Hiking in Oklahoma is usually pretty awesome! Oklahoma City is centrally located is in a prime location for exploring almost all the corners of the state to discover the wide variety of hiking that is near me, in Oklahoma City. I’ll be exploring hiking near me around OKC and maybe add some new places to your local hiking spots around the metro!
Hiking Near Oklahoma City
There is lots of hiking in the OKC metro area. The city is lucky to have a large city trail system, two large lakes with parks all around, and the MAPS tax initiative is continuing to improve the recreational activities for people in the city. We are pretty lucky here in Oklahoma City to have a growing trail and recreation system around town.
First, I will start with Bluff Creek Park north of Lake Hefner. Bluff Creek Park is located at 11301 N Meridian Avenue and has a large grass area to the east side of the park and a playground area too. But the best part of the park is the miles of paved trails that extend throughout the west side of the park. Another perk of the park is the unpaved biking and hiking trails that follow the creek that flows through the park. There are plenty of bike paths and they are very popular on the weekends to get a little muddy and take the bike out. It’s a fun spot located in an urban setting that is a great time.
Martin Park Nature Center is another treat in the Oklahoma City metro. The park is located at 5000 W Memorial Drive in the northwest part of the city. This park is a great addition to any day trip or even activities with children. This park includes a nature center which has exhibitions on local flora and fauna. The park does include approximately 2.5 miles of trails and has some creeks and open areas too. There is even a small pond on the property and is great for birdwatching. This place is a great addition but please remember this park is here for the wildlife and plants, it’s not for the patrons and the animal are protected. Finally, no pets are allowed so don’t bring Fido with you to this special place.
Arcadia Lake is a lake located in the northern suburb called Edmond. It’s located on the far northeast side of the metro but has plenty of areas to roam. The three main areas are Spring Creek, Edmond Park, and Central State Park. There are hiking trails and the lake is available to swim in and small boats are allowed. There is also camping and you can stay the night up at the lake and it’s only a few miles away from major cities. It’s a fun treat in the metro and more information on staying can be found on the Edmond park department website.
Finally, in the metro area, there is the Oklahoma City Trail System. This is another MAPS creation from the tax and it’s a paved trail system all around the city. You can see the trail map here. It’s an incredible amount of paved trail and sidewalk for biking and walking. The tail extends all around Lake Hefner, down to the Oklahoma River, into Bricktown downtown area, and a separate area around Lake Stanley Draper. These paths are usually paved and allow for miles of biking or walking. There’s no excuse to get your steps in or miles around OKC.
Hiking in Central Oklahoma
Red Rock Canyon Adventure Park, formally Red Rock Canyon State Park in Hinton, OK is only about an hour away from Oklahoma City. It’s a privately owned park that was previously a state park. It’s to the west of the metro and easily accessible. There has tons of hiking in the park. It’s well known for its red rock canyon that runs through the middle of the park. It has trails on both sides of the canyon and throughout the park. There’s ample parking, camping, RV spaces, and even repelling. If you want to get outside, this is the place to be! There’s even a pool. This is a great trip for anyone wanting to get away from OKC for a few hours!
Other great areas that I’m going to just make one large post are the three main state parks that are near OKC. The three parks are Lake Thunderbird, Fort Cobb, and Roman Nose. These parks are a welcome adventure for anyone wanting to get some hiking near them in the metro. Thunderbird and Cobb both have lakes that allow boating, fishing, and swimming. Roman Nose is well known for its golf course among cliffs. You can see my write up on Roman Nose State Park here. I had a great camping weekend there and highly recommend it.
Central Oklahoma has so much to offer. The city and surrounding metro have tons to offer also. Swimming, camping, trekking, boating, fishing, walks, running, hiking, and so much more can be found just around the corner here in Oklahoma. So good luck out there and let me know how it goes! Happy trails!