Oklahoma Sights You Shouldn't Miss

Black Mesa State Park County Rd. 325, Kenton (580) 426-2222 Located in the panhandle of Oklahoma, Black Mesa is Oklahoma's highest point at 4,973 feet above sea level. The park boasts 1,600 acres for hiking, bird watching and some of the darkest nighttime skies on publicly accessible land in the country. The park is adjacent to Lake Carl Etling and offers online reservable RV campsites with water and electric hookups, tent campsites, picnic facilities and more.

2 Great Salt Plains State Park 23280 S. Spillway Dr., Jet (580) 626-4731 In prehistoric times, a massive ocean covered what is now Oklahoma. The ocean is long gone, but its salt deposits remain. The park contains a salt-water lake, with water about half as salty as the ocean. Visitors enjoy hiking, fishing and swimming, but one of the biggest attractions for the park is digging for selenite crystals.

Central Frontier Country 3 Grey Snow Eagle House 335567 E740 Rd., Perkins (405) 880-0734 Guests can tour the Iowa Tribe's Eagle rehabilitation facility in Perkins. It's home to bald and golden eagles, many of which are eventually released back into the wild. Guided tours can be booked for Saturdays and Sundays at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. 4

Sam Noble Museum of Natural History 2401 Chautauqua Ave., Norman (405) 325-4712 More than 10 million specimens make up the Natural History Museum’s collections. The exhibits are contained in a variety of halls – The Hall of World Cultures, Hall of Ancient Life, Hall of Natural Wonders and Hall of People of Oklahoma. Check out the dinosaur displays. If you visit before March 15, you can catch A New Moon Rises, a special exhibit created in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institute. 5

Tiger Safari Zoological Park 963 County St. 2930, Tuttle (405) 381-9453 The Tiger Safari Zoological Park is home to 170 animals including a variety of big cats, bears, lemurs, deer, kangaroos and more. The general tour includes monkey and deer feeding, and the VIP Experience includes holding selected animals. Book in advance for the experience you want.

Oklahoma Sights You Shouldn’t Miss Oklahoma is a land of diversity with beautiful locales. Too many of us who call Oklahoma home have never seen some of our state’s greatest attractions. Check out these Oklahoma sights and see how many you can check off your list.

*Please call first to verify hours and admission rates.

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Bath Lake 127 E. Lake Dr., Medicine Park (580) 529-2825 With natural flowing waters from the nearby Medicine Creek, swim in the clear waters of the shallow kiddie pool. The temperature remains mild, so swimmers can avoid the initial shock of cold water when jumping in from either the island or red rocks at Bath Lake. In winter months, Bath Lake transforms from a swimming destination to a fishing hotspot, stocked full of trout.

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Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum 435 Quanah Rd., Fort Sill (580) 442-5123 Built during the Indian Wars, Fort Sill has played a prominent role in every major American conflict since 1869. Several on-base museums highlight its history. The area is also home to the General Tommy Franks Leadership Institute & Museum, a Hobart attraction that houses items from General Franks' career.

Turner Falls Park. Photo courtesy of www.facebook.com/TurnerFallsParkOK

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Keystone Ancient Forest 160 Ancient Forest Dr., Sand Springs (918) 246-2661 Step back in time when you enter the Keystone Ancient Forest near Sand Springs. The 1,360-acre nature preserve is home to 500-year-old cedar trees and 300-year-old post oaks, as well as deer, bobcats, eagles and 80 species of butterflies. The hiking trail is open on select Saturdays and takes about an hour to complete. Pets are not allowed except on specific days designated as “hike with your dog” days.

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Tallgrass Prairie Preserve 15316 County Rd. 4201, Pawhuska (918) 287-4803 Oklahoma and surrounding states were once a vast expanse of tallgrass prairies. The 40,000 acres in the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve is the largest protected area of tallgrass prairie on earth. Visitors may spot eagles, hawks, deer, coyote, bobcats, bison and more. A leisurely drive of the 50-mile drive-thru takes about two hours. Seasonal attractions include prairie chickens booming at sunrise from late March through early May, and the arrival of 600 to 700 bison calves by mid-May.

South Central Choctaw Country 8 Turner Falls Park I-35 & US-77, Davis (888) 718-4253 Turner Falls Park is not only home to Oklahoma’s largest waterfall (77 feet), but also a rock castle, picnic sites, hiking trails, caves and geological formations. The park is a popular summer destination, but the wintertime offers more quiet and great photo opportunities. 9

Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge 20539 State Hwy 115 Hwy 115 & 49 Junction, Indiahoma (580) 429-2197 A drive through the refuge can bring sightings of bison, elk, prairie dogs, wild turkeys and river otters. Hiking trails and the roadway provide great photo opportunities.

Elephants at the Endangered Ark Foundation. Photo courtesy of www.facebook.com/endangeredarkfoundation

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Endangered Ark Foundation 2657 E. 2070 Rd., Hugo (580) 317-8470 Endangered Ark is home to many retired circus elephants and is committed to the preservation of Asian elephants through their breeding program. Visitors who book the tours enjoy approximately an hour of elephant education and viewing, including time spent handfeeding an elephant in a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

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Museum of the Red River 812 East Lincoln Rd., Idabel (580) 286-3616 Located in Idabel, Oklahoma, the Museum of the Red River is the largest cultural institution in a 150-mile radius. Its mission is to preserve and celebrate the world’s artistic heritage, while emphasizing the contributions made by Native American groups. The museum is also home to the Oklahoma State dinosaur.