A CCC-Built Reservoir in the Wichita Mountains with a Haunted Tower
Lawton, OK
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Free to visit as part of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.
Access
Limited Access
Unpaved trails and uneven terrain; the Jed Johnson Tower is currently closed to public access
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1940 · Civilian Conservation Corps Heritage · Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge · New Deal Conservation History · Oklahoma Congressional History
Lake Jed Johnson sits within the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Oklahoma, part of a system of thirteen small reservoirs distributed across the refuge's rugged granite-and-prairie landscape. The lake was created in 1940 when a concrete dam was constructed across Blue Beaver Creek in Comanche County, forming a 57.5-acre surface that quickly became one of the refuge's most photographed features.
The stone observation tower above the lake — constructed in 1941 by the Civilian Conservation Corps — was named for Jed Johnson Sr. (1888-1963), a 10-term U.S. Congressman from Oklahoma's 6th District who was a consistent supporter of the Wichita Mountains refuge and an ally of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. Both the lake and the tower bear his name.
The tower is currently closed to public climbing, attributed to maintenance and safety concerns. The lake and surrounding trails within the refuge remain open to visitors.
Sources
The haunted reputation of the Jed Johnson Tower area centers on a woman's death — the exact circumstances varying by account. In one version, a woman hiking near the dam fell to her death; in another, she fell from the tower itself. The accounts are consistent on one point: the sound of a woman screaming, heard across the open water of the lake in the hours after dark.
Reports of footsteps on the stone tower stairs — heard by visitors positioned outside the closed structure — have appeared in local paranormal accounts of the refuge. The tower's current closure to the public makes direct investigation impractical and adds a layer of inaccessibility to the site.
The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge as a whole carries a significant atmospheric weight. The granite formations, isolated wildlife, and absence of ambient light create conditions that amplify both real and perceived sounds. Whether the screaming attributed to a dead woman is human-sourced or something in the geological character of the site is not resolved by available accounts.
Hike to Lake Jed Johnson in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Oklahoma. The stone Civilian Conservation Corps observation tower built in 1941 sits above the lake and is now closed to visitors. The lake itself — 57.5 acres on Blue Beaver Creek — offers wildlife viewing and scenic access to one of the refuge's most photographed landscapes. Reports of phantom sounds from the tower are concentrated after dusk.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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