Wichita Mountains
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The Wichita Mountains are the oldest mountain range in the world. Located in southwestern Oklahoma, the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge is a favorite for Southwest Oklahoma hikers and mountain climbers, is located adjacent to Cache, Oklahoma, Medicine Park, Oklahoma, and historic Meers, Oklahoma while just a short drive from Lawton, Oklahoma. Buffalo, elk and deer are protected on the 59,020 acre wildlife refuge. The Field Artillery capital of the world, Fort Sill, occupies the southern part of the range. Backcountry camping is available in the Charon Gardens Wilderness area. Additional points of interest is the Wildlife Refuge visitors center, Holy City of the Wichitas, Quanah Parker Lake & Dam, Lake Lawtonka, Quartz Mountain and Mount Scott, the highest point AGL (above ground level).
[edit] Geology
The geologic history of the Wichita Mountain region began with the deposition of late Precambrian to early Cambrian sandstones. These sandstones were intruded by coarse gabbro sills of about 575 million years ago as the region began to rift apart in a failed continental breakup. The gabbro intrusion was followed by erosion and further intrusion of granite accompanied by volcanic eruptions of rhyolite lava and explosive volcanic breccias some 50 million years later. Following these igneous episodes the region subsided and shallow sea sediments were deposited over the area consisting of sandstones and limestones.
During the Pennsylvanian Period (330-290 million years ago) the region was subjected to intense pressure during the continental collision or orogeny which produced the Ouachita Mountains to the east. This resulted in faulting and folding along with up to 20,000 feet of local uplift. This uplift created rugged mountains which have been reduced to their present state by subsequent erosion. At 2,464 ft (750m) Mt Scott is the second tallest mountain in the Refuge and the third tallest in the state. Mt. Pinchot in the Special Use Area is 12 feet taller. A paved road leads to the summit of Mt Scott, From which visitors can see for dozens of miles on a clear day.
