Our Mission

To deepen appreciation for and support of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge and the extraordinary landscape, wildlife and cultural resources the refuge protects.

Winter on the Refuge is a Great Time to Visit

Photo of otters on an icy lake at the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

Winter is a very nice time of year to visit the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is quieter with considerably fewer people. The deciduous trees have lost most of their leaves, which makes spotting large animals much easier. "Winter is my favorite time for visiting the refuge. There are hardly any two-legged animals running around. And there are no rattlesnakes, no ticks and no mosquitoes around," said Jim Stone, FOW president, with a grin. Most plants have gone dormant for the winter, and a large number of animals are in hibernation. There are still a lot of wildlife to ...

Photo of wild turkeys - Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

No Interpretive Public Tours in December

There are no Interpretive Public Tours for the month of December. The Tour Schedules for 2019 will be ...

Photo of the Alpine Club of OKC members and FOW volunteers removing graffiti July 2018 at the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

Volunteers continue to clean up graffiti on the Refuge

As has been reported through various media outlets - KSWO, Lawton Constitution, KJRH, KFOR - vandalism is on the rise ...

Shopping on Amazon? Donate to FOW!

Shopping list needs something the Nature Store doesn't have? You can support FOW when you shop on Amazon! ...

Volunteer Opportunities

Be a tour guide, work in the visitor center, help with trail maintenance and refuge projects. Volunteers even help with the longhorn and bison sales!

Volunteer opportunities are updated weekly and sent via e-mail. Click here for more information.

Holiday Closings

The Refuge Visitor Center and Nature Store will be closed on the following holidays:

Christmas Day - December 25
New Year’s Day - January 1

Roads, picnic areas, hiking trails and opportunities for wildlife observation will remain open from sunrise to sunset.

Mt Scott Closed

The Mt. Scott Roadway on Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge has re-opened to bicycle and pedestrian traffic, but remains closed to all vehicle traffic. Recent heavy rains have eroded parts of the foundation of the road making it unstable for the consistent weight of vehicles. >> Full update fws.gov

Who are The Friends of the Wichitas?

The Friends of the Wichitas is a non-profit organization committed to promoting environmental education opportunities for the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Volunteer members conduct interpretive tours and work in the visitor center.

What Does the Association Do?

Donate funds and equipment to the refuge to enhance visitor enjoyment of the visitor center and other refuge public use programs.

Publish a monthly newsletter containing helpful hints of wildlife viewing, announcing upcoming tours, and giving visitors an in-depth look at refuge wildlife.

Provide materials and training for volunteer programs interpreters.

Get involved!

Three ways to support the FOW...

Become a Member

Become a Member!

Support FOW in providing outreach opportunities to Refuge visitors. We assist the Refuge and assist the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in meeting its conservation mandates.

Join Us!