Road	Length	High point
Arbuckle Mountains — US-77 North of Springer, US-77 leaves the interstate corridor and reverts to a narrow two-lane highway as it enters the Arbuckle Mountains — one of the oldest exposed mountain ranges in North America. The road was paved in the 1920s using prison labor and retains its original alignment through tight hairpin curves and wooded limestone terrain. The route provides direct access to Turner Falls Park (Oklahoma's tallest waterfall at 77 feet) and continues through Davis. Rider Magazine describes this hairpin section as a highlight of the greater Arbuckle region ride.	100 mi	—
Cherokee Hills Byway (OK-10) Oklahoma's Cherokee Hills National Scenic Byway (designated 2009) runs 84 miles along State Highway 10 from Gore north through Tahlequah to West Siloam Springs on the Arkansas border. The southern half traces the eastern shore of Lake Tenkiller through forested Cookson Hills, while the northern stretch parallels the clear waters of the Illinois River past stone bluffs and dense Ozark foothills. OK-10 through the Tahlequah corridor is noted for long, flowing sweepers, limited sight lines around blind wooded corners, and consistent tree canopy. The Cherokee Nation capital at Tahlequah is on-route.	165 mi	—
Glass Mountains — US-412 US-412 between Orienta and Fairview in Major County traverses roughly 25 miles of selenite-capped mesas known as the Glass (or Gloss) Mountains, where crimson and black mesa walls rise abruptly from the surrounding wheat-field prairie. The gypsum and selenite crystals covering the mesa slopes reflect sunlight and create a visual signature unique in the southern plains. Gloss Mountain State Park, on a mesa just west of Orienta, provides a walk-up overlook accessible from a roadside pull-out. The highway is a long, flowing two-lane with minimal traffic and unobstructed views across northwest Oklahoma.	219 mi	—
Gloss Mountain State Park (Cathedral Mountain)Stop Cathedral Mountain at Gloss Mountain State Park in Major County rises 150–200 feet above the surrounding prairie on US-412 between Fairview and Enid. The selenite-capped mesas that give the Glass/Gloss Mountains their name flash silver in direct sun. A short staircase trail (1.2 miles round-trip) climbs Cathedral Mountain for a panoramic view over Lone Peak Mountain and the flat wheat country of northwest Oklahoma. Free access, year-round. The park's roadside pull-out makes it a quick spontaneous stop mid-ride.	—	—
Historic Route 66 — Oklahoma (OK-66) Oklahoma State Highway 66 follows the 1926–1985 alignment of U.S. Route 66 for 192.7 miles across the state from El Reno in the west to near White Oak in the east, passing through Edmond, Tulsa, Sapulpa, Chandler, and Stroud. Oklahoma contains 400 miles of original Route 66 alignment — more than any other state. The highway is a National Scenic Byway (designated 2009). For motorcyclists, the most notable stretches include the original 'Ribbon Road' near Miami (a nine-foot-wide 1926 Portland concrete section), the brick alignment through Sapulpa, and the mid-state rural two-lane through Lincoln County.	115 mi	—
Meers Store & RestaurantStop A living ghost-town general store turned cult-burger destination at 26005 State Hwy 115 in Meers, the last surviving structure of an 1890s gold-rush town inside Comanche County. Meers raises its own Texas Longhorns and grinds fresh patties daily for the MeersBurger — so large it requires a special oversized bun — and a Bison Burger sourced from refuge-adjacent herds. Food Network named it the best burger in Oklahoma. The store is on Hwy 115 northeast of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge main entrance, making it the natural post-ride meal stop after the Mount Scott loop.	—	—
Mount Scott SummitStop Mount Scott rises to 2,464 feet in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge southwest of Lawton. A three-mile paved spur road spirals to the granite summit, where unobstructed 360-degree views sweep across prairie, wildlife refuge, and the medicine-park lakes below. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service manages the road, which is open year-round to vehicles including motorcycles. Free-roaming bison, longhorn cattle, and Rocky Mountain elk are routinely spotted along the approach.	—	—
Osage Hills — OK-123 Oklahoma State Highway 123 runs 22.7 miles from Barnsdall (formerly Bigheart, home to the only main-street oil well in the United States) northeast to Dewey in Washington County, passing through Osage County and skirting the Woolaroc Museum and Wildlife Preserve — a 3,600-acre private ranch founded by oilman Frank Phillips in 1925 that still hosts free-roaming bison, elk, longhorn, and Scottish Highland cattle alongside a world-class Western art museum. TravelOK describes OK-123 as a smooth, scenic route well-suited to all skill levels and one of eastern Oklahoma's top five rides. The Osage Hills terrain is gently rolling with open views and light traffic.	19 mi	—
Poteau to Ouachita Forest — US-59 US-59 south of Poteau in Le Flore County winds into the Ouachita National Forest, passing Cavanal Hill — at 1,999 feet billed as the world's highest hill (one foot short of official mountain classification). The highway descends through forested hollows and ridge cuts before connecting to the Talimena Byway (OK-1) to the west. Multiple motorcycle touring sources characterize this stretch as 'one of the most motorcycle-friendly stretches of highway in the country' for its combination of fast sweepers, elevation change, and near-total absence of commercial traffic through the national forest.	102 mi	—
Rock CafeStop A Route 66 institution at 114 W. Main Street in Stroud, Oklahoma, built in 1936 from local sandstone and open continuously since 1939 (with a hiatus after a 2008 fire, reopened 2009). Owner Dawn Welch served as the real-life inspiration for Sally Carrera in Pixar's Cars (2006), cementing the cafe's national profile. The menu leans diner classics — burgers, chicken fried steak, catfish, pie — prepared from scratch. The original rock walls and wartime-era grill are intact. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.	—	—
Seaba Station Motorcycle MuseumStop A 1921 DX filling station on historic Route 66 at 336992 E. Highway 66 in Warwick, Oklahoma, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Now home to more than 65 vintage motorcycles ranging from 1908 to present, plus antique bicycles, toys, and Route 66 memorabilia. The building was the first brick service station between Oklahoma City and Tulsa, constructed five years before Route 66 was officially designated. Jerry Rider, the collector-owner, opens by appointment and on weekends; call (405) 258-9141 to confirm.	—	—
Spavinaw Hills Run (OK-20) Oklahoma State Highway 20 delivers a 38-mile motorcycle-focused run through Rogers and Mayes County in northeast Oklahoma's Green Country, starting at Claremore and tracking east through Pryor, across the Lake Hudson Bridge into Salina, then north to Spavinaw and Grand Lake State Park. The route passes the infamous 'Dead Man's Curve' — a steeply downhill-sloped hairpin bend that has caught out experienced riders — as well as wooded lake-view corridors and the rolling Spavinaw Hills terrain. TravelOK lists this as one of the top five eastern Oklahoma motorcycle rides and explicitly advises against it for novice riders.	77 mi	—
Talimena National Scenic Byway (OK-1) Talihina, OK to Mena, AR. ~54 mi total, ~36 mi on the OK side. Oklahoma's classic — ridgeline drive along Winding Stair and Rich Mountains, 22 scenic vistas. No gas stations on the byway itself.	153 mi	—
US-259 (Ouachita Mountains) Talimena junction south to Broken Bow, ~50 mi. Fast sweepers through pine forests and mountain lakes (Broken Bow Lake, Beavers Bend SP). Good bagger road.	99 mi	—
Wichita Mountains Scenic Byway (OK-49) OK-49 forms the roughly 20-mile core of the Wichita Mountains loop near Lawton, crossing the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge where bison, elk, and longhorn range freely and sometimes stand on the road. The spiral road up Mount Scott and the Meers Store are the signature stops.	7 mi	—
Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge Visitor CenterStop The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service visitor center for the 59,020-acre Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, located on State Highway 115 near Cache, Oklahoma. The refuge hosts one of the oldest and largest conservation bison herds in North America (600+ animals), plus Texas Longhorn cattle, Rocky Mountain elk, prairie dogs, deer, and more than 240 bird species. The visitor center provides refuge maps, wildlife viewing tips, and a bookstore. The Wichita Mountain National Scenic Byway runs through the refuge interior and is a designated motorcycle scenic route.	—	—

