![]() No restrooms are available in the nature park and no camping is allowed, but both are available at Black Mesa State Park.īlack Mesa State Park is adjacent to Lake Carl Etling and offers RV and tent campsites, picnic facilities, boat ramps and a mooring buoy, trout fishing in season, a playground, restrooms with showers and a group camp with bunkhouses. Black Mesa State Park and Nature Reserve is located in the Oklahoma Panhandle, close to the border of both Colorado and New Mexico. ![]() Temperatures in this part of the Midwest can. Black Mesa Nature Preserve is open dawn to dusk only, and visitors should be sure to allow at least four hours to hike to the top of the mesa from the parking area and back. However, approximately 10 miles from the preserve lies the Black Mesa State Park, which offers a campground. The unique area marks the point where the Rocky Mountains meet the shortgrass prairie and many species are at the easternmost or westernmost point of their natural range. The Nature Preserve is located 15 miles from the state park and features Oklahoma's highest elevation at 4,973 feet above sea level, and consists of approximately 1,600 acres where visitors can hike and enjoy 23 rare plants and eight rare animal species. There are multiple short hikes in Black Mesa State Park leading visitors to their desired points of interest.This park is in Oklahoma's panhandle and got its name from the layer of black lava rock that coated the mesa about 30 million years ago. Interior roads are gravel and give great access to the nature preserve, Summit Trail parking lot, and the campground. Depending on where you are coming from, Black Mesa State Park is serviced by two entrances: the south entrance marked as 325 and the north entrance which is closest to Kenton. It meanders through the high plains and rocky outcroppings offering visitors a scenic and exciting drive. The road leading to the park is partly dirt and partly paved. Make sure you fill up your gas tank and buy all the supplies you need in Boise City because this is the last town before the park, almost 40 miles away. ![]() You will even pass through some ghost towns, where you can get out and take some fantastic pictures to share on social media. Traveling from Cimarron County to Union County, New Mexico, you will see rugged canyons, plateaus, and dormant volcanoes. On your way to the park you can find several scenic drives, such as the Dry Cimarron Scenic Byway, which was named as such by the settlers who went 60 miles without water. Shop Black Mesa State Park Oklahoma black-mesa-state-park t-shirts designed by HalpinDesign as well as other black-mesa-state-park merchandise at TeePublic. Just 33 minutes from Boise City, Oklahoma, three hours from Pueblo, Colorado, and four hours from Santa Fe, New Mexico, Black Mesa State Park is on the border of all three states. Oklahoma’s Black Mesa State Park is mainly comprised of three areas of interest: Black Mesa State Park, Black Mesa Nature Preserve, and the Black Mesa Summit Hike. If you want to spend a few days in the park, you can park your motorhome on one of over 25 designated RV campsites. There were only three other sites occupied while we were there. About 20 minute drive to the Black Mesa summit trailhead. On land, you can hike, view some of the amazing wildlife, or enjoy some stargazing. 3 reviews of Black Mesa State Park 'Very nice campground. At a height of 4,973 feet, this is the highest point in Oklahoma and the second highest peak in the Black Mesa range.Įstablished in 1959, this 349-acre park features the 200-acre Lake Carl Etling, which is at the center of many water activities like fishing, swimming, and boating. ![]() Surprisingly the "real" Black Mesa lies 13 miles west of Black Mesa State Park. Many fossils including those of dinosaurs have been discovered by geologists here. For RVers, this serene park is the perfect combination of nature, history, geology, and outdoor recreation.Īpproximately 30 million years ago a volcanic eruption occurred, splashing its thick lava in this plateau coating the rocks black. This geology is actually where the park gets its name. Nestled in the western corner of the Oklahoma Panhandle, southeastern Colorado, and northeastern New Mexico, Black Mesa State Park lies on a plateau covered by black lava rock.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |