Contact Information:
Cibola National Forest
2113 Osuna Road, NE
Albuquerque, NM 87113 Phone: (505) 346-3900 |
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Black Kettle and McClellan Creek National Grasslands
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The Black Kettle and McClellan Creek National Grasslands are administered for the United States Department of Agriculture by the Cibola National Forest. The Black Kettle National Grassland contains 31,300 acres with 30,724 acres located near Cheyenne, Oklahoma, and the remaining 576 acres located near Canadian, Texas and comprising the Lake Marvin Recreation Area. The McClellan Creek National Grassland contains 1,449 acres near Pampa, Texas, and includes the Lake McClellan Recreation Area.
The tracts that make up these National Grasslands were acquired by the United States Department of Agriculture in the late 1930's. In the 1950's, the authority for the management of these lands was transferred from the Soil Conservation Service to the Forest Service. On June 23, 1960, the National Grasslands were officially designated. |
| Recreation
There are five developed recreation areas; including Lake McClellan and Lake Marvin in Texas, and Skipout Lake, Spring Creek Lake, and Black Kettle Recreation Area in Oklahoma. All offer camping, picnicking, fishing and wildlife viewing opportunities and are open year round. Hiking trails are available at most areas and all have access for cross-county travel on undeveloped portions of the Grasslands. RV hook-ups are only available at Lake McClellan and Lake Marvin. More information relating to recreational activities can be found at: http://www.wildlifedepartment.com
Grazing
When visiting the grasslands you will notice cattle grazing and windmills pumping water for them to drink. Other range improvements include cross fences and livestock ponds. Grazing on the grasslands provides the local ranchers with valuable feed for their cattle. Approximately 60 permittees graze their cattle on the Black Kettle National Grassland.
Energy
Oil and Gas wells are found on both the Black Kettle and McClellan Creek National Grasslands. These grasslands lie within the western limits of the Anadarko Basin, a prolific oil and gas-producing region. Well drilling began in the 1950's on the Texas side and in the 1960's on the Oklahoma side of the grasslands. The oil wells will have pump jacks pumping the oil out of the ground into storage tanks. Gas wells have wellheads, which pipe the gas to separators and compressors. This gas ends up in collector pipelines, which crisscross the grasslands underground. Drilling continues on the Grassland in Oklahoma and occasionally drill rigs are seen. |
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