Black Kettle National Grassland Antelope Hills Circuit

The Antelope Hills rise like islands from the shortgrass prairie along the Canadian River, marking the spot where Chief Black Kettle’s peaceful Cheyenne band met their fate in Custer’s dawn attack on November 27, 1868. This grassland circuit follows the old military supply road that connected Fort Supply to Camp Supply, winding through breaks and draws where massive buffalo herds once moved north from Texas. The route passes the actual battlefield site near the Washita River confluence, then climbs through cedar breaks to overlooks where you can see into three states on clear days.

Easy to moderate driving on established forest roads with a few technical spots in the creek bottoms after heavy rain. Any high-clearance vehicle can handle this route, though 4WD helps in wet conditions around the river crossings. Spring and fall offer the best weather and wildflowers, but winter provides the starkest views of this haunting landscape. No permits required, and dispersed camping is allowed throughout the grassland. Fuel and supplies available in Cheyenne, Oklahoma, 15 miles north.