//Rallies & events

Rally

Rally · June, ~4 days

Route 66 Bike Week

Oklahoma

Annual motorcycle rally held at the Route 66 Rally & Camp at 26101 Milfay Road in Depew, Oklahoma — a private event grounds on Old Route 66 between Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Founded in 2005, the event is one of five rallies hosted at this venue each year. Route 66 Bike Week features live bands, bike games, vendor rows, and on-site camping (tent, RV, and cabins). Attendance is limited to riders 21 and older.

NextNext edition TBA

Official site ↗

By Switchback · Updated 2026-06-10

Best season

Spring & fall; mind summer heat

Helmet law

Required under 18 only

Eye protection

Required unless windshield

Lane splitting

Not permitted

Oklahoma gets written off as flat, and most of it is — which makes the parts that aren't feel like a secret. In the southwest, the Wichita Mountains Scenic Byway (OK-49) crosses a wildlife refuge where bison, elk, and longhorn range free and sometimes stand on the road, with the spiral climb up Mount Scott as the payoff. In the far southeast, the Ouachita Mountains spill over from Arkansas: the Talimena Scenic Drive begins its 54-mile ridgetop run at Talihina, and US-259 drops south from the Talimena junction near Big Cedar through fifty miles of pine-forest sweepers past Broken Bow Lake and Beavers Bend State Park. Two mountain corners, two completely different rides — and almost nobody between you and them.

Oklahoma's two riding corners could hardly be less alike. The Wichita Mountains are ancient granite — bare domes and boulder fields rising straight off the southwestern plains, crossed by a byway where the traffic hazards have horns. The Ouachitas in the southeast are the opposite: long, pine-covered east–west ridges shared with Arkansas, carrying the state's best sustained pavement. Between them sits a lot of open road and a lot of wind. Plan your trip around the corners, and treat the crossing as part of the ride.

