Before pavement. Before roadside stops. There were trails blazed by the pounding hooves of more than three million head of cattle grinding a path through the heart of Oklahoma. This is where the rugged American cowboy drove his herd into the folklore and fabric of our country.
Earth and Sky, Woods and Fields, Lakes and Rivers, the Mountain and the Sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.– Sir John Lubbock, 1894, The Use of Life
My restless, roaming spirit would not allow me to remain at home very long.– Buffalo Bill
Hit the Trail
Where men were as tough as the challenges before them. Long days on horseback crossing streams, chasing stragglers, and fending off predators. Followed by beans and biscuits cooked over an open fire, a bedroll and a blanket of stars.
Get Lost, Cowboy
Explore the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s more than 28,000 works of art, stopping to appreciate the history and culture of the prolific American West.
Shop around for a new pair of boots before enjoying a premium steak dinner at Cattlemen’s Steakhouse or McClintock Saloon & Chop House in historic Stockyards City.
Don your best cowboy hat to ride horseback at Arbuckle Trail Rides.
Experience the living spirit of the American Cowboy at the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center.
Saddle Up, Cowboy
We’ve selected the destinations, but it’s up to you to get there. Don’t get lost.
Cowboy Destinations
A trip to the Arbuckle Mountains isn't complete without booking an afternoon at the Arbuckle Trail Rides, a rustic, guided experience that will take you for a relaxing ride through mountainous scenery and lush green landscapes.
If you're a cowboy or history buff, make it a point to tour the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center & Garis Gallery of the American West in Duncan, Oklahoma. This interactive museum immerses visitors in the rough-and-tumble world of the historic Chisholm Trail, which was used in the post-Civil War era to drive cattle from Texas ranches to Kansas railheads.
Cattlemen’s Steakhouse has been an Oklahoma City institution for over 100 years. Established in 1910 as Cattlemen’s Café, the restaurant served as a hitching post for hungry cowboys and ranchers traveling through Stockyards City. Today, it continues to feed patrons from all walks of life, serving up some of the freshest steaks around.
You won’t find a hitching post or swinging doors at McClintock Saloon & Chop House, but the new Stockyards City restaurant is certainly bringing a heavy dose of Old West nostalgia to the area. Original drinks, great food and a cozy interior are guaranteed to leave you coming back for more!
Stockyards City lets you experience the old-time spirit of the American West in the middle of modern-day Oklahoma. Enjoy shopping for a new pair of boots, take in some country music, witness a live cattle auction, or take in a meal at Cattlemen’s Steakhouse, an Oklahoma City favorite for over 100 years and recognized by both “Bon Appetit” and “Southern Living” magazines.
Witness the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s collection of more than 28,000 Western and American Indian art and artifacts that preserve the history and cultures of the American West. Be sure to check out the variety of works by renowned American artist Frederic Remington, as well as the massive “End of the Trail” sculpture that greets visitors upon arrival.
