Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

The refuge was established in 1901 and covers around 24,000 hectares of granite hills rising out of the southern plains, the eroded remains of a range far older than the Rockies. In 1907 the American Bison Society sent fifteen bison, six bulls and nine cows, from the Bronx Zoo, and the Comanche leader Quanah Parker was among those who turned out to meet them; the herd here descends from them and now numbers several hundred, alongside elk, Texas longhorn and the reintroduced black-tailed prairie dog. A road climbs Mount Scott to 751 metres with a view over the plains. The Charon's Garden Wilderness is rugged granite and oak forest with boulder fields that are slow going, and backcountry camping needs a permit.

What you'll find

• A bison herd from fifteen animals - shipped from the Bronx Zoo in 1907.
• Granite hills older than the Rockies - eroded down to their cores.
• The Mount Scott road - to 751 metres over the plains.
• Elk, longhorn and prairie dogs - alongside the bison.

When to go

March to May and September to November. A full day.

Things to know

Bison are wild and dangerous - people are injured approaching them for photographs. Summer heat is heavy and shade is scarce. The Mount Scott road closes in bad weather. Wilderness access needs a permit.

Nearby

Lawton is east; the Texas border is south.

Key facts