McCurtain County Wilderness Area, wilderness nature preserve in Oklahoma

The McCurtain County Wilderness Area is a protected natural space and National Natural Landmark in Oklahoma covering around 14,000 acres. The terrain consists mainly of shortleaf pine and hardwood forests, crossed by rivers and a reservoir with forested shores and rolling hills throughout.

The McCurtain County Wilderness Area is owned by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. It was designated a National Natural Landmark in December 1974 for its example of xeric upland oak-pine forest, a dry ridge-top woodland of oak and shortleaf pine. The designation recognised the forest type of the southern Ouachita Uplift, which rises from 575 to 1,363 feet.

The name comes from McCurtain County, where the area lies 25 miles north of Broken Bow. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation owns it, and the Audubon Society nominated it as an Important Bird Area in 2008. Birders come for more than 110 species, among them the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker and the bald eagle.

Access is about 21 miles north of Broken Bow via US Highway 259, followed by gravel roads to trailheads and boat ramp. A self-guided one-mile trail is open to the public, but exploring beyond main paths or overnight camping requires permits arranged at least two weeks in advance.

The area holds more than 359 plant species and over 110 bird species, among them the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker and the bald eagle. The Audubon Society nominated it as an Important Bird Area in 2008. Its annual rainfall of 47.5 inches is the highest recorded in Oklahoma.