animal that has spread or been introduced into a new area where they are, or could, cause harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. Their unwelcome presence can destroy ecosystems and cost millions of dollars.
Learn more about invasive species control, reservoir management, fish stocking, public use management, Wilderness management, and controlled hunts to manage wildlife populations.
Our Species
Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge is home to a whole host of animals鈥攆rom large animals like the American bison to tiny prairie dogs and colorful 鈥淢ountain Boomer鈥� lizards. The Refuge is also a great place for over 275 species birds to nest, feed, or rest during migration.