Overview
Pawhuska is a city of 3,400 people (2019) in the Green Country region of Oklahoma. It is a good base for visiting the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve and its buffalo herds, plus it serves as the base for the Osage tribal government and is allegedly where the first Boy Scout troop started.
4 sights · 2 things to do · 1 places to eat · 1 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Pawhuska
Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve
Tallgrass is North America's largest remaining tract of tallgrass prairie ecosystem. What once covered much of the US and Central Canada, remains here to be seen in its most pristine condition in Oklahoma. Keep an eye ou…
Osage Casino Pawhuska
Electronic gambling machines only. The Big Spoon restaurant serves the expected soups, salads, sandwiches, and burgers for lunch and dinner, plus bar snacks, pizza, deep-fried catfish, fried chicken, and steaks.
Osage Nation Museum
Founded in 1938, the ONM is the oldest tribally owned museum in the United States. It is located in a very interesting building that used to be a boarding school. To some it also looks like a church, since the roof has a…
Osage Nation Visitors Center
A good place to go to get grounded on the background of the area and things to see. Also there is an Osage Nation gift shop and a veterans memorial and the Wazhazhe Heritage Walking Trail across the street.
Osage County Historical Society
Presenting Osage County's past, from the Osage Indian tribal affairs to everyday life and industry. Especially noteworthy is the monument to the first Boy Scout troop in America that was established here in Pawhuska in 1…
Ben Johnson Cowboy Museum
Recounting the cowboy movie star with lots of Western memorabilia.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Mar–May, Sep–Oct. Summer highs reach about 94°F; winter lows dip to about 28°F. Very hot (Jul, Aug) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: May and Jun. (climate data from nearby Tulsa)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- TUL Tulsa International Airport, Tulsa — 41 mi away (major hub). Directions
- SWO Stillwater Regional Airport, Stillwater — 55 mi away. Directions
Pawhuska is served by one U.S. Highway and two state highways.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Osage Nation Visitors Center, Osage County Historical Society, Ben Johnson Cowboy Museum
- Lunch Buffalo Joes
- Afternoon Osage Nation Museum, Osage Casino Pawhuska
Day 2
- Morning Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
It was named after the 19th-century Osage chief, Paw-Hiu-Skah, which means "White Hair" in English.
The Osage tribal government, which opened offices in Pawhuska in 1872 when its reservation was established in Indian Territory, continues to be based in Pawhuska.
Other than cattle ranches nearby, local employment consisted primarily of a brick plant, a creamery, an ice factory, and a rock crusher. The Osage Nation has opened a gaming casino here, hoping to generate revenue for the tribe.
Get in
Pawhuska is served by one U.S. Highway and two state highways.
- US-60 is an east-west highway that enters Pawhuska on the east side of town at the junction of SH-99/SH-11 and follows Main Street. The highway will exit Pawhuska to the west near Elk Lodge Drive.
- SH-11 is a predominantly east-west state highway that enters Pawhuska on the east side of town at the junction of US-60/OK-99 and runs along Main Street. Like US-60, the highway will exit Pawhuska to the west near Elk Lodge Drive.
- SH-99 is a north-south state highway. SH-99 will skirt Pawhuska on the east side of town and run concurrently with US-60 to Main Street, where it will continue south. SH-99 will then overlap OK-11 until the highway exits Pawhuska near Osage County Road 2625.
See
See Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve
Tallgrass is North America's largest remaining tract of tallgrass prairie ecosystem. What once covered much of the US and Central Canada, remains here to be seen in its most pristine condition in Oklahoma. Keep an eye out for the buffalo herds here as they are one of the nation's largest, and be warned, buffalo can sometimes charge unprovoked. So be sure to keep your distance, especially in the spring when there are lots of buffalo calves around.
See Osage County Historical Society
Presenting Osage County's past, from the Osage Indian tribal affairs to everyday life and industry. Especially noteworthy is the monument to the first Boy Scout troop in America that was established here in Pawhuska in 1909, under the leadership of John Mitchell.
Do
Buy
Eat
Eat Buffalo Joes
Excellent local restaurant, serving American cuisine. Try the stuffed burgers, the pork chop dinner, and their daily rotating specials.
Sleep
Pawhuska has a number of high end boutique or historical hotels.
Nearby
Bartlesville
City / town · 9 listings · 21 mi away
Dewey
City / town · 2 listings · 24 mi away
Skiatook
City / town · 8 listings · 26 mi away
Sedan
City / town · 2 listings · 33 mi away
Owasso
City / town · 5 listings · 38 mi away
Sand Springs
City / town · 5 listings · 39 mi away
Ponca City
City / town · 5 listings · 41 mi away
Tulsa
City / town · 104 listings · 43 mi away
My experience
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