Kiamichi country
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Located in Southeast Oklahoma, Kiamichi Country is a mountainous regional designation coined by the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation as one of six travel destination regions within the state, and gets its name from the Kiamichi River.
The designated region for Kiamichi Country encompasses most of the Ouachita Mountains in Oklahoma, the Arbuckle Mountains, and 5 other mountain ranges. The Ouachita National Forest is also in this area.
The city of McAlester serves as the region's urban center, although culturally and economically, it is really a suburb of the more heavily populated cities of Green Country in Northeastern Oklahoma. Another major urban center that lies to the south is Durant.
Main tourism draws include award-winning scenic drives through the Ouachita Mountains, 13 major lakes, the nearby Chickasaw National Recreation Area, state parks, and whitewater rapids sports.
Kiamichi Country also houses "The World's Highest Hill," a 1,999-foot peak in the Star Mountains near Poteau, with the official designation for a "mountain" being anything 2,000-feet or taller. [1]
Kiamichi Country is known as the "Deer Capital of the World." [2]
Official Oklahoma Tourism regions include Green Country,Red Carpet Country, Great Plains Country, Kiamichi Country, Frontier Country, and Fun Country (known in later years as Lake Country and today as Lake & Trail Country).
