Wichita Mountains Scenic Byway

A traveler along the Wichita Mountains Scenic Byway will be met with an awe-inspiring mosaic of rocky lowlands, mixed-grass prairie and cross timbers.  Visitors any time of year will be amazed by the sheer beauty of the byway, as the road winds through low impact landscapes and historic communities.  Guests during the warmer months will be met with an explosion of color from countless wildflowers.   In the fall, visitors are greeted with the changing colors of autumn from the trees to the various grasses. 

The Wichita Mountains Scenic Byway offers many great wildlife viewing opportunities, especially as the route passes through the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge.  The refuge is host to over 50 species of mammals, 240 species of birds, 64 species of reptiles and amphibians, 36 fish species and 806 species of plants.  From iconic animals such as bison (buffalo) to endangered species like the black-capped vireo, every wildlife enthusiast will have something to see.

A traveler along the Wichita Mountains Scenic Byway will be met with an awe-inspiring mosaic of rocky lowlands, mixed-grass prairie and cross timbers.  Visitors any time of year will be amazed by the sheer beauty of the byway, as the road winds through low impact landscapes and historic communities.  Guests during the warmer months will be met with an explosion of color from countless wildflowers.   In the fall, visitors are greeted with the changing colors of autumn from the trees to the various grasses. 

The Wichita Mountains Scenic Byway offers many great wildlife viewing opportunities, especially as the route passes through the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge.  The refuge is host to over 50 species of mammals, 240 species of birds, 64 species of reptiles and amphibians, 36 fish species and 806 species of plants.  From iconic animals such as bison (buffalo) to endangered species like the black-capped vireo, every wildlife enthusiast will have something to see.

Route Details:

The Wichita Mountains Scenic Byway is identified as beginning at Apache and extending west on Hwy 19 to the Hwy 58/19 junction.  The byway then proceeds north and south on Hwy 58 to Carnegie in the north and Medicine Park in the south.  From Carnegie, the byway proceeds west on Hwy 9 to Mountain View and south on Hwy 115 to the junction of Hwy 49 and Hwy 115.  From Medicine Park in the south, the byway extends east on Hwy 49 to I-44 and west on Hwy 49 through the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.