Speed Parking: A Trek Across Oklahoma's State Parks

All of the recent cold weather has left me dreaming of warmer weather. We here at Oklahoma Today also just finished up working on our next issue of the magazine—The Adventure Issue.

This next issue contains my first feature and some of the last outdoor activities I was able to do before winter settled across Oklahoma. For the story, I visited several state parks across the state and spoke with park employees to get the inside take on the best spots, histories, and unique qualities of each place. The parks make for refreshing day trips or great overnight or camping stays.

My first trip was to Great Plains State Park in southwestern Oklahoma. Now, I won’t lie. This is a park I didn’t even realize was nearby when I was growing up not too far away. I made many a trip to the Wichita Mountains and several to Quartz Mountain State Park, both under an hour away from Great Plains. Apparently though, I was missing out. Great Plains State Park offers great fishing and water sport opportunities and has a fantastic trail system for hiking. There’s also RV and tent camping available or—if you’re looking to sleep inside of a building rather—you can rent an Airbnb nearby and explore some of the local towns as well. I stayed in lovely Medicine Park for my trip.

Tom Steed Lake at Great Plains State Park offers plenty of scenic views. Photo by Kiersten Stone

My next stop was in southeastern Oklahoma to Lake Wister State Park. If I had a boat, I would be headed to Lake Wister several times a year. The park seemed to be bursting with life and had such a welcoming presence for visitors. I wrote about the trails in my story, but I couldn’t put enough emphasis on how well the trails were taken care of here. They were very well maintained and The Lighthorseman Trail offered an interactive experience. Visitors can check in at the Park Office and pick up little wooden balls to carry along the trail. Along the trail are big wooden signs with informative questions. You place the ball in the slot next to your answer for the question and it rolls back out at the bottom of the board to let you know if you’re right or wrong. It was such a fun way to learn while getting exercise and fresh air.

Challenge your brain along with the rest of your body on the trails at Lake Wister State Park. Photo by Kiersten Stone

Just one week after heading southeast, I took a slightly different route and instead headed northeast to Sequoyah Bay State Park. This was probably my favorite park I visited during this go around. The weather was perfect for exploring the grounds. The views were spectacular with the overview of Fort Gibson Lake, the dam, and all of the birds soaring across the top of the water. While visiting with the assistant park manager there, a couple of fishermen nearby seemed to be pulling fish out of the lake with almost every cast. Needless to say, I was jealous and slightly kicking myself for not bringing my fishing pole that day.

There are some cabins for rent at Sequoyah Bay State Park as well as primitive campsites and semi-modern ones with electric and water hookups. Photo by Kiersten Stone

The last park I wrote about in my story I unfortunately wasn’t able to visit in person, but speaking with the park manager for Black Mesa State Park showed me just how much the workers there cared about their park and its history. I’ve always heard stories from people creating cherished memories at Black Mesa, and I’ve seen the photos of just how gorgeous the sky becomes at night and how the stars seem to light it up better than the best Christmas tree.

Writing the State Parks Field Guide was great exposure to the varying natural elements that Oklahoma offers. All the parks are already placed back onto my itinerary for future trips. I can’t wait for all you readers to receive your copy of the March/April issue. I hope it inspires many adventures to be planned while waiting for warmer days — or to currently have if you’re braver than me and willing to take on the cold.

Written By

Kiersten Stone

Just a small town girl living out her city dreams, Kiersten Stone is the Research Editor for Oklahoma Today. Stone previously worked at a local newspaper and at her university’s student news organization before coming to work at the magazine. She loves the Sooner State and all it offers, from the city to the outdoors and the wildlife.