Wilburton is located between the San Bois and Winding Stair mountains along the infamous Robber's Trail in southeastern Oklahoma in Latimer County (of which it is the county seat) east of McAlester along U.S. Highway 270 north of Sardis Lake.
Robbers Cave State Park, 4 miles north of town, at one time was a favorite hangout of notorious outlaws such as Jesse and Frank James, the Younger brothers and Belle Starr. The area now is host to the Robbers Cave Nature Center.
Other local attractions include the Lutie Coal Miner's Museum and Veterans' Museum, which was the only colony established for veterans of the Spanish-American War. In addition, there is, purportedly, the ghost of "Fiddlin' Jim" in and about town.
The population estimate for July 1, 1998 was 3,138, an increase of 46 since 1990.