Matching the Route to Your Bike

Short and unforgettable: The Wichita Mountains Scenic Byway (OK-49) is the roughly 20-mile core of the loop near Lawton, crossing the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge from the cobblestone resort town of Medicine Park. It's not a technical road — the point is the granite scenery, the free-roaming bison and longhorn, and the paved spiral up Mount Scott with its views over the refuge lakes and plains. Any bike works; a relaxed pace is mandatory anyway.
Touring sweepers: US-259 from the Talimena junction at Big Cedar runs about 50 miles south through Ouachita pine forest to Broken Bow — fast sweepers, light traffic, and a natural fit for heavier touring bikes. Hochatown and Beavers Bend State Park near the south end make a worthwhile lakeside detour.
Ridgetop classic: The Talimena Scenic Drive starts at Talihina and rides the Ouachita ridgeline 54 miles east into Arkansas — unbroken ridgetop views, constant elevation change, and steep grades with tight curves. Pair it with US-259 for the definitive southeast Oklahoma day: Talihina to Big Cedar on the ridge, then south to Broken Bow.

Seasonal and Road Hazards to Know

Wind comes first in Oklahoma. Sustained plains crosswinds are a near-daily reality on the open western routes, and gusts around ridge gaps and lake crossings deserve respect on any bike with a tall profile. Summer heat is the second factor — the Wichita Mountains refuge has implemented emergency restrictions during extreme heat, and exposed granite country offers little shade, so ride the southwest early in the day and carry water. In the refuge itself, large animals on or beside the pavement are a genuine and routine hazard; slow down over every rise on OK-49. In the Ouachitas, the hazards are the familiar mountain set: ice on the unmaintained Talimena ridge in winter, deer at dawn and dusk, and thin services — there's no dependable fuel at Big Cedar or Smithville, so plan around Talihina and Broken Bow.

Planning Notes

Medicine Park, with fuel, food, and lodging at the east end of OK-49, is the natural base for the Wichita Mountains; the Meers Store, a short detour north on OK-115, is the classic mid-ride food stop. Time Mount Scott carefully — the summit road is shared with hikers and cyclists on weekend mornings, with vehicles getting access from noon, and it has seen repeated temporary closures for structural repairs, so check with the refuge before building a day around the summit. Refuge roads close at sunset. In the southeast, Talihina anchors the Talimena end and Broken Bow the southern end of US-259; Hochatown's cabin-and-restaurant strip near Beavers Bend fills up on warm-weather weekends, so book ahead if you're staying near the lake.

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// Frequently asked

Riders and passengers under 18 must wear a DOT-compliant helmet (47 O.S. § 12-609). Riders 18 and older are not legally required to wear one. Wearing a helmet is strongly recommended regardless of what the law mandates.

Yes, in one form or another. Under 47 O.S. § 12-609, a motorcycle must have a windshield of sufficient quality, size, and thickness to protect the operator from foreign objects — or, in lieu of a windshield, the operator must wear goggles or protective eyewear meeting ANSI Z87.1 with positive retention, or a face shield.

No. Oklahoma law requires vehicles to stay within a single lane, and lane splitting is treated as illegal — riding between lanes of moving or stopped traffic can draw a citation. A bill to legalize filtering past stopped traffic (HB 3582) failed to advance, so the prohibition stands.

Usually, but check before you plan a ride around it. The road operates on a shared schedule — on weekend mornings the summit road is reserved for hikers and cyclists, with motor vehicles getting access from noon — and it has closed temporarily several times in recent years (2023 and 2024 among them) for structural-damage repairs, after a year-long stabilization project that ended in late 2019. Call the refuge visitor center or check the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service refuge page for current status.

Bison, longhorn, and elk roam free across the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, and they have the right of way in practice — they sometimes stand on or beside OK-49. The refuge tells visitors not to approach bison or longhorn, and on a motorcycle that means giving them generous space and being ready to stop and wait. Refuge roads are open sunrise to sunset, and motorized vehicles must stay on paved roads and parking areas.

The road is open year-round on paper, but the byway receives no winter maintenance, so snow and ice make the ridge sections genuinely hazardous in winter weather. The U.S. Forest Service visitor centers are only open seasonally. Treat it as a three-season road and start from Talihina, the Oklahoma gateway town at the western end.

//Sources & references

Oklahoma Statutes Title 47, § 12-609 — Motorcycles, Required Equipment (OSCN) ↗Understanding Oklahoma Helmet Laws — Graves McLain ↗Oklahoma Motorcycle Laws Guide — Hasbrook & Hasbrook ↗Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge — U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service ↗Visit Us — Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service) ↗Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge Implements Hiking Restrictions in Response to High Temperatures — U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service ↗Mt. Scott Roadway to temporarily close after structural damage found — KSWO ↗Mt Scott Roadway Reopened — Friends of the Wichitas ↗Mount Scott — TravelOK.com (Oklahoma's Official Travel & Tourism Site) ↗Talimena National Scenic Byway — Ouachita National Forest, USDA Forest Service ↗