Kiamichi Mountains facts for kids
The Kiamichi Mountains are a beautiful mountain range located in southeastern Oklahoma. They are part of a much larger mountain system called the Ouachita Mountains, which stretch from Oklahoma all the way into western Arkansas.
These mountains are found mostly in Le Flore, Pushmataha, and McCurtain counties. You can find them near towns like Poteau and Albion. The lower parts of the Kiamichi Mountains, called foothills, reach into Haskell County and northern parts of Le Flore and Pittsburg counties.
The highest points in the Kiamichi Mountains can reach about 2,500 feet (762 meters) high. These peaks are located south of the Kiamichi River. The mountains are so important to the area that they even gave their name to Kiamichi Country, which is what southeastern Oklahoma is called for tourism.
Nature and Wildlife
The Kiamichi Mountains are home to many different kinds of animals. You can find black bears, coyotes, bobcats, deer, and even cougars here. Smaller animals like minks and bats also live in the area.
Many birds make their homes in these mountains, including bald eagles, different types of woodpeckers, doves, owls, and road runners. In total, there are 328 different kinds of animals with backbones (called vertebrate species) that live in this region.
To help protect this amazing wildlife and the natural beauty, parts of the Kiamichi Mountains are protected areas. These include the Upper Kiamichi River Wilderness National Wildlife Refuge and the Ouachita National Forest. The wildlife refuge helps protect the upper parts and where the headwaters (beginning) of the Kiamichi River are located.
Land Use and Economy
A big part of the Kiamichi Mountains is owned by companies that grow trees. These companies have large "tree farms" where they plant fast-growing pine trees. Because of this, cutting down trees, also known as logging, is the main industry in this area.
Since a lot of the land is owned by the government or by these timber companies, the Kiamichi Mountains remain very natural and rural. There aren't many big towns or cities, and the economy is not very developed compared to other places. This helps keep the mountains wild and beautiful.
Images for kids
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The Kiamichi Mountains
