McGee Creek State Park: South Rim/Little Bugaboo Loop (Blog Hike #1114)

Trails: South Rim and Little Bugaboo Trails
Hike Location: McGee Creek State Park
Geographic Location: east of Atoka, OK (34.38897, -95.82541)
Length: 3.8 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: February 2026
Overview: A remote lollipop loop through semi-wilderness pine woods.
Park Information: https://www.travelok.com/state-parks/mcgee-creek-state-park
Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming March 12, 2027)

Directions to the trailhead: From Atoka, take SR 3 east 20.8 miles to Centerpoint Road; a sign for the state park marks this intersection.  Turn left on Centerpoint Road, which alternates between an asphalt and gravel road surface before dead ending at the park in 10 miles.  Park near the ranger station, where you must fill out a free user permit before hitting the trail.

The hike: Consisting of 2600 acres in rural south-central Oklahoma, McGee Creek State Park is kind of 2 parks wrapped into 1.  The park's west side is a typical developed park by a lake with an 87-site developed campground, the usual aquatic recreation, and some picnic areas.  The park's east side, which is officially called McGee Creek Natural Scenic Recreation Area, has no amenities and is managed as a semi-wilderness area.  The 2 sides are separated by McGee Creek Reservoir, a 3810-acre lake built in 1987 for flood control.

            For hikers, the park's west side offers only 1 short nature trail.  Thus, although hikers might camp on the park's developed west side, at some point most hikers will make their way to the park's natural east side, which offers over 25 miles of trails.  The hike described here is in some sense the shortest and easiest meaningful loop in McGee Creek Natural Scenic Recreation Area.  This hike passes some nice scenery, but its real selling point is its solitude: as best I could tell, I was the only person in the entire natural area when I came here on a beautiful Wednesday afternoon in late February.

South Rim Trail trailhead at ranger station

            After filling out the permit form at the ranger station, pick up the South Rim Trail as it heads north into the woods; several interpretive signs and a brown metal trail sign mark the trailhead.  True to its management status as a semi-wilderness, trails in the natural area are unmarked except at intersections.  I took a photo of the trail map at the ranger station, but I had no serious trouble following the trails on this hike.

Intersecting the Little Bugaboo Trail

            The wide dirt trail winds its way gradually downhill through thick forest dominated by pine trees.  At 0.4 miles, you reach the signed trail intersection that forms the loop portion of this hike.  This hike turns left to begin the Little Bugaboo Trail while using the South Rim Trail that continues straight as a return route, thus hiking the loop clockwise.

Crossing Little Bugaboo Creek

            Ignore the West Branch Trail where it exits left; it leads to some primitive campsites in the western part of the natural area.  Just shy of 0.7 miles, you reach the first of 3 unbridged creek crossings, this one of Little Bugaboo Creek.  All 3 of these creek crossings could be rock-hopped when I came here, but they could require wading or even be impassible with more water.  Use good judgment about if and when to cross.

Cairn beside narrow trail

            Now on the west side of Little Bugaboo Creek, the trail winds its way uphill on a gradual to moderate grade with the crest of the hill uphill to the left.  This section of trail is the narrowest trail on this hike, and some piles of stones or cairns help you stay on track where the trail gets faint.  While I did not do great bird watching here, I did see several red-winged blackbirds on this part of the hike.

Hiking beside Little Bugaboo Creek

            After 0.5 miles of gradual climbing, the trail levels out and adopts a sidehill course to return alongside Little Bugaboo Creek on the right.  The pine forest is less dense here, and a thick layer of grass permeates the understory.  2 miles into the hike, you pass a primitive campsite just before reaching an intersection with the South Rim Trail.  More brown metal signs mark this intersection.  The trails going straight and left lead deeper into the natural area.  Turn right on the South Rim Trail to begin your journey back to the ranger station.

