In Southwest Oklahoma, at the base of Mount Scott and a million miles of bright sky, sits a 100-year old community literally cobbled together, one smoothly polished rock at a time. Medicine Park is a resort town, built on 900 acres and owned by Oklahoma State Senator Elmer Thomas. He saw a need for entertainment at the river’s water edge near the Wichita Mountains. It started small and over the years, with its trials and tribulations, Medicine Park has stayed small and remained relevant. While we walked between buildings, wondering where to start with our sightseeing, we came across the Old Plantation Restaurant. This restaurant with its colorful history, serves traditional southern style food.  Medicine Park has long piers perfect for fishing, biking trails, hiking to the local aquarium, a constant stream of live music, incredible places to eat and the slightly-less local Lake Lawtonka for rental kayaks! Bath Lake is the seasonal swimming hole. Day passes are only $2 per person to swim in a lagoon cordoned off by natural rocks and mountain views spanned by manmade bridges. Water shoes are highly recommended as the lake’s bottom is rocky and uneven. For a break from the pool, grab a snow cone at Santa’s Snack Shop the snow stand and pool toy wonderland at the edge of Bath Lake. It’s open weekends between Memorial Day and Labor Day, unless the temperature is more than 105. Shoppers delight in shops with candles, jewelry, art as well as a bakery and an ice cream store offering enormous scoops of Blue Bell. Most prominent of all, though, is the laid-back, friendly spirit of the town. Every spot, every store, every house is a unique experience, with a positive feel and welcoming spirit in every doorway.

Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge Park

The beauty of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge is not something you expect from Oklahoma. The location is between OKC and Lawton, OK. It is approximately 59,000 acres where you can find herds of bison, Texas Longhorns, elk, prairie dogs and deer freely roaming the refuge. In fact, I would say you can find an abundance of wildlife there. These are old mountains – older than the mind can comprehend. Five-hundred million years, so say geologists. There are quite a few lakes here with charming names like Caddo and Lost Lake.

Within Wichita Mountains is a place called “Holy City”. For some it is a recreation of the walk of Jesus and it is supposed to look like Jerusalem.

There is an incredible amount of scenery and views for hikers and photographers. Recreation opportunities include mountain biking, rock climbing, rappelling, approximately 15 miles of hiking trails, campsites, picnic areas, and fishing. The Quanah Parker Nature and Visitor Center is on site and features exhibits on wildlife and habitats of the Wichita Mountains, interactive and changing displays, artwork, videos and films, and a gift shop.

Quanah Parker Lake & Dam

Located inside the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, this lake offers 89 surface acres of water within three miles of shoreline. Recreation opportunities around the lake include rock climbing and hiking trails. Facilities include tent and RV campsites with electrical hookups, a picnic area with grills, restrooms, a playground and a group shelter at the Doris Campground. The Quanah Parker Lake Dam is something you don’t want to miss. This is about as good as the view gets in SW Oklahoma.