Oklahoma has a number of trails with minimal obstacles. Some are very easy and others are wheelchair accessible. Here are just a few of them.
These links were found through Internet search. I would love some first-hand information. With your help, we can share our knowledge with disabled people everywhere and also increase awareness of the need for more accessibility. Please e-mail me with your suggestions using the form in the sidebar.
Federal
State
Local
Private
Miscellaneous
Federal
Chickasaw National Recreation Area
“Springs, streams, lakes – whatever its form, water is the attraction at Chickasaw National Recreation Area. Relax in the coolness of shaded streams or take a dip in a swimming hole. Little Niagara and Rock Creek beckon waders and swimmers. Veterans Lake calls anglers to test their skills. Lake of the Arbuckles provides excellent opportunities for motorboating, skiing, fishing, and swimming.”
Here is the Area’s website. Trails Accessibility phone 580-622-7234
There is a two mile long concrete trail around Veterans Lake that is “fully accessible.”
?Antelope and Buffalo Springs Trail 1.2 miles, Fishing Rock 0.8 mile, Lakeview 0.5 miles, and Travertine Creek Trail 1.5 miles one way, are all describes as “easy”. Call the park to learn if they are appropriate for you.Ouachita National Forest Oklahoma Ranger District
The Oklahoma Ranger District consists of about 363,000 acres located on the west side of the Ouachita Mountains in southeastern Oklahoma.
Phone 918-653-2991 Here is their website.
? Cedar Lake and Old Pine Trails Both these trails are rated “Easiest”. It would be a good idea to call ahead to be sure what that means. There are some steps leading up to a bridge. Brochure and Map Described on Arklahoma Hiker.
Cedar Lake trail is 2.9 miles one way and “….offers an array of opportunities to day hikers who want to view waterfowl and wading birds which frequent the lake.”
The Old Pine Trail is 0.4 mile. It “…..begins at the Cedar Lake day use area and loops to one of the lake’s feeder streams. Interpretive signs along the trail identify the animals that live in the area.”Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge
For millennia “…the salt plains provided essential shelter, foraging, and breeding habitat attracting multitudes of migrating waterfowl, breeding birds, and big game such as bison and deer. Today, this unique assemblage of habitat surrounded by a patchwork of farmlands continues to be a vital migratory stopover and breeding grounds for birds and a protected area for wildlife.”
Here is their website. Trails Phone: 580-626-4794
Sandpiper Trail is 0.4 miles and “includes two footbridges and an observation deck with spotting scope for viewing shorebirds that abound during the spring and fall migrations.”Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge
“The refuge protects a very unique habitat found within the Arkansas River flood plain that includes bottomland hardwood forests and wetlands, home to many species of migratory birds and other resident wildlife, like white-tailed deer, bobcat, beaver and the American bald eagle.”
Trails Map Phone: 918-773-5251 or -5252 Here is their website.
Horton Slough Trail 1 mile paved. “Visitors walk through a forested area, while enjoying views of the wetland and wildlife that inhabit it. An overlook and benches provide opportunities to enjoy the scenery. ”
Sandtown Nature Trail 1 mile paved. The trail “….offers a view across the Arkansas and Canadian Rivers’ delta.” It “…. highlights the diversity of habitat as it transitions into bottomland hardwoods. This is where visitors might also catch a glimpse of the refuge’s more inconspicuous residents like bobcats and armadillos.”Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge
The refuge, situated in south central Oklahoma, is “…a place rich in nature and history where it is easy to imagine an era of vast herds of wild animals grazing the prairies and the darkening of skies from flocking birds. ” The Refuge includes the 93,000 acre Lake Texoma.
Trails Phone: 580-371-2402 Map Here is their website.
Oklahoma Legacy Arboretum is .25 miles and “meanders through the hummingbird and butterfly gardens ……”
Craven Nature Trail is “one of the best places on the refuge to delve into wildlife….” The first 1/4 mile of the trails is paved and the rest is gravel.Washita National Wildlife Refuge
“Within the refuge, the slow-moving Washita River winds through prairie and farmlands to merge with Foss Reservoir, providing a home and resting area for geese and other waterfowl. Gently rolling hills, ravines, and bottomlands laced with creeks shelter wildlife as common as white-tailed deer and as unusual as the Texas horned lizard. ”
Trails Map phone 580-664-2205 Here is their website.
Centennial Trail 1/3 mile hard surface trail with interpretive signs, a boardwalk and observation deck overlooking a wetland area. It is a National Recreation Trail.
