Vilas

This agrarian community is located within a stone’s throw of some of the nation’s last short-grass prairie.

Originally settled in 1887, Vilas is a former cattle-ranching town that survived the dust bowl days and once competed for the county seat. The nearby Comanche National Grassland protect the original flora encountered by pioneers on their travels west. Today, visitors can tour the area and gain an understanding of the landscape that greeted the area’s first settlers. Keep a sharp eye for soaring hawks and herds of pronghorn — the fastest land mammals in the western hemisphere.