Fall Tours at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

Fall is soon approaching. While some will be sorry to see summer go, I am personally welcoming the colorful and cool transition to fall. Fortunately, we have the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge near Lawton, an attraction that provides unique and family-friendly tour options including bugling elk, fall foliage and star gazing.

Have you ever heard the awkward bugling call of a bull elk? The first time I got this opportunity was in Rocky Mountain National Park in northern Colorado. The eerie, highpitched, whistling sounds made by the bulls during the fall mating season seem so uncharacteristic for the large, magnificent creatures. The sound is made by bulls either attracting females to their harems (or groups of cows) or for aggression to keep the younger bulls away. Getting the chance to view (and hear) a herd’s behavior in a natural setting is an educational treat. So, I was excited to recently learn that you don’t have to venture to Colorado to get a glimpse into this amazing natural phenomenon. You can find it right here in our beautiful state.

The Refuge is host to nearly 800 head of elk. While originally indigenous to the area, pioneer hunting exterminated the native herds by the late 1800s. An elk reintroduction effort in the early 1900s successfully reestablished the elk population to its current levels. The refuge now annually conducts bugling elk bus tours through a non-profit group of volunteers called Association of Friends of the Wichitas. These popular tours run throughout September and October. Bugling activity occurs most frequently during the early morning and evening hours. Therefore, all tours begin promptly at 6:30am or 5pm, depending on the day. Tour slots are limited to groups of around 26 and fill fast.

Another tour offered by the Friends of the Wichitas is the Fall Foliage Walk on October 31, November 7 and 14th at 10am. This is an interpretive one-mile walk through the forests at Hollis Canyon. Participants will learn about the seasonal changing process while walking through the colorful forests of black jack, post oaks, chinquapin, red cedar and sugar maples. Dressing for the weather, including sturdy walking or hiking shoes, is recommended. All should bring drinking water.

While this tour is available throughout the spring and summer, two dates are still available in September (18th-19th). Lack of city lights on and near the refuge provides a unique opportunity for astronomy enthusiasts. The Friends of the Wichitas provide volunteers who will lead groups of 15 through the history of astronomy and help visitors identify sky images with the naked eye and telescope. Participants should bring binoculars and lawn chairs. The two-hour program begins 30 minutes after sunset and participants are asked to meet at the Boulder/Lost Lake picnic area.

For additional information on these or other events offered by the Association of Friends of the Wichitas, see their website at FriendsOfTheWichitas.org. While camping is available on the refuge, additional nearby accommodations are available and may be found at LawtonFortSillChamber.com or by calling 800-872-4540. Another source is MedicinePark.com.

Karen Mitchell, a lifelong resident of the Oklahoma City metro area, lives in Edmond with her husband, Mark, teenage son, Ryan, and one spoiled Welsh Corgi. Daughter, Megan, attends college at OSU in Stillwater.