Getting your family involved in hiking is an excellent way to not only improve your health, but spend some quality time with your loved ones. It’s exciting to spend hours in the quiet of nature, but you want to be sure every member of the family is ready for the trek. Oklahoma is a home to a number of trails ideal for young children or beginner hikers. Some have self-guided tours while others are just beautiful walks through the hills. Here are five great hiking trails in the state.
Turner Falls Park is probably one of the most popular parks in the state. Families love to hike back to the waterfall and swim in the lake. There’s also a rock castle and caves to explore as part of the hiking experience. Many animals can be spotted in the Arbuckle Mountains, and the biosphere offers a number of botanical species to discover. You’ll find different levels of trails, giving your family a chance to start out with a beginner’s hike and working up to a longer day in the mountains. Make sure to plan before you head out, as this is a popular hiking spot!
Oxley Nature Center is located in the heart of Tulsa, not where you might think of hiking. It features 10 interconnected trails, which allow you to find the right level of difficulty for your family. The Red Fox Trail features a self-guided sensory awareness tour, while Bob’s Trail has a 600-foot boardwalk, letting you stick your hands into the marsh to explore the plants and animals in the water. The nature center is also a great place for birdwatching, butterfly sightings and tree identification. You’ll find a prairie, a forest, and a water system to explore different ecosystems.
Beaver’s Bend State Park is located close to the Arkansas state line on the east side of Oklahoma. Within the park, you’ll find a variety of hiking trails for all skill levels. The Forest Heritage Tree Trail is a looped trail that begins and ends at the Forest Heritage Center Museum. It’s a fairly easy trail with a couple of climbs that add a little challenge. Cedar Bluff Trail is one of the more difficult trails with steep climbs and creek crossings. But it is also a nature trail. The trails in the park are carefully marked to keep you on the right path.
Lake Murray has a great hiking trail system. Most of the trails are clearly marked, but you’ll want to take a trail map with you just in case. The park system has set up restrooms and water along some of the trails, which makes this a great place to hike with a family. The area is home to over 10 miles of both hiking and biking trails, with opportunities to take in the sights of a beautiful waterfall, wild animals, and a lot of native Oklahoma flora.
The Martin Park Nature Center is an adventure the little ones will surely enjoy. With 2.5 miles of woodland trails and a visitor center with live animals, Martin Park brings children closer to nature. Consider booking a guided nature hike, for $2 per person, where children can gain an education of the area while they explore.