Returning on the South Rim Trail

            The South Rim Trail crosses Little Bugaboo Creek for your second unbridged creek crossing before climbing slightly to reach the highest elevation of this hike.  The difference between highest and lowest elevations is only 170 feet, so all elevation changes are relatively gradual.  Thus, the primitive unmarked nature of the trails is the main challenge on this hike.  The South Rim Trail is less challenging in that regard: it has the feel of a two-track old dirt road.

Hiking along the boundary

            At 2.5 miles, the Boundary Trail briefly joins from the left; it offers an alternate route back to the ranger station.  I chose to turn right and stay with the South Rim Trail, thus staying in the deeper more scenic forest further from the park's east boundary.  At 3.15 miles, the trail dips to cross Bog Spring Branch for the 3rd and final unbridged creek crossing.  A gradual climb closes the loop at 3.4 miles, and continuing the gradual climb returns you to the ranger station at 3.8 miles.

Beavers Bend State Park: Lookout Mountain/Beaver Creek Short Loop (Blog Hike #1005)

Trails: Lookout Mountain and Trees Trails
Hike Location: Beavers Bend State Park
Geographic Location: northeast of Broken Bow, OK (34.13275, -94.68111)
Length: 1.8 miles
Difficulty: 6/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: February 2024
Overview: A loop hike featuring the highs of Lookout Mountain and beautiful scenery along Beaver Creek.
Park Information: https://www.travelok.com/state-parks/beavers-bend-state-park
Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video:

Directions to the trailhead: From Broken Bow, take US 259 north 6.2 miles to SR 259A and turn right on SR 259A.  Drive SR 259A east 4.4 winding miles to the state park Forest Heritage Center on the right.  Park here.

The hike: When most people think of Oklahoma, they think of flat prairies where the wind blows sweeping down the plains.  Those people would be surprised by the scenery at Beavers Bend State Park, which is located in the western foothills of the Ouachita Mountains.  In this park, steep hills rise over 600 feet above their surrounding valleys, and it gives you the feel of a real mountain park, or at least the closest thing you will find to real mountains in Oklahoma.

            Beavers Bend State Park was built between 1935 and 1937 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) as one of Oklahoma's 7 original state parks.  The park is named after John T. Beavers, a Choctaw citizen who owned some of this land, and a near 360-degree bend in the park's Mountain Fork River known as Beavers Bend.  Beavers Bend State Park has become one of the most popular state parks in Oklahoma, and it features fantastic amenities including a lodge, several developed campgrounds, and swimming, boating, and fishing on Mountain Fork River and Broken Bow Lake.

            For hikers, the park offers nearly 17 miles of hiking trails ranging from the short 0.75 mile Pine Ridge Nature Trail to the steep and rugged 7 mile one-way Skyline Trail.  Splitting the difference between those two options is the 1.8 mile loop described here.  This loop gives you a taste of the rugged backcountry while also using this park's most scenic and popular trail.  Be warned that trails at this park are not well-marked and the park's trail map is not the most accurate, so add a degree of caution to any hike you choose at this park.

            Either before or after your hike, the Forest Heritage Center is worth a tour.  The Center's exhibit building is shaped like a donut, and walking the building clockwise takes you past numerous dioramas that display and demonstrate the history of forestry both here at Beavers Bend and elsewhere.  Taking a few minutes to walk the Center gives you good information and added appreciation for this area before it became a state park.

Trailhead at Forest Heritage Center

            The hike starts across the parking lot near the road; a small wooden sign that says "0.5 miles to David Boren Trail" marks the trailhead.  The David Boren Trail is a long-distance backpacking trail, the southern 12 miles of which pass through this park.  In fact, this initial segment of trail was built as an access trail for the David Boren Trail to take advantage of the large Forest Heritage Center parking lot.

Climbing on access trail

            The somewhat narrow single-track trail climbs on a moderate grade.  SR 259A, the road you drove in on, stays within a couple hundred feet to the right.  Although the forest is a nice mixture of oak and pines, the traffic noise makes this initial segment the worst part of this hike.

