ALAN TAYLOR

MARCH 15, 2020

34 PHOTOS

IN FOCUS

Oklahoma, home to nearly 4 million residents, is a geologically diverse state. The territory shifts from high plains to rolling mountain ranges, from mesas to marshland, and from wide-open prairies to dense forests. Here are a few glimpses into the landscape of Oklahoma, and some of the animals and people calling it home.

Cloud-to-ground lightning, captured during a thunderstorm near Boise City, Oklahoma, on May 21, 2017

Jason Weingart / Barcroft Media / Getty
A 66-foot-tall soda bottle stands at Pops Restaurant on Route 66 in Arcadia, Oklahoma.

Carol M. Highsmith / Library of Congress
Cowboys and cowgirls are silhouetted as they watch the competition at the International Finals Youth Rodeo in Shawnee, Oklahoma, on July 10, 2019.

Sue Ogrocki / AP
A view of Talimena Scenic Drive, a scenic byway in the Ouachita National Forest in southeastern Oklahoma

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The skyline of Oklahoma City, with gathering storm clouds in the background

Angie Oxley / Shutterstock
Dancers perform during the Plaza District's third annual Day of the Dead Festival in Oklahoma City on October 30, 2016.

J Pat Carter / Getty
Sailboats race on Lake Hefner as the sun sets in Oklahoma City on August 30, 2017.

Sue Ogrocki / AP
A view toward Elmer Thomas Lake from atop Mount Scott in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

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A herd of bison grazes in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, north of Lawton.

Justin A. Morris / Getty
A painted bunting perches in a tree in the Wichita Mountains

Richard G Smith / Shutterstock
Bison graze in the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Pawhuska.

The Bohemian Lens / Shutterstock
A motorist is silhouetted against the setting sun in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on March 20, 2019.

Charlie Riedel / AP
Tall buildings tower above South Boston Avenue in downtown Tulsa.

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The Golden Driller, a 75-foot-tall statue of an oil worker, stands at the Tulsa Expo Center. The statue was originally made for the International Petroleum Exposition in 1952.

Phil Anthony / Shutterstock
Cattle graze in a pasture adjacent to an operating oil well.

Bob Pool / Shutterstock
The 40th annual Great Plains Stampede Rodeo Association parade takes place in Altus, Oklahoma, on August 26, 2017.

AMFPhotography / Shutterstock
Autumn colors line a residential street in Norman, Oklahoma.

Mark Doescher Photography / Getty
Oklahoma Sooners fans chant during a game against the UCLA Bruins at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma, on September 8, 2018.

Brett Deering / Getty
A view of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, a tribute to the victims and survivors of the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, in Oklahoma City, photographed on December 23, 2019

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A river flows over layered stone near Broken Bow, Oklahoma.

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Wild horses gather in a pasture at sunset at the Mowdy Ranch Ecosanctuary near Coalgate, Oklahoma, on December 13, 2017. The horses, under the protection of the Bureau of Land Management, were relocated from overcrowded public lands in Nevada.

Sue Ogrocki / AP
An old windmill stands in a canola field near Enid, Oklahoma.

Jeff R Clow / Getty
Sandhills Curiosity Shop, located in Erick, Oklahoma, contains a large collection of Route 66 memorabilia.

Nick Fox / Shutterstock
An old juniper tree on top of Mount Scott

JohnDSmith / Shutterstock
A gravel road leads to the horizon in rural Oklahoma.

Stephanie L Bishop / Shutterstock
A prairie dog, photographed in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

Richard G Smith / Shutterstock
A view of Duck Creek on Grand Lake near sunset, with hundreds of boats getting ready to watch the Independence Day fireworks after dark

Svineyard / Shutterstock
A cotton field along buttes near Gloss Mountain State Park

The Bohemian Lens / Shutterstock
Fancy dancers perform at the Red Earth Native American Festival in Oklahoma City on June 10, 2016. #

J Pat Carter / Getty
The Miami Gateway arch welcomes visitors to the city of Miami, Oklahoma.

Didier Foto / Shutterstock
Turkey buzzards perch on the roof of an abandoned farmhouse in the Oklahoma Panhandle.

Bob Pool / Shutterstock
The sun sets over a prairie near Okarche, Oklahoma.

Richard G Smith / Shutterstock
Turner Falls Park, a city park in Davis, Oklahoma

Olga Lyubochkina / Shutterstock
A combine harvests wheat in Corn, Oklahoma, on June 12, 2019.