Turkey Mountain is seeing record numbers of families these days. With school letting out for the summer, here are some alternate trail systems to explore. Please visit the links for up to date park hours, admission fees and trail restrictions (not all trails listed allow for mountain biking, dogs, or equestrian use).
Oxley Nature Center – Tulsa – Located in Tulsa’s beautiful Mohawk Park, this 804-acre nature center offers over ten miles of hiking trails (some wheelchair and stroller accessible). Free programs are offered every weekend. Guided tours available with advance notice. Trails may be walked when gates are closed, but Mohawk Park does follow a 9pm to 7am curfew. Pets, bicycles and horses are not permitted on the trails. Mohawk Park charges a $2 vehicle admission on weekends from April 1 through October 31.
Redbud Valley – Claremore – Redbud Valley offers a rugged one-mile trail that takes hikers through a variety of habitats, ranging from flood-plain forest and shady north-facing slopes to limestone bluffs and dry upland forest. Admission is free.
Keystone Ancient Forest – Sand Springs – Owned and operated by the city of Sand Springs, the Keystone Ancient Forest Preserve totals over 1,200 acres and protects a prime example of cross timber woodlands, including some of the oldest known living eastern red cedars, aged at over 500 years old.
Claremore Lake – Claremore – Claremore Mountain Bike Trail is a 10+ mi single track trail located along the east banks of Claremore Lake. Great for biking and day hiking.
Collinsville Trails – Collinsville – Trails were built spring 2016 exclusively for non-motorized, non-equestrian usage. Hikers and bikers only
Greenleaf State Park – Braggs – Tucked away in the hills of eastern Oklahoma, Greenleaf State Park offers spectacular scenery and is a family-friendly state park. The park includes Greenleaf Lake as well as cabins, campgrounds, family recreation facilities and nature hiking trails.
Osage Hills State Park – Pawhauska – Trails on the rocky, hilly terrain provide a challenge to hikers and mountain bikers, and there are many to choose from in Osage Hills State Park. Visitors may catch a glimpse of white-tailed deer or a wild turkey while on the trails. Tennis courts and a ball field are available to visitors, and the swimming pool provides a great way to cool off on a hot day.
Eagle View – Outside of Ponca City – Kaw Lake – Mountain bikers enjoy the challenges found on the Eagle View Trail from winding through tree-lined paths to cliffs overlooking Kaw Lake. Approximately 12 miles long, it allows you to get away from the hustle and bustle and connect with nature. The trailhead for Eagle View Trail is located near the Osage Cove campground and has limited parking. After the first mile the trail basically follows the Kaw Lake shoreline with rocky outcroppings near the shore. The trailhead is located at Osage Cove Road and Osage Park Road
Lake McMurtry – Stillwater – Nestled just 10 minutes outside of Stillwater, Lake McMurtry Natural Resource and Recreation Area is a quiet, family friendly lake where you are surrounded by beautiful scenery and can end your day soaking up one of Oklahoma’s gorgeous sunsets.
Lake McMurtry offers RV and tent camping, swimming, fishing, boating, 28 miles of multi-use trails for mountain biking, hiking and trail running, two 18-hole disc golf courses, kayak and SUP rentals, and watchable wildlife.
Lake Carl Blackwell – Stillwater – Lake Carl Blackwell is a mid-sized lake of 3,350 acres, located 8 miles west of Stillwater on Highway 51. There is an abundance of fishing, boating, swimming, water skiing and camping but we also have hunting, equestrian trail riding, hiking, and an on-water fuel dock. It features 4.5 miles of single track trails.
Bell Cow Lake – Chandler – Open for equestrian use, hiking and mountain biking, the Bell Cow Lake Trail System runs along the shoreline of Bell Cow Lake near Chandler. Featuring two out-and-back trails, this system is mostly used by equestrians, and is considered to be easy and accessible for beginners. The trails share a trailhead, which is located within the Area C equestrian campground.
Okmulgee Lake – Okmulgee – Okmulgee Park is open for year-round recreation. Okmulgee Lake is open to fishing, boating and swimming. The lake which was built in 1926 to provide water for the city of Okmulgee is considered to be an “old fishing lake.”The lake bottom features large boulders and thick oak tree trunks. Common game fish found in the lake are crappie, white bass, sunfish, largemouth bass, and channel catfish. In addition to fishing the lake is open to boating, kayaking, swimming, and water-skiing. The end of Okmulgee Lake features the Lake Okmulgee Dam Spillway Cascade, listed in the National Register of Historic Places in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, which on occasions of heavy rains and high lake levels creates an intense man-made waterfall. There are 75 RV camping sites and 50 tent camping sites at the park. The boat ramps are lit. Okmulgee State Park also features a 3-mile (4.8 km) hiking trail and extensive picnic facilities. Hunting is not permitted within the park, but a public hunting area is located on the north and west side of the lake.
Prague Lake – Prague – Prague Lake Trail is a 6.4-mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Prague, Oklahoma that features a lake. The trail is good for all skill levels and primarily used for hiking and horses. Dogs and horses are also able to use this trail.
