News

The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge will be hosting their fourth annual Invasive Plant Round-Up on Saturday, June 9, 2018 from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Come learn about the most damaging invasive plants in southwestern Oklahoma and help Refuge staff remove eastern red cedar, common mullein, musk thistle, prickly lettuce and other invasive plants. The…

Steven Hunter, an accomplished nature photographer, will be signing his latest book The Wichita Mountains, An Oklahoma Treasure at the Nature Store in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge visitor Center from 10 to 5 each day. His photography hangs in private homes and businesses, and graces the lodge and cabins of Mount Magazine State Park in Arkansas.…

On Saturday, March 31 we will be pulling the invasive plant mullein.  Meet at the Visitor Center at 9 and plan on being gone for 4 hours. Bring work gloves,water and a snack and be prepared to walk two or more miles over rough ground with boulders. Let Helen know at  volunteer@friendsofthewichitas.org if you will be coming so…

Those interested in helping clear the Mt. Scott picnic area should meet there at 9 on Wednesday, March 28.  The jobs include mowing, weed eating, lopping tree limbs and moving brush.  Bring work gloves, water and a snack.  Work for a couple of hours or all day.  We usually take a lunch break at Ann’s…

This week is Spring Break so the refuge will be really busy.  There will be extra trash and lots of people on the trails. If you do go out on your own and pick up trash be sure and record your volunteer hours in the notebook in the Visitor Center.  If you have never done…

Help rebuild the fence at prairie dog town Thursday January 25, and Friday January 26.  If you are available on any of those days your help will be greatly appreciated.  Bring work gloves, snacks and water. We will probably continue this work the following week. Meet at the Visitor Center at 9:00 a.m. or go to prairie dog town.…

Changes to the hours and operations for access to Mt. Scott: The narrow and curvy 3- mile scenic road to the summit of Mt. Scott was completed by the Works Progress Association and Civilian Conservation Corps in 1938. The road twists and turns as it climbs roughly 1,000 feet to the mountain summit. Though it…

The refuge Visitor Center will be closed Christmas Eve Day, Christmas Day, and New Years Day. Otherwise it is open daily 9am to 5pm. For more information, please see the refuge website.