Wichita Mountains Wilderness
The American buffalo once roamed in uncountable numbers here among the grasslands that rise to lakes, streams, and stunning canyons. Today there's a small but growing herd. Something about seeing these...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| State | Oklahoma |
| Size | 8,570 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1970, by Congress |
| Center point | 34.7236, -98.7461 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 18) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 2 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Fire nearby
- WildfireRailroad South
8 mi from the center point · 515 acres · 95% contained
- WildfireNeugebauer
8 mi from the center point · 11 acres
- WildfireMeers
9 mi from the center point · 914 acres · 95% contained
- WildfireKimble
9 mi from the center point · 66 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 0.4 miBuffalo Lodge ↗Cache, OK
- 1.8 miBoulder Cabin ↗Cache, OK
- 5 miMeers Mining Camp ↗Lawton, OK
- 5.3 miArrastra Site ↗Cache, OK
- 5.5 miIngram House ↗Cache, OK
- 5.6 miFirst State Bank of Indiahoma ↗Indiahoma, OK
- 5.7 miFerguson House ↗Cache, OK
- 6.2 miParker, Quanah, Star House ↗Cache, OK
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Wichita Mountains Wilderness?
8,570 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Wichita Mountains Wilderness?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Wichita Mountains Wilderness in?
Oklahoma.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Wichita Mountains Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1970.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Wichita Mountains Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Doris Campground, 3.9 miles out. 2 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Wichita Mountains Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 34.724, -98.746. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Wichita Mountains Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Railroad South at 8 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Wichita Mountains Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 18 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Are there historic places near Wichita Mountains Wilderness?
11 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Buffalo Lodge and Boulder Cabin.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.