Chandler Park – Tulsa – The park features 192 acres of wooded area with open space in the center, has great natural beauty and panoramic views of Tulsa and Sand Springs. Facilities include hiking trails, rock formations for climbing/bouldering, a swimming pool, nature trails, lighted baseball/softball complex, basketball court, playgrounds, restrooms, picnic facilities, covered shelters, large playground structures and an 18-hole disc golf course with cement tees. Chandler Park features a state-of-the-art community center with fitness center, full-court gym, reception room, dance/exercise room, concession, catering kitchen and restrooms.
Ray Harrell Trails – Broken Arrow – The 40-acre park includes a Nature Center, paved jogging trail, park benches, two picnic shelters with tables, flowering gardens, an arboretum and a suspension bridge. The Ray Harral Nature Park is located off of Tucson Street (121st Street) and west of Lynn Lane behind Childers and Spring Creek schools.
Sequoyah State Park – Hulbert – Visit Three Forks Nature Center within the park to view live animals and educational displays. The on-site park naturalist is available for individual and group programs. The two-mile paved trail in the park is perfect for hiking, biking, walking and running.
Hunter Park – Tulsa – Hunter Park in Tulsa is a great place for the whole family to relax and have a good time. Bring along your furry friend and let them run free in the on-site dog park, Biscuit Acres. There is also a playground with swings, four basketball goals and an 18-hole disc golf course with concrete tees for visitors to enjoy. The average hole length is less than 300 feet, and overall the course is long with rough terrain and some heavily wooded areas. For extra challenge, there are contours, woods, water and alternate pin placements. The Hunter Park Labyrinth, also located on site, is an ancient tool used for meditation and reflection. It is one trail into the center and out again with no dead ends. Restrooms and picnic shelters are available.
Enjoy your trip and do not leave home with out insect repellant!
Can you think of a trail system we overlooked? Drop us a line and we will be glad to add it to the list!
The old saying goes that many hands make a heavy load lighter. We’ve learned that over the past few years.
That’s one of the reasons we’ve partnered with the Oklahoma Earthbike Fellowship, a group many mountain bikers are familiar with, but maybe not as much for those outside of that community.
So who is this group, and how do we work with them?
OEF was formed in 1996 as a group of Oklahoma cyclists intent on advocating for trail systems throughout the state. Over time, they’ve become experts at trail construction, maintenance and repair. Members attend courses on how to build trails that can take the wear and tear of frequent mountain bike use. Trails built to these standards also hold up well for runners and hikers.
In the past, OEF has helped with trail projects at Turkey Mountain, bringing not only the manpower, but the tools and know-how to repair badly damaged trail sections. OEF has also been active in trail projects around Claremore Lake – helping build that trail system to what it is now – and in other parts of the state.
The Tulsa Urban Wilderness Coalition has done a number of projects over the past few years, sometimes on its own, but often with partners like OEF. We’ll continue to work with OEF, River Parks Authority and other like-minded groups and individuals to help maintain our trail systems and advocate for their long-term future.
Get to know OEF. You can learn more about them at okearthbike.com and their facebook page
Jackie Bubenik, Tulsa’s first River Parks Authority director passed away earlier this week in Wichita, Kansas. Tulsa might look much different today if it were not for his vision and guidance of the RPA through its early years. He was the director for nearly 30 years.
I never met Mr. Bubenik personally but came to know him through his vision for Turkey Mountain when the TUWC was leading the fight against development on the west side of the Turkey Mountain area. I came to appreciate what his vision was for the land. His idea all along had been to acquire all the land from the Arkansas River to Highway 75 which was finally realized as a result of Tulsa’s Vision 2025 extension.
Mr. Bubenik’s lasting legacy will be the miles of trail which now line the Arkansas River as well as many park areas along the river. I can recall a time before the trail system was in place when the area just west of Riverside Drive resembled somewhat of a wasteland.
In addition to the trails, Bubenik, along with former Tulsa County Commissioner Terry Young were the two individuals who can really take credit for the creation of the Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness area. It was Bubenik’s dream that Turkey Mountain would be free from development and it would be a place where future generations of Tulsans could go to get a respite from life in a busy city.
The most amazing part of his vision for such a riparian haven was that it would eventually be near the center of the metro area.
Two of my favorite quotes of his were:
“We have a lot of well-manicured parks, but we don’t have one that shows this area before people.”
“Fifty years from now, (Turkey Mountain) will be an oasis. “Everything around it will be conquered by urban growth, but that will be there as a reminder of what Tulsa once looked like.”
(Both originally published in Tulsa World articles)
I relied on relaying this original vision of the land to city leaders to remind them of the original intent of this gift to the citizens of Tulsa. I always felt fortunate there were records of his vision we could draw on to show how unique and important this urban wilderness area is.
Thank you Mr. Bubenik for your vision and your gift to the citizens of Tulsa.
Colin Tawney, former VP and Public Affairs Coordinator of the Tulsa Urban Wilderness Coalition. 
