What a beautiful day out for a trek! I made it out to a beautiful part of Oklahoma and an interesting place for sure. I made it to a beautiful part of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge and traveled along the famed Bison Trail and some of the Longhorn Trail.
Mary and I started our day at the parking area and trailhead. Trailhead location is 34.716144°, -98.706023°. There are other parking locations all around this area so make sure you find the right one that works for you and fits with your trail plans. Once we were parked, we were off to the races! The initial part of the trail is not rugged at all. It did include some makeshift bridges and some muddy water areas but nothing that wasn’t insurmountable for Wichita Mountain hiking.
We arrived at a T-section into the trail and decided to go left/north (34.713878°, -98.698288°). This is when the wide-open prairie and wind really began to hit. The trail leaves the sanctuary of the wooded area and opens up. We again had to make another choice to split in the trail (34.719210°, -98.700426°). We went right/east to continue with the main trail. Do not go left/west or you will return to another parking lot and French Lake area.
We then continued to the east and entered a high plain area and saw sweeping plains filled with grass and bison. We saw many flowers, small bugs, and cactus all about. Be careful about other animals such as scorpions and snakes as this is their home too. The wind was fierce and the sun became strong by this portion of the trail and there are very few areas to seek refuge so make sure you have lots of sunscreen and bring a hat!
Cache Creek
We arrived at the Cache Creek around the 2nd mile and the river and reservoir areas are impressive and beautiful. There are small weirs that impound the big creek and create ample amounts of water and the river has carved out the valley which the trail wanders through. We finally stopped to check out the water and let the dog rest. We continued along the river valley for the next 2 miles and had ample opportunity to enjoy the valley, cliffs, and stream to enjoy.
Forty Foot Hole is located at 34.704951°, -98.683184°. It is a large gorge area carved out by the Cache Creek and has a cascading waterfall that is a notable feature throughout the refuge. On our trip, we encountered a small waterfall but steadily moving water. It was very accessible for people to climb down and be near the water and the water was very clear.
Make sure to veer right/west and not turn left/south unless you want the picturesque views to see right up the creek valley as this route is a dead end. The route now meanders to the northwest and is very quaint for the next 2 miles. This route now meanders up another small creek valley with plenty of clear water and streams slowly combining to widen the main creek. This route now meets with the first T-section and we veered left/west and proceeded back to the parking area.
Thoughts and Review
This trail was truly a real treat and a standout place in the Wichita Wildlife Refuge among so many. This is a real Oklahoma gem. I’d recommend that you go left/north at that first T-intersecting so that you can take advantage of the water during the second half. It was good for my dog and if I really needed extra water it was available.
The ground was flat for the first half of the trek but by the second half following the cliffs and valley, it became more sandy and rocky. Make sure to wear shoes that can handle both rocky and sandy terrain. Finally, there were some steep hiking and scrambling along the main trail so be ready for stepping up large rocks. This trail was an easy to moderate trail and a highly recommended day trip for those who can make it to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge!
I’ve also added a Google Maps pin and my YouTube video link so you can see for yourself how awesome this place really is. Enjoy!