Tour Oklahoma: Great Salt Plains State Park 07/23/09

I had been working and had done no planning on this trip at all. Tina and Tammy planned everything. I drove our van with the boys and followed Tina who rode with Tammy and the girls. We left early and headed towards Jet, Oklahoma to the Great Salt Plains.

I was stunned when we drove up. It looked like a beach with an ocean. It was incredible. Tina and Chase had been there a few years ago on a school field trip.

I thought we were at an Oklahoma State Park until later in the day. I would have checked it off our list. Actually we were at a National Wildlife Refuge.

According to information on their website:

The refuge's namesake is designated as the "largest such saline flat in the central lowlands of North America." The 10,000 acre salt flat is only a third of the refuge land; The 32,000 acre refuge is complete with open water, wetlands, prairies, woodlands and farm fields.

An estimated 30,000 visitors were at the area annually to dig for the selenite crystal with its unique hour glass inclusion. This is the only known site where these crystals are found. The selenite crystal is designated as the Oklahoma State Crystal.

The weather was beautiful and not too hot. Everyone started digging for crystals and was having a great time. I refrained from getting dirty and appointed myself videographer. (I couldn’t get the equipment all salty!)

Reagan didn’t eat much for breakfast and after leaning over and digging for about twenty minutes he stood up and then passed out. Tina freaked out a little. I, however, remained calm, cool and collected as I am trained by the Red Cross in CPR and First Aid. (You should be too!) We got him to the van, cooled off and fed and he was fine and went back to digging for more crystals.

We left and headed to a place Tammy knew of in Jet where everyone could shower before we ate lunch. As we turned in to “the place to shower” I saw the Great Salt Plains State Park sign and realized we were just now entering the state park!

“Where had we been?” I asked everyone.

They thought I was crazy that I didn’t realize we hadn’t been at the state park. Everyone showered while I went around and took a few pictures of the park. We didn’t have time to hike any trails but we did take a few pictures near the dam. Yes, we took “dam pictures.”

We headed off to find someplace to eat and that was the end of our trip to Great Salt Plains State Park. I’m sure the park was more beautiful than we got to experience.

The National Wildlife Refuge is something everyone should see at least once. I’m not sure how long I could hang out there digging for crystals but Tammy and her girls have been there four times and love it.