Secondary parking area

            At 0.5 miles, you reach the small SR 259A parking lot for the Lookout Mountain Trail.  The access trail ends here, and this hike turns sharply left to begin heading southeast on the Lookout Mountain Trail.  A sign correctly indicates that you are heading toward "South Park," but South Park is a more distant destination than this hike reaches.  After passing the top of a knob, you begin a moderate descent that will cause you to lose most of the 200 feet of elevation you just gained.

Hiking the Lookout Mountain Trail

            0.8 miles into the hike, you reach a trail intersection and a decision point.  The Lookout Mountain Trail turns right, as indicated by some red aluminum markers, and you could go that way if you wanted to substantially increase the distance and difficulty of this hike.  I wanted to keep my hike shorter and easier, so I continued straight to take a shorter route down to the Trees Trail, this park's most scenic and popular trail.

            After descending a steep and rocky area with a small creek downhill to your right, you reach the Trees Trail at 1.1 miles.  Angle right to begin heading counterclockwise around the Trees Trail.  Designed as an interpretive nature trail, the Trees Trail is considerably easier and more level than any trail you have hiked thus far.  Some excellent signs describe common flora and fauna in this forest.

Approaching Beaver Creek

            Soon you curve left to start heading downstream with Beaver Creek on your right, and now the real scenery show begins.  The creek's water is exceptionally clear, and the layered bedrock forms a large number of interesting ledges and small waterfalls.  Take your time on this trail and admire the scenery.

Beaver Creek

Beaver Creek

            At 1.6 miles and just before you reach a park road bridge, you reach a trail intersection with trails going straight, left, and sharply left.  The trail going straight leads to the park restaurant and nature center, and the trail going sharply left is the other arm of the Trees Trail.  Thus, you want to turn less sharply left to begin heading uphill.  A short uphill walk returns you to the Forest Heritage Center to complete the hike.

Lake Texoma State Park (Blog Hike #1004)

Trail: (unnamed)
Hike Location: Lake Texoma State Park
Geographic Location: west of Durant, OK (33.98322, -96.62811)
Length: 1.7 miles
Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: February 2024
Overview: An out-and-back along the shore of Lake Texoma.
Park Information: https://www.travelok.com/state-parks/lake-texoma-state-park
Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video:

Directions to the trailhead: From Durant, take US 70 west 14.7 miles to the state park entrance, which is reached just after crossing an arm of Lake Texoma on a narrow bridge.  Turn left to enter the park, then immediately turn right to head for Ben's Campground.  Trailhead parking is at the south side of Ben's Campground; follow signs for "Hiking Trail."

The hike: With a surface area of 89,000 acres, Lake Texoma is the 12th largest reservoir built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.  The lake was formed in 1944 with the construction of the Dennison Dam on the Red River.  As its name implies, the lake straddles the Texas/Oklahoma state line, and more than 6 million visitors flock here each year for aquatic recreation.

            Consisting of 1882 acres, Lake Texoma State Park is the main recreation destination on the Oklahoma side of Lake Texoma.  The park used to be a great destination for fishing, swimming, and camping with some excellent trails, but these days the park seems rather neglected.  Several buildings lie vacant, many of the roads need resurfaced, and only 1 trail remains open to hikers.  That trail starts at Ben's Campground and ends in the middle of nowhere, and I chose to hike it mainly because it is the park's only real hiking option.

Ben's Campground trailhead

            At the south end of Ben's Campground, pick up the concrete trail that heads south with the lake on your left.  Signs tell you that this trail is this park's Heart Healthy Trail, and 0.2 miles of it are concrete and ADA-accessible.  At 0.1 miles, the single-track dirt hiking trail exits right.  The rest of the concrete trail leads to a nice view of Lake Texoma featuring Ben Campground's boat ramp, so you will want to hike the entire concrete trail either now or on your way back.

