Woods offers two distinct focuses for an exploratory trip: cultural history in museums and at historic markers, and sandy landscapes with motorized activities. When planning your trip, you can consider whether collections and history or dunes and natural areas are of greater interest to you. The themes also differ in how they can be experienced: through exhibits and memorial sites on the one hand, and landscapes and activities on the other.
Museums and Markers: History Told in Different Ways
The NWOSU Museum of Natural History was founded in 1902 by Professor G. W. Stevens, head of the Biology Department. It is the second-oldest museum in Oklahoma and has more than 6,000 cataloged objects. Its founding year, standing, and collection size give the museum a clear profile: natural history and an extensive collection are at its heart.
The Cherokee Strip Museum explores the history of Alva and the Cherokee Outlet in 40 rooms. It is housed in a former hospital building dating from 1932. Its regular programming includes educational events, including blacksmithing workshops and living history demonstrations. In addition to its exhibits, the museum offers recurring programs; if you plan to attend one, check the event dates before your trip.
Building history and transportation come together at the Waynoka Air Rail Museum. The museum is located in a complex comprising a Harvey House and a Santa Fe depot dating from 1910. The exhibits cover Transcontinental Air Transport, the Santa Fe Railroad, and Fred Harvey. The museum is also located along the BNSF main line, where 50 to 100 trains pass daily.
Historic markers highlight different aspects of the past. The Centennial Wall at the southeast corner of the Woods County Courthouse in Alva commemorates the opening of the Cherokee Outlet in 1893. The Cherokee Strip marker in Alva identifies the site of the first land office in the Cherokee Outlet. Together, these two sites point to different chapters in the same history: the opening of the area and the establishment of the land office.
In Freedom, the marker The Cimarron Cowboy in American Legion Park commemorates the cowboys and ranchers who founded and developed the cattle industry in the Cimarron Country of northwest Oklahoma. Another historic landmark is the Battle of Turkey Springs marker on US-64, two miles east of Camp Houston. The last known encounter between Native Americans and the federal government in Oklahoma took place there on September 13 and 14, 1878. The Cowboy Cemetery marker is approximately 12 miles north of Camp Houston; nearby, the bodies of cowboys Reuben Bristow and Fred Clark were found on September 12, 1878.
The Alva Mural Society also contributes to the cultural landscape, commissioning one or two murals each year. This is a different approach from the museums and markers, which focus on collections or specific historical events.
Sand Dunes and Sand Hills
At Little Sahara State Park, the main attraction is riding dune buggies and ATVs across the sand dunes. The park has more than 1,600 acres of sand dunes ranging from 25 to 75 feet high. The size of the dune area and the stated height range give you an impression of the landscape, while motorized activities define the park’s main focus. For stays in the park, amenities include RV sites with water, electricity, and sewer hookups, tent sites, picnic areas, and restrooms.
Sandhills WMA differs in its landscape: it consists mostly of rolling sand hills and includes around 1,500 acres of river bottomland. The area covers a total of 5,212 acres in southeastern Woods County. A designated primitive camping area is located along the main road, approximately 0.25 miles from the entrance. The distance is approximate, and the camping area is designated as primitive.
More Experiences and Visitor Planning
Daily guided tours of Alabaster Cavern at Alabaster Caverns State Park are scheduled on the hour from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Check the schedule before your trip. Bradt’s Menagerie offers an agritourism experience in Alva for children and adults. Visiting hours may vary seasonally, so check the hours for your planned visit in advance.
Explore more destinations: Alva, Kiowa County, Beckham County, Texas, Mayes County, Johnston County, Payne, Muskogee.
For the broader travel overview: Oklahoma.
