THE MOUNT IS CALLING, AND I MUST GO Oklahoma’s Unexpected Elevation

In the middle of the totally flat “fly-over state” of Oklahoma, it seems like you couldn’t be farther from the mountains. It takes more than 10 hours to drive to Pikes Peak or the Appalachian Mountains in either direction. What is a landlocked traveler to do?

The answer lies in the elevated paradise of the Wichita Mountains. Just 90 minutes outside urban Oklahoma City is the 59,000-acre Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, which is home to several hikeable mountains and a surprising number of large animals. For the I-40 road-tripper, exciting outdoor activities like hiking, mountain biking, fishing, rock climbing, bouldering, spelunking, rappelling, camping, and wildlife observation are only an hour off the interstate.

Although the Rocky Mountains rise more than 12,000 feet above the 2,464 feet