Lake Texoma view

            The dirt trail continues south, undulating slightly with the lake still on your left.  The forest goes back and forth between sunny, grassy savannahs and dense but stunted oak trees, so it is the typical scenery you would expect for the cross-timbers.  At 0.5 miles, you pass the south end of Lake Texoma's inlet and cross a creek on a nice wooden footbridge.

Crossing a creek

            Next comes the steepest climb on this hike, but the elevation gain is less than 100 vertical feet.  At 0.65 miles, I reached a point where the trail was blocked by orange tape.  Knowing the park boundary is nearby, I turned around here and retraced my steps to Ben's Campground.  Make sure you hike the rest of the concrete trail to the best lake view if you did not do so on your way out.

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:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video:

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.

Greenleaf State Park: Greenleaf Lake Hiking Trail to Dam (Blog Hike #949)

Trail: Greenleaf Lake Hiking Trail
Hike Location: Greenleaf State Park
Geographic Location: north of Gore, OK (35.62516, -95.16731)
Length: 1.8 miles
Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: April 2023
Overview: An out-and-back with side loop to the dam that forms Greenleaf Lake.
Park Information: https://www.travelok.com/state-parks/greenleaf-state-park
Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of SR 10 and SR 100 in Gore, take SR 10 north 8.5 miles to the signed entrance for Greenleaf State Park on the right.  Turn right to enter the park and drive the main park road 1.1 miles to the small gravel parking lot for the Greenleaf Lake Hiking Trail on the right.  Park here.

The hike: At first glance 565-acre Greenleaf State Park looks like another state park on another lake, but first looks can be deceiving.  For one, this lake and park were built starting in 1939 by the depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), Works Progress Administration (WPA), and by German prisoners of war.  This history makes this park one of the oldest state parks in Oklahoma.  Also, the park is surrounded by Camp Gruber, a training camp for the Oklahoma National Guard.  The park's 18-mile backpacking trail goes onto adjacent camp land, and the camp insulates the park from the usual development that surrounds many state parks.

            In addition to the backpacking trail, which is one of the few multi-day backpacking options in Oklahoma, the park offers the usual aquatic recreation on Greenleaf Lake, 14 small cabins, multiple developed campgrounds with 158 sites total, and an unusual "cabin on the lake," which was one of the first ADA-accessible cabins in the country.  When I came here on a damp Saturday morning, I only wanted a short hike before I began my long drive east, so I chose to hike the part of the backpacking trail that goes down to the dam and back.  I had a nice hike, and I can see why this park has the high reputation it does.

Main trailhead

            From the signed trailhead and trail register, the single-track dirt trail heads into the woods, which is dominated by oak and hickory trees with a few pines mixed in.  The trail goes first gradually up and then gradually down as the steep hillside persistently rises to the right.  The lake and campground road sit downhill to the left, but they are out of sight through the trees.  Some interesting layered rock outcrops remind you that this land was under a shallow sea many millennia ago.

Rock outcrop

Dam and spillway

            Just shy of 0.5 miles, the trail splits.  The option going right leads to SR 10 and the rest of the backpacking trail, so I turned left to start hiking out the earthen dam.  The dam was somewhat muddy on my visit, and some dense greenery prevented any broad lake views.  Nevertheless, I got some nice partially obstructed views of the interesting spillway at the other side of the dam, and I saw a lot of birds in the spillway area.

Canada geese on Greenleaf Lake

            After enjoying the spillway area, retrace your steps to the trailhead.  On your way back, to add a little variety and get some broad lake views, take a detour into the campground and walk down to the lake's marina area.  Not only did I enjoy the lake views here, but I also saw a Canada goose and her goslings swimming in the shallow area of the lake.

