Oklahoma……Who would have thought. Aleu and I decided to venture out of the Lone Star State for just a few days and we discovered a great park just 35 minutes north of the border. Of course we chose the first 90 degree extremely humid day to do it but we sill had a blast. The park has 27 miles of trails, a very pretty lake, a miniature golf course, a full grown up golf course, a scuba shop, horse stables, a lodge, cabins, camping areas, beach areas, marinas, an area designated for playing with your ATV’s, tennis courts, a baseball field and a bunch of other stuff I am sure I missed so there is absolutely no excuse to not check it out. They even have a chapel open 24 hours a day for meditation. They have happy geese that wander around to say hello. This really is a cool park. The worst part about this place was that I had to leave Texas to get to it.
As I stated earlier we picked a really hot day to enjoy this place, thankfully I always pack extra water and Aleu loved swimming in the lake. The water was pretty clear and humans were fairly sparse as usual in the middle of the week.
They have these cute cabins in the park that have air-conditioning and allow your puppy to stay too. I sure wish Texas State Parks would allow your pets in the cabins, as far as I know dogs aren’t allowed in any Texas State Park buildings which I find interesting because I have no problem finding very fancy hotels that welcome Aleu, off topic, it just annoys the heck out of me.
Miles and miles of trails to enjoy make me a very happy girl. The footing varies from rocky to flat and even, lots of shade through most of the trails. Be sure to get a trail map and pay attention to the trail markers, a lot of the trail names posted on the flash do not match the names on the map so its important to pay attention to where you are. I got turned around a bit and actually needed my compass to figure out where I was headed. That happens to me occasionally, Aleu is like a divining rod if I am searching for water but if I am am just trying to find my car she sure isn’t much help.
Lake Murray State Park has a lot to offer and I highly recommend checking it out, even if you have to leave Texas to do it.
Adventures with Aleu 
Thanks Angela. Love you story. Gram
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For what it is worth, if you live in the Metromess, the absolute best hiking destination is the Wichita Mountains in Oklahoma. Rugged, wild, beautiful and teeming with bison and elk, the place is a mountain oasis. It is about 3.5 hours from Dallas, a little shorter if you live around Cowtown. I went to gradschool in Dallas for 4 years and this became my home away from home the whole time I was there. Sometimes I would do weekend backpacking trips, others, I would wake up at 4AM, drive up there, hike all day, and get back home at 11PM. Rough but worth it! You absolutely can’t go wrong here. Great hiking and backpacking and THE BEST rock climbing between the Rockies and the Appalachians (excluding the Black Hills, of course). Also worth checking out is the town of Medicine Park and the Meers Store restaurant. These links might help give an idea:
http://www.summitpost.org/charon-s-garden-wilderness/274583
http://www.summitpost.org/wichita-mountains/171222
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Thank you so much for the advice. I plan on hiking the Wichita Mountains very soon so I appreciate any info on the area. I actually live in between Fort Worth and Waco so everything is a bit of a drive for me but I usually make a two day trip of it at least so any info on dog friendly cabins is much appreciated. I just checked out your website and now I feel the need to head to California! Thanks again
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If you are looking for cabins, your best bet is probably going to be in Medicine Park. If you or your parents were military, you can stay at Lake Elmer Thomas, which is on Fort Sill, at the south side of the Wichitas. Another option is to check out the Quartz Mountain area, where OK operates a huge resort. Not as much hiking there (great climbing though!) but they have loads of cabins.
Thanks for checking out my site. This far north is sort of the forgotten corner of the Golden State. Not many people but a lot of mountains.
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Going to take your advice, heading to Medicine Park this week.
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Awesome. While in town, be sure to walk along the river front. It is unusual and beautiful. Medicine Park might be the prettiest town on the Plains. There is nothing else like it. Be sure to eat dinner at the Meers Store. Meersburger w/ cheese and cobbler for dessert is mandatory.
As far as hiking goes, The three best trails are the Elk Mountain Trail, the Charon’s Garden Trail and the obvious but unofficial path to the Crab Eyes (my personal favorite). If it has rained recently, Post Oak Falls, just off the Charon’s Garden Trail, is worth a visit. Be sure to drive up to the top of Mount Scott too. Best view there is on the southern Plains.
I know it might be strange for a Californian living up in the mountains to miss something like that in Oklahoma, but it had a huge impact on me, both in surviving the city and on me philosophically. Have fun!
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You are just a wealth of information! Thank you so much for all of the info. I usually just show up and ask locals where to go. I will actually have a plan this time. I truly appreciate you taking the time.
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No worries. It is what I do. I just usually do it here in Mount Shasta.
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Do you know much about Mt Scott
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Never mind, I just saw that you recommend it!
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In terms of stuff to do there or climbing areas?
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you were right
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About what exactly?
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the wichita mountains being amazing and Meers having really great cheeseburgers
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Well good. I am glad that the trip was worth it! I am telling you, it can get addictive. There is a lot to explore out there and it is obviously very beautiful. The thing that continues to amaze me is how few people know about it, especially with DFW being so close by. You would think people would mob the place on weekends but they don’t. Glad you liked the Meers Store too.
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