Quartz Mountain State Park: Sunrise and Twin Peaks Trails (Blog Hike #1003)

Trails: Sunrise and Twin Peaks Trails
Hike Location: Quartz Mountain State Park
Geographic Location: north of Altus, OK (34.90397, -99.30633)
Length: 1.9 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: February 2024
Overview: A rocky loop to a high viewpoint followed by a flat, paved lakeside out-and-back.
Park Information: https://www.travelok.com/state-parks/quartz-mountain-state-park
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=956772
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming May 9, 2025)

Directions to the trailhead: Both of these trails start at the Quartz Mountain State Park lodge.  To get there from Altus, take US 283 north 15.2 miles to SR 44 and angle right on SR 44.  Drive SR 44 east 1.7 miles to SR 44A and the state park entrance; turn left on SR 44A to enter the park.  Drive SR 44A north 1.5 miles, then angle right.  Drive the main park road another 1.9 miles to reach the main parking lot for the lodge.  The Sunrise Trail starts near the amphitheater; the Twin Peaks Trail starts near the parking lot entrance.

The hike: After driving through gently rolling grasslands for many miles, the jagged bare-rock peaks of the Wichita Mountains come as quite a surprise.  These granite-topped mountains have seismic origins: after the earth stopped pulling apart in a failed continental rift it squeezed back together, pushing the underground granite above ground.  One of the Wichita Mountains' western-most peaks is Quartz Mountain, a granite peak that rises to 2040 feet.

            Anchoring the southwest corner of Oklahoma's state park system, Quartz Mountain State Park protects 4540 acres around its namesake mountain and along Lake Altus.  The park was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1935, and in 1937 it became one of Oklahoma's 7 original state parks.  The park's main amenity is its excellent lodge, which provides 118 guest rooms, some cabins, a restaurant, an amphitheater, and a gift shop.

            In addition to the lodge and the usual aquatic activities on Lake Altus, Quartz Mountain State Park offers several developed campgrounds, rock climbing, ATV trails, and 9 hiking trails.  Most of the park's hiking trails are less than 1 mile long, but 2 of them start at the lodge: the Sunrise Trail and the Twin Peaks Trail.  Even better, the steep and rocky Sunrise Trail contrasts nicely with the nearly flat and concrete Twin Peaks Trail.  Thus, hiking both of these trails gives you a representative sample of the short hikes Quartz Mountain State Park has to offer.  Such is the route described here.

Start of Sunrise Trail

            Start with the Sunrise Trail; its signed trailhead is located north of the lodge parking lot and west of the concrete path that leads to the amphitheater.  The Sunrise Trail starts as a two-track dirt path, but quickly it curves left and begins a short, steep, rocky climb up through the granite bedrock and boulders.  The trail is unmarked, but numbered posts are passed in increasing order.  Take your time on this climb, making sure each step is on solid footing before taking the next.  This rocky terrain is rattlesnake territory, but I did not see any of those creatures on my hike.

Steep, rocky hillside

            At 0.15 miles, you reach the top of the ridge and a trail intersection.  We will eventually go straight to continue the Sunrise Trail's main loop, but first turn left to hike the short spur trail out to this peak's 360-degree view.  Lake Altus lies about 200 feet below you to the north.  The park's lodge and Twin Peaks, a low but rocky double-peaked mountain, can be seen to the east.  Some higher bare-rock ridges can be seen to the south and west.  It was a steep and rocky climb to get to these views, so take some time to enjoy the rewards of your labor.

Twin Peaks

View west from Sunrise Trail

            Back on the main trail, the Sunrise Trail next begins an equally steep and rocky descent.  Again, watch your footing and take your time: more hiking injuries occur going downhill than coming uphill.  As you approach the bottom of the hill, the trail makes a sweeping curve to the right and begins treading along the base of the bare rock you climbed earlier.  Some stunted trees grow here, but the terrain is still pretty rocky and the going slow.

Completing the Sunrise Trail's loop

            At 0.4 miles, the Tom Creider Cave Trail, another short rocky trail that leads to a small cave, exits right.  Explore the cave if you wish, and in a few hundred feet return to the parking area to complete the Sunrise Trail.  To start the Twin Peaks Trail, walk across the lodge parking lot to the covered pedestrian bridge, and then walk across the pedestrian bridge.  This bridge crosses a shallow inlet of Lake Altus, and the bridge's covering acts as a partial bird blind.  I saw many birds including Canada geese, mallards, and chickadees on this trail.

Covered pedestrian bridge

            0.75 miles into the hike, you reach the concrete Twin Peaks Trail, which goes right and left.  Turn left to begin hiking outbound on the Twin Peaks Trail.  This section of the Twin Peaks Trail parallels the shore of Lake Altus, and fantastic lake views abound.

Twin Peaks Trail and Lake Altus

            At 1.1 miles, you reach the viewing platform at the end of the Twin Peaks Trail.  Soak in the lake views, then turn around and retrace your steps back to the lodge parking lot for a second time.  If you want to increase your distance, you can by-pass the covered pedestrian bridge and walk the entire Twin Peaks Trail, which goes around the marsh at the head of the lake's inlet.