Natural Falls State Park: Ghost Coon/Dripping Springs Loop (Blog Hike #948)

Trails: Ghost Coon and Dripping Springs Trails
Hike Location: Natural Falls State Park
Geographic Location: west of West Siloam Springs, OK (36.17549, -94.66769)
Length: 1.3 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: April 2023
Overview: A loop hike, mostly easy but with a couple of steep areas, that forms the long route to Natural Falls.
Park Information: https://www.travelok.com/state-parks/natural-falls-state-park
Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video:

Directions to the trailhead: From West Siloam Springs, take US 412 west 5.5 miles to N4680 Road and turn left on N4680 Rd.  Drive N4680 Rd. south 0.2 miles to E578 Road and turn left on E578 Rd.  Drive E578 Rd. east 0.1 miles to the state park entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, then turn left immediately after passing the park office to reach the parking area for Natural Falls.

The hike: Consisting of only 120 acres, Natural Falls State Park is one of the smallest state parks in Oklahoma.  Before it became a state park, the site was privately owned and operated as a roadside attraction known as Dripping Springs.  The property featured a swimming pool and gardens, and it appeared in the 1974 film Where the Red Fern Grows.  The site was purchased by the State of Oklahoma for its state park system in 1990, making it Oklahoma's newest state park.

            The site's centerpiece is and has always been the 77-foot waterfall, which is tied with Turner Falls in southern Oklahoma for the tallest waterfall in the state.  The park today features a 46-site developed campground, several yurts, an above-average disc golf course, some picnic areas, and several short hiking trails.  The route suggested here provides one of the longest possible routes to the waterfall, and it passes several other points of interest including the campground, a rocky gorge, and a small lake.

Hiking through the formal garden

            From the parking area, head downhill (south) through the formal garden.  The plants in bloom here vary throughout the season, and some irises were in bloom when I came here in late April.  At the bottom of the formal garden, the ADA-accessible trail to the top of Natural Falls continues straight.  We will return on that trail, but for now turn left to walk along a park road, cross a creek on a low water ford, and look to the right for the signed start of the Ghost Coon Trail.  Turn right to begin the Ghost Coon Trail, which is named after the legendary raccoon from Where the Red Fern Grows.

Start of Ghost Coon Trail

            The Ghost Coon Trail heads into the woods and climbs gradually.  At 0.2 miles, the trail enters a sunny grassy area with what appears to be a wastewater treatment pond on the left.  At 0.3 miles, you reach the park's yurt area access road, which is actually a continuation of the road you walked on earlier.  Turn left to walk a short distance on the road, then look to the right for the signed continuation of the Ghost Coon Trail.

Trail reenters woods

            After another short distance in the woods, the trail traces the perimeter of the large tallgrass prairie that also contains the park's yurt area.  The yurts can be seen across the prairie to the right.  Ignore side trails that exit left into the woods; they quickly become indiscernible.

Yurts across prairie

            0.7 miles into the hike, you pass under a power line to reach the park's yurt area.  The route through the yurt area is unmarked and confusing.  You want to keep the yurts to your right until you reach a gravel road that was recently paved with fresh gravel on my visit.  Turn sharply left on the gravel road and begin a steep descent to reach a dam with old rusty controls that forms a small algae-covered lake.  Turn right to begin hiking along the shore of the lake, and pass through a fishing area that contains a few benches.  Some scenic rocky cliffs stand on the other shore of the lake.

Dam that forms small lake

            Now on the Dripping Springs Trail, at 0.9 miles you cross a metal bridge with wooden deck that spans the upper reaches of the small lake.  Next comes the hardest part of the hike: the trail heads steeply uphill through a tight rocky gorge.  Numerous roots and rocks need to be negotiated, and you have to watch your footing.  A fall into the gorge to the right would likely result in serious injury.  Ignore the Bear Trail, an even more treacherous trail that exits left.

Natural Falls, base view

            1.1 miles into the hike, the difficult rocky area mercifully ends when you reach some concrete steps, which go uphill to the left and downhill to the right.  Go downhill first to reach the viewing platform at the base of Natural Falls.  This ledge-type waterfall features a large but shallow plunge pool, and the vertical lumpy rock walls make for an imposing setting.  Notice the bridge at the top of the falls to the right and the platform at the top of the falls to the left.

