One Of The Nation's Biggest Outdoor Rodeos Is Held In This Small, Underrated Oklahoma Town

The Oklahoma panhandle's No Man's Land moniker paints mental images of classic Western films depicting a fight for the lawless wild or silent landscapes broken up only by the occasional tumbleweed. Admittedly, on the surface, an area best known for being crushed by clouds of dust can easily be overlooked by travelers. Yet it's in this sparsity that the spirit of the American West emerges. To discover the lifestyle behind this timeless trope, look no further than Guymon, Oklahoma, and its ProRodeo Hall of Fame honored Pioneer Days Rodeo.

About 100 miles east of Oklahoma's highest point lies Guymon, the panhandle's largest city with roughly 13,000 residents. It's a two hour drive from Amarillo, Texas, and just over four hours from Oklahoma City, making it a nice side trip for travelers exploring the best Route 66 attractions.

Non-locals can get here by flying into the Liberal Mid-America Regional Airport about 45 minutes away from Guymon. The airport is also between Guymon and Kansas' cowboy capital, perfectly positioned for those embarking on a classic Wild West excursion.

The Pioneer Days Rodeo's status as one of the country's biggest outdoor rodeos dates back to the Dust Bowl days of 1933. Since then, performances have taken place during the first weekend of May. The date commemorates the Organic Act of 1890, which made No Man's Land part of Oklahoma.

Key rodeo events include bull riding, bareback and saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, tie-down and team roping, and barrel racing activities spread from Friday to Sunday. Bareback bronc riding sees riders handle their horse with no saddle, and steer wrestling involves riders jumping from horseback onto a galloping steer. At roping competitions, expect to see lassos flung around a steer's horns and legs.

These events display expert ranching skills that will humble the standard suburbanite. During the Pioneer Days Rodeo, over a thousand participants compete for payouts totaling up to hundreds of thousands of dollars, making for a high-stakes weekend of nonstop action.

As the panhandle's largest city, Guymon has an ample amount of open acreage to explore. About 15 minutes east of town, Optima National Wildlife Refuge, a park of over 4,000 acres, showcases the native flora and fauna of Oklahoma's shortgrass prairie terrain. Common in the refuge are white-tailed deer, Rio Grande turkeys, coyotes, Texas horned lizards, and birds of prey. Deer, dove, turkey, quail, pheasant, and rabbit hunting are permitted onsite.

Optima also hosts many bird species during migration season, making the refuge a hotspot for bird watchers. Over 150 species of birds, ranging from roadrunners to raptors, can be found here. More rare mammals to spot include porcupines, bobcats, badgers, and jackrabbits. 

A handful of campsites line the refuge and allow visitors to explore natural landscapes. If you're craving more excitement after leaving Optima, consider traveling less than an hour north to this quirky Kansas city famous for unmatched pancakes and a fun waterpark.