This Peaceful Oklahoma State Park Once Sheltered the Wild West’s Most Wanted Criminals

Robbers Cave State Park, Oklahoma

Before it was a family camping spot, Robbers Cave was the Wild West’s version of a safe house. The park’s rocky caves and dense woods gave famous outlaws like Jesse James the perfect cover from bounty hunters.

Here’s the true tale of Oklahoma’s outlaw sanctuary.

The Robbers Cave

Robbers Cave State Park sprawls across 8,264 acres in the Sans Bois Mountains of southeastern Oklahoma. Five miles north of Wilburton on State Highway 2, the park encompasses three lakes: Lake Carlton, Lake Wayne Wallace, and Coon Creek Lake.

A Perfect Outlaw Hideout in the Mountains

The San Bois Mountains offered natural protection with sandstone cliffs and thick forests. Lawmen struggled to navigate the rugged terrain while pursuing criminals. The cave entrance sits high on a rock formation.

From this vantage point, outlaws spotted approaching lawmen miles away. Indian Territory lacked strong government presence after the Civil War. No established police forces patrolled these remote areas between 1865 and 1889.

Steep cliffs, rocky outcroppings, and dense vegetation created a natural fortress. Anyone unfamiliar with the land became lost while outlaws slipped away.

The Natural Stone Corral for Outlaw Horses

Large boulders and rock formations at the base of the cliff created a natural corral. Outlaws concealed their horses in this hidden enclosure while hiding in the cave above. The stone walls kept valuable mounts out of sight.

Lawmen searching the area often passed within yards of hidden horses. Quick access to horses meant fast escapes when needed. Outlaws descended from the cave and mounted up within minutes.

Freshwater Springs That Sustained Outlaws

Small springs throughout the area provided essential fresh water. Outlaws and their horses never lacked for drinking water even during extended hideouts. One spring flowed directly inside the cave itself.

Access to fresh water allowed outlaws to stay hidden for weeks. They waited out manhunts without leaving for supplies.

Secret Escape Routes Through the Cave

Hidden passages threaded through the cave system. If lawmen discovered one entrance, outlaws escaped through concealed exits on the opposite side. The main cavern runs more than 40 feet into the mountain.

Beyond this chamber, smaller passages offered additional hiding spots. Pursuing lawmen often found themselves lost in the maze-like passages. Meanwhile, outlaws who knew the layout vanished into the wilderness.

These escape routes proved their worth repeatedly during the 1870s and 1880s.

Jesse James and His Gang’s Connection

Jesse James first discovered Robbers Cave while fleeing through Indian Territory in the early 1870s.

Their territory stretched from Arkansas to Minnesota, making this central location ideal.

Local sympathizers provided food, ammunition, and warnings about lawmen. This support network helped the gang evade capture for years.

Belle Starr’s Connection to the Hideout

Belle Starr lived twenty miles north of Robbers Cave in the 1880s. From her cabin, she maintained connections with various outlaw gangs. Even her husband Sam Starr belonged to a family of Cherokee outlaws.

Newspapers dubbed her “The Queen of Oklahoma Outlaws” for her criminal associations.

She welcomed Jesse James and other fugitives into her home.

Belle rode through the territory in fine clothes with pearl-handled pistols, and her shooting skills and outlaw connections made her a frontier legend.

Other Notorious Outlaws at Robbers Cave

The Younger brothers, cousins to the James brothers, frequented the cave.

Cole, Jim, John, and Bob Younger participated in numerous robberies throughout the Midwest. The Dalton Gang, led by brothers Bob, Grat, and Emmett, sought refuge here between train robberies.

Civil War deserters also discovered the cave’s potential as a hideout, and they passed their knowledge to postwar outlaws seeking similar shelter.

The Outlaw Trail Network

Robbers Cave formed one link in a chain of hideouts across Indian Territory.

Outlaws traveled between these safe locations to evade capture, including a log cabin hotel at the base of Sugarloaf Mountain in LeFlore County.

This secondary hideout operated openly as a business while secretly sheltering criminals. Horsethief Springs to the south became another gathering point, and as the name suggests, horse thieves particularly favored this location.

Visiting Robbers Cave State Park

Robbers Cave State Park lies 5 miles north of Wilburton on State Highway 2. Three color-coded trails lead to the historic cave.

The red path takes the most direct but steepest route up the cliff face, and the blue and orange trails provide more gradual approaches. The entire hike requires about an hour, depending on which path you choose.

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