Natural Falls, platform view

            Next climb all of the concrete steps to reach the ADA-accessible waterfall overlook platform, which provides a top-down view of the rocky bowl you stood in moments ago.  These concrete steps are in rough shape and will need to be rebuilt at some point, but they still get the job done for now.  After taking in this view, walk along the ADA-accessible path to reach the formal garden, and then walk uphill through the formal garden to return to the parking lot and complete the hike.

Grand Lake State Park, Bernice Area (Blog Hike #947)

Trails: (unnamed)
Hike Location: Grand Lake State Park, Bernice Area
Geographic Location: east of Bernice, OK (36.62679, -94.89905)
Length: 1 mile
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: April 2023
Overview: A short, flat loop along the shore of Grand Lake.
Park Information: https://www.travelok.com/state-parks/bernice-area-at-grand-lake-state-park
Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From Bernice, take SR 85A east 1 mile, crossing an arm of Grand Lake in the process, to the entrance for the Bernice Area of Grand Lake State Park.  Turn right to enter the park, drive through the campground, and follow signs for the Nature Center, where this hike begins.

The hike: Located in northeast Oklahoma, the Grand Lake o' the Cherokees, usually called Grand Lake for short, is one of the oldest reservoirs in Oklahoma.  Authorities were considering a dam project on the Grand River even before Oklahoma became a state in 1907.  In 1935, the state created the Grand River Dam Authority to manage the project.  The dam on the Grand River was completed in 1940, and at 5145 feet in length it is claimed to be the longest multiple arch dam in the world.

            Grand Lake's main purpose is hydroelectric power generation, and the lake was originally conceived as a power source for the Cherokee Nation.  The lake also helps with flood control on the Arkansas River and provides abundant aquatic recreation.  Unlike most reservoirs in Oklahoma, Grand Lake lies in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains.  Therefore, Grand Lake is a deep rocky lake averaging more than 36 feet in depth.

            Several Oklahoma state parks were built on the shores of Grand Lake, and today they are managed as distinct areas of the combined Grand Lake State Park.  Many of these areas offer only a campground and lake access, but the Bernice Area featured here also offers a nature center and a short system of hiking trails.  While not a major hiking destination, this park offers a nearly flat lakeside hike partially on asphalt trail, so it makes a nice option during bad weather when other hiking trails are too muddy.

Trailhead at Nature Center

            Start by picking up the asphalt trail that heads east from the Nature Center.  A Heart Healthy Trail sign marks this trailhead, and while there is a maze of dirt trails in the wooded area east of the Nature Center, there is only 1 asphalt trail.  The asphalt trail winds its way east through a forest consisting of oak, hickory, and black walnut trees with a dense grassy understory.

Grand Lake

            In only a few hundred feet, you reach the first spur trail exiting right to Grand Lake.  The gently sloped rocky lakeshore is a good place to do some birdwatching, and I saw lots of common birds, ducks, and a woodpecker here.  Continuing east on the asphalt trail, you next pass 2 "treehouses," or wooden platforms and shelters built some 10 feet above the forest floor.  The first treehouse overlooks the lake, while the second treehouse stands in the drier woods.

"Treehouse" on Grand Lake

            At 0.5 miles, you reach the east end of the asphalt Heart Healthy Trail at a secondary parking lot near the intersection of East 270 Road and South 550 Road.  There are several ways to get back to the Nature Center from here.  Of course you could retrace your steps along the asphalt trail, but for a little variety turn left to leave the asphalt and start walking due west along a power line corridor.  This dirt/gravel trail is the old East 270 Road, and it offers good footing even if it has rained recently, as it had on my visit.

