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.
This photo story is part of Fifty, a collection of images from each of the United States.
Cloud-to-ground lightning, captured during a thunderstorm near Boise City, Oklahoma, on May 21, 2017 #
A 66-foot-tall soda bottle stands at Pops Restaurant on Route 66 in Arcadia, Oklahoma. #
Cowboys and cowgirls are silhouetted as they watch the competition at the International Finals Youth Rodeo in Shawnee, Oklahoma, on July 10, 2019. #
A view of Talimena Scenic Drive, a scenic byway in the Ouachita National Forest in southeastern Oklahoma #
The skyline of Oklahoma City, with gathering storm clouds in the background #
Dancers perform during the Plaza District's third annual Day of the Dead Festival in Oklahoma City on October 30, 2016. #
Sailboats race on Lake Hefner as the sun sets in Oklahoma City on August 30, 2017. #
A view toward Elmer Thomas Lake from atop Mount Scott in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge #
A herd of bison grazes in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, north of Lawton. #
A painted bunting perches in a tree in the Wichita Mountains #
Bison graze in the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Pawhuska. #
A motorist is silhouetted against the setting sun in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on March 20, 2019. #
Tall buildings tower above South Boston Avenue in downtown Tulsa. #
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 The statue was originally made for the International Petroleum Exposition in 1952. #
Cattle graze in a pasture adjacent to an operating oil well. #
The 40th annual Great Plains Stampede Rodeo Association parade takes place in Altus, Oklahoma, on August 26, 2017. #
Autumn colors line a residential street in Norman, Oklahoma. #
Oklahoma Sooners fans chant during a game against the UCLA Bruins at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma, on September 8, 2018. #
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 #
A river flows over layered stone near Broken Bow, Oklahoma. #
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. #
An old windmill stands in a canola field near Enid, Oklahoma. #
Sandhills Curiosity Shop, located in Erick, Oklahoma, contains a large collection of Route 66 memorabilia. #
An old juniper tree on top of Mount Scott #
A gravel road leads to the horizon in rural Oklahoma. #
A prairie dog, photographed in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge #
A view of Duck Creek on Grand Lake near sunset, with hundreds of boats getting ready to watch the Independence Day fireworks after dark #
A cotton field along buttes near Gloss Mountain State Park #
Fancy dancers perform at the Red Earth Native American Festival in Oklahoma City on June 10, 2016. #
The Miami Gateway arch welcomes visitors to the city of Miami, Oklahoma. #
Turkey buzzards perch on the roof of an abandoned farmhouse in the Oklahoma Panhandle. #
The sun sets over a prairie near Okarche, Oklahoma. #
Turner Falls Park, a city park in Davis, Oklahoma #
A combine harvests wheat in Corn, Oklahoma, on June 12, 2019. #
We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to [email protected].
A collection of winning and honored images from this year’s nature-photo competition
A collection of amazing recent images made with the Hubble Space Telescope
Mourners of Pope Francis gathered at the Vatican, scenes from the the second weekend of Coachella 2025, a humanoid-robot half-marathon in China, and much more
Images of the people, animals, and landscapes of the Earth’s arctic and subarctic regions, photographed by Olivier Morin