State
Oklahoma State Parks Here are links to all the state parks with contact information.
Boiling Springs State Park
Map Trails Accessibility phone 580-256-7664 Here is the Park website.
? “The Boiling Springs State Park Trail System includes five hiking and mountain trails of various lengths that are perfect for beginners. Both the Whitetail Trail and Spring Hill Trails are a quarter mile long, while the River Nature Trail is three quarters mile long.” This quote is from TravelOK.com These trails sound likely, but call first in case there are stairs or other obstacles. Their idea of “beginners” might be youngsters who can clamber over such things.Greenleaf State Park
“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.”
Map Trails phone 918-487-5196 Here is the Park website.
Family Fun Trail is 1.5 paved mile accessible trail beginning at the Park Office. There is an observation deck overlooking the Arkansas River.Lake Eufaula State Park
Lake Eufaula State Park is on Lake Eufaula, a 102,000 acre reservoir, and offers many activities on land and water.
Map Accessibility Trails phone 918-689-5311 Here is their website.
Crazy Snake Interpretive Trail is a paved, 1/4 mile nature trail which “provides both shady secluded areas and open meadows dotted with wildflowers in the spring. Educational signs about the local plant and animal life are placed at a comfortable height for visitors in wheelchairs.”Lake Texoma State Park
“Besides fishing and a myriad of watersports, Lake Texoma State Park offers swimming, camping, picnic areas, wildlife viewing opportunities and hiking.”
Map Accessibility Trails phone 580-564-2566 Here is their website.
Texoma Interpretive Trail is about 1.5 miles long and “a portion of the trail is handicapped accessible.”Lake Thunderbird State Park
“Lake Thunderbird State Park offers a variety of water activities and recreation.” There are two marinas (Calypso Cove Marina and Little River Marina), nine boat ramps and two swim beaches as well as camping sites, playgrounds and picnic tables.
Map Accessibility Trails phone 405-366-8150 Here is their website.
?Clear Bay area has the Green Loop trail which is 1.5 miles and the Yellow Loop trail which is 1 mile. Both are described as suitable for “novices”. Call to be sure there are no obstacles such as stairs.Lake Wister State Park
“This outdoor haven offers park visitors a variety of activities including hiking, camping, biking, boating and water skiing on the 7,300 surface acres of Lake Wister.”
Map Accessibility phone 918-655-7274 Here is the Park website.
Wards Campground trail 1/3 mile. “Guests in wheelchairs can enjoy a beautiful scenic tour of the park on this 1/3 mile long paved trail.”Natural Falls State Park
“Located near the Oklahoma/Arkansas border in the scenic Ozark Highlands region of northeast Oklahoma, Natural Falls State Park features a 77-foot waterfall cascading through rock formations and creating a hidden, serene atmosphere at the bottom of a narrow V-shaped valley.”
Map Trails Map Accessibility Trails phone 918-422-5802 Here is the Park website.
Dripping Springs Trail, 1/2 mile, leads from the parking lot to a viewing deck for the falls.
Pine Ridge Trail is 3/4 mile begins near the visitor center and connects all areas of the park.
Local
Oklahoma City
Here is the website for Oklahoma City’s Parks and Recreation.
Bluff Creek Park has a 2 mile ADA paved walking running path which “loops through scenic wooded areas along the park’s western edge…” It then “… sweeps along the eastern side of the park.” Phone 297-3882 for information.
Martin Park Nature Center Jim Thorpe Courage Trail is a 0.5 mile trail curving “… through the park’s woodlands, and nearby meadows and streams.Call 405-755-0676 for information.
Okmulgee
Okmulgee & Dripping Springs Lake & Recreation Area
This recreation area, formerly Okmulgee State Park, is located along two lakes.
Map Accessibility Phone 918-756-5971 Here are their facebook page and their website .
Oak Leaf Nature trail is 3 miles and 1/2 mile of it is paved.Tulsa
Here is the website for Tulsa’s Parks and Recreation. Phone (918) 596-7275.
Mary K. Oxley Nature Center “There are nearly nine miles of trails. Most of them are flat and fairly smooth. Wheelchairs and strollers may be taken down many of the trails unless rain has made the dirt or grass surfaces too soft or muddy.” Trail Guide Call 918-669-6644 for information.
Private
Miscellaneous
Nature For The Blind has a directory of Braille trails for almost every state in the US and for many other countries.
The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy lists wheelchair accessible trails in Oklahoma.