Hiking back on dirt/gravel trail

            The old arrow-straight county road actually goes past the Nature Center to the campground, but you can escape the power lines by turning left on a dirt trail just before you reach the park's maintenance area on the right.  This short trail takes you through a small prairie opening before returning you to the asphalt trail.  A right turn then takes you back to the Nature Center to complete the hike.

Tenkiller State Park: Whispering Leaves Trail (Blog Hike #946)

Trail: Whispering Leaves Trail
Hike Location: Tenkiller State Park
Geographic Location: northeast of Gore, OK (35.60139, -95.03545)
Length: 1.6 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: April 2023
Overview: A semiloop on asphalt trail through the park's developed area.
Park Information: https://www.travelok.com/state-parks/tenkiller-state-park
Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Short Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: In eastern Oklahoma, take I-40 to SR 82 (exit 297).  Exit and go north on SR 82.  Drive SR 82 north 9 miles to SR 100 and turn left on SR 100.  Drive SR 100 west 3.4 miles to the park entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, and follow signs for the park office.  Park in the parking lot in front of the park office.

The hike: Known officially as Tenkiller Ferry Lake, 12,900 acre Lake Tenkiller was formed in 1952 when the US Army Corps of Engineers (COE) completed the Tenkiller Dam on the Illinois River.  The dam was constructed for the purposes of flood control, recreation, water supply, and hydroelectric power generation, and the COE operates several recreation areas on the lake's shore.  The lake is named for the Tenkiller family, a prominent Cherokee family who sold the land and ferry that now lie under the lake.

            Tenkiller State Park is located on the east shore of its namesake lake near the dam.  The park opened in 1953, and it has many nice amenities including a scuba diving area, many athletic fields and courts, the usual aquatic recreation on Tenkiller Ferry Lake, 39 cabins, and a developed campground.  For hikers, the park offers only two short trails, and the one described here is a somewhat unexciting asphalt trail that spends most of its time in the developed area of the park.  That said, there are some interesting things to see on this trail.  Also, the asphalt can be welcome: I had a good hike here at the end of a very wet and rainy day when the other trail was too wet and muddy for pleasant hiking.

Trailhead near park office

            The trail starts at the north side of the parking lot in front of the park office; look for the small white sign that says "Whispering Leaves Trail."  The dirt Lakeview Trail quickly exits left; angle right to stay on the asphalt.  Perhaps surprisingly, the asphalt path curves right and crosses the park road you drove in on before descending slightly into a narrow strip of woods.  After passing behind the park's Nature Center, the trail traces around a sunny mowed grass area with a beautiful stone picnic shelter to the left.  Structures such as this shelter are usually only found in parks dating to the 1930's, so appreciate the existence of this picnic shelter here.

Stone picnic shelter

            Next you pass the east end of the park's cabin area before crossing a small bridge near a small pond.  This pond was nearly empty of water on my visit, and I suspect it completely evaporates during dry spells.  At 0.4 miles, you reach a trail intersection.  We will take the asphalt trail going left eventually, but for now continue straight to head for the overlook area.

Small pond

            The trail curves right and passes through the park's disc golf course before it splits to form its short loop through the overlook area.  I chose to turn right, and I quickly descended to reach a bench that overlooks Tenkiller Dam.  This overlook was becoming quite overgrown on my visit, but I could still see the dam and a cliff on the other side of Tenkiller Ferry Lake.

Tenkiller Dam

            After finishing the loop, retrace your steps to the previous trail intersection and turn right.  After crossing the main park road, you need to angle left and walk a short distance through the grass to get to the campground access road, where the asphalt trail continues.  Next you walk between a basketball court and a volleyball court before starting a short loop through a picnic area.

Approaching the park road

            Upon completing the picnic area loop, walk back to the park office to complete the hike, either by walking around the Nature Center and retracing your steps or by walking along the park road.  While you are here, be sure to check out the scuba diving area.  Not only is a scuba diving area unusual for a land-locked state such as Oklahoma, but it also provides nice views across deep water in Tenkiller Ferry Lake.