Wander Oklahoma: Hike the Forty-Foot Hole at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

Wander Here

Dec 4

Wander Here: Oklahoma, USA

Forty Foot Hole, Wichita Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma, Wander Here, The Great Wanderlust

Sometimes this little midwest state catches me off guard and reminds me that nature and beauty are found everywhere…

Especially where you least expect it.

We wound through the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, stopping every little bit to watch the bison + longhorns graze or lumber slowly across the road. After studying the American Bison and its powerful role in the history of Native America, we all felt a deep well of respect and admiration as we looked on. We also felt about 20 degrees hotter just looking at them haha.

On the hunt for one particular hike, we drove deeper into the refuge than on previous trips. I had looked up a hiking trail called Kite Trail which led to a beautiful area called Wichita Mountains Forty Foot Hole. A 1.4 mile loop trail that is generally uncrowded, it was labeled as “easy” which I later questioned. But I didn’t care how many enticing trail signs we passed on the way, I was hell bent on making it to this one. And it was a good thing because it really paid off!

After driving about 30 minutes into the depths of the refuge, we came to a dead end with a small parking lot and some picnic tables. The heat hit us like a weighted blanket the second we stepped out of the car, so we headed straight for the only table that was shaded. Our lunch spread was the perfect fuel for what lay ahead – some tuna and crackers, hummus, veggies, almond butter sandwiches and fruit. And the obvious – sparkling waters. It’s not an Oklahoma summer day unless it feels like you’re under a wet blanket, so we just embraced it.

Finally it was time to conquer the trail. The sun was scorching, but the wildflowers that dotted the trail kept our spirits up as we scaled the rocks and small boulders that covered the trail. The elevation gain was moderate, just enough to get us huffing and puffing and bring us to the top of a hill that looked out over the glorious Forty Foot Hole. We shuffled over to the edge and looked out to see a beautiful (Oklahoma sized) canyon. A river wound it’s way through the bottom, full to the brim after the rains that had graced our state the couple of weeks before. It was breathtaking. And unexpected. And high enough to give me a small heart attack with the girls prancing around fearlessly…per the usual!

After another hot 20 minutes or so, and traversing down some rocks and boulders, we finally made it! One pool poured over into another pool…and another and another. You just don’t find these kinds of scenes much in Oklahoma, and we were smitten. Generally speaking, swimming is not allowed in the refuge, so we just put our legs and feet in…and possibly an accidental fall by Elo into the pool;) The cool water was the ideal reward for such a hard hike, and the hardest part about it was saying goodbye. We climbed up the falls a little farther and found more water up above. So calm and graceful, the pools reflected the sky and clouds above, and we practiced our leaps from rock to rock.

We could have stayed for hours…it would have been idyllic at sunset! But after exploring up the creek a ways and splashing around to cool off, we remembered the part of our group that had headed back to the cars and decided we should probably start the trek back. But first, we had to make our way back down the falls - with some longer drops and wet rocks, it was a little dicey! We finally made it, and our shoes we’d left strewn at the bottom of the falls greeted us as we dropped down over the last boulder.

I’m not going to lie – the hike back was tough. We hadn’t packed quite enough water, so we rationed it among the kids as best we could, but everyone was really straggling. It seemed just when we came around a bend expecting to see signs of the trailhead, we found nothing but more dusty, hot path and wildflowers shifting in the wind. We pushed through, dreaming of the cold water and A/C that awaited us and finally – finally- we spotted the parking area up ahead!

Sometimes the trail is long and dusty hot. The path is winding. The air is stuffy and we feel like we almost can’t breathe. Sometimes the way seems almost impossible. But when we push through those difficult or discouraging moments, we always find the refreshment of accomplishment and the joy of a challenge overcome at the end. Resilience is born in the struggle.

We will definitely be back to hike the Forty Foot Hole again. Maybe next time on a slightly cooler day and with more water in tow…but ONLY after a good rain.