If you enjoy birdwatching, wildlife photography or spectacular landscapes, you need to experience western Oklahoma. The great plains of western Oklahoma are home to a diversity of unique and interesting wildlife species.
The Great Plains Trail consists of 13 highway-based driving loops that span the entire western portion of the state. Each loop guides travelers through areas with the best opportunities to view wildlife and includes designated stopping points on both public and private areas. Download the free Field Maps App and enter the Great Plains Trail of Oklahoma in the search box.
Great Plains Trail Story Map
Find the Story Map on the Go Outdoors Oklahoma App
From antelope to armadillos, from bison to butterflies, from roadrunners to ringtail cats, western Oklahoma and the Great Plains Trail abound with wildlife. In addition to wildlife viewing, you'll encounter opportunities to hike, ride horses, go caving, dig for crystals, swim, rock climb, camp, boat, hunt, fish and explore museums and historic markers.
As you travel western Oklahoma you'll meet welcoming people, experience friendly small towns, and discover breathtaking landscapes. Wide, lazy rivers, deep red canyons, sparkling lakes, shimmering salt flats, bubbling springs, seas of prairie grasses and star-studded skies, all await your exploration.
Each Loop on the Great Plains Trail has its own wildlife checklist and includes not only birds, but amphibians, reptiles, mammals, butterflies, and dragonflies and damselflies. Checklist can be found below:
Oklahoma Panhandle:
Black Mesa Loop Wildlife Checklist
Playa Lake Loop Wildlife Checklist
High Plains Loop Wildlife Checklist
Northwest Oklahoma:
Sand Hills Loop Wildlife Checklist
Bats & Bluffs Loop Wildlife Checklist
Salt Plains Loop Wildlife Checklist
Cimarron Loop Wildlife Checklist
Gloss Mountain Loop Wildlife Checklist
South Canadian Loop Wildlife Checklist
Southwest Oklahoma:
Chief Black Kettle Loop Wildlife Checklist
Caddo Canyons Loop Wildlife Checklist
Click here to see an interactive map of the Great Plains Trail and the destinations.
For more information about the Great Plains Trail of Oklahoma:
