Elk Mountain is a breathtaking peak nestled within the stunning Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. Standing tall at an elevation of 2,254 feet, Elk Mountain offers visitors a captivating experience and panoramic vistas that stretch as far as the eye can see.

The Wichita Mountains rise above the surrounding prairie in southwestern Oklahoma, near Lawton. The ancient granite mountains and surrounded protected areas are home to bison, longhorn, elk, and many other animal and plant species. Much of the Refuge is open for recreation, including trails and routes like the climb up Elk Mountain.

We enjoyed this hike with one of the very best guides to the hikes of Oklahoma, Oklahomo Hiker! We traveled with Paul to the Wichita Mountains for 2 1/2 days to hike and explore all across the Refuge. Between the hikes and the exploration of the Refuge, we spent two nights at the Doris Campground in the Refuge. 

The trail to Elk Mountain begins at the Sunset Trailhead and picnic area and quickly crosses over the Sunset Pool on a bridge before beginning to ascend. The trail climbs steadily and moderately the entire way. In some places the trail is eroded and in other places some rock work has been done to stabilize the trail. The trail isn't marked as best we could tell and trails in general in the Refuge seem to be more suggestions than marked routes - so it's best to pay attention and have a map with you.

Besides a short section through an oak forest, there are almost constant outlooks along the trail with panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and the prairie off in the distance. That short forest section is also the only section with shade, so be prepared with plenty of sunscreen and stay hydrated. In addition, there isn’t any water along this route, so be sure to carry plenty of water as it gets hot quickly in the Wichitas and without any shade you’ll dehydrate faster than you expect.

Along the way to the summit, we saw several colorful lizards, but no snakes - though Paul had told us to keep our eyes open and he had run into rattle snakes in the past on this route.

The main trail ends at the first summit bump on Elk Mountain, which has a rather large, plateau-like summit.

We decided to keep going at this point, to the actual summit, which is about a third of a mile from that first summit. There's a pretty well worn trail most of the way and it was easy enough to follow and then hike on the rocks to the summit itself.

When we were there in May, the wildflowers were blooming across the Refuge in a spectacular fashion and we spent plenty of time enjoying them all.

The entire hike was about 3.5 miles (in and out) with about 617 feet of elevation gain.

For More Information

Additional information about the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge:

• Our Guide to Visiting and Hiking in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

• USFW Page for Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

• USFS Page for Trails in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

• Hiking the Wichitas Guidebook

• Hiking Oklahoma: A Guide to the State's Greatest Hiking Adventures Guidebook

Gear we used and/or carried on this hike:

• Goodr Sunglasses

• Osprey Talon 22 Pack

• Osprey Kestrel 38 Pack

• Altra Lone Peak Shoe

• Deliberate Life Designs Hiking Sandals

• Darn Tough Midweight Hiking Socks

• Black Diamond Trail Back Trekking Poles

• Patagonia Nine Trails Shorts

• EMS Men's Essential Peak Tank

• Energizer LED Headlamp

• NEMO Chipper Reclaimed Closed-Cell Foam Seat Pad

• Nalgene 32-ounce Wide-Mouth Water Bottles

• Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter

• CNOC Vecto Water Container

• Garmin Instinct Watches

• Garmin InReach Explorer+ GPS

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