A Visit to Witchita National Wildlife Refuge

October 4-6, 2017
Lawton, Okalahoma

I will forever carry a memory of arrivingon my first visit to the Witchita NWR at sunset and seeing the bison with their orange colored babies, their colors made even more vivid by the setting sun. And I remember feeling very daring as I stepped out of the van to photograph a beautifuly speckled longhorn bull drinking from the roadside ditch behind us.

This time I came in from a different direction and time of day and stopped to enjoy a small lake with hills  behind it.  The first bison bull I saw was siluetted by the early sun.  I was joined by a woman's group of cyclists and used several of their phones to document their ride.

I spent some time hiking while waiting for my friend, Cindy to get finished with and appointment.

The geology here reminds me so much of the Palo Duro Canyon in west Texas, though it it not as rugged. The boulders and mountain faces are often reddish.  I found one place where I could climb up a boulder field and slick rock going up a mountain. I was sure I would have a beautiul view of a valley, but all I saw was another mountain  slick rock moumtain.  I decided not to climb it since I had to to soon meet my friend  Cindy at Meers Store and Restaurent, just outside the refuge for lunch. . That was an experience in itself both for the ambiance and the most delicious BBQ. I gave it 5 stars for the wonderful food, great service and for looking the way all the best BBQ joints look through out its many rooms. They say they have the BEST hamburgers too.  I wandered around, looking at the historical pictures, then read the newsletter published by the restaurent owner.

I had sun and clouds while visiting

I was amazed to find sea oats growing here

Many views were a variation of this

I climbed this bare rock hill 

I was intrigued by this rock that looked like it had been cut off

Another view near the top of the bald hill

A wildflower vignette I found on another hike

The temperatures seemed hot to me - the hotteseet I'd experienced all summer - but they were just right for this lizard

I loved the perfect match of yellows and blues

Some views were of flat lands but there were also hills in the background

The refuge has several man-made lakes.  These guys were enjoying the day at one of them. 

Water, wetland, and rock

Snow-on-the-Praire

Great forage for the bison, longhorns, elk, deer, and rabbits. 

I found these  Osage oranges, (aka Bois de Arc) just off the refuge but had to take their picture. The seeds of this tree was traded by Indians as it was prized for the strength of bows made from its wood. It is one of the first instancesin the United States of plants being traded out of their native area. 

Autumn colors under a hazy sky

Another little lake

A view from Mt Scott, the highest mountain on the refuge at 2,464 feet. 

Another view from Mt. Scott

Haze seemed to be the limiting factror in seeing distant objects

Another stream

The Witchita NWR also has the distinction of having the Holy City on its grounds, the site of the longest running Easter Pagent. But that report will have to wait for another blog.


Thanks in advance for your comments. I love to hear from you, especially your shared memories, or to correct my mistakes.