Quartz Mountain State Park in Oklahoma has a unique history. The Civilian Conservation Corps created the park and it is one of the original seven state parks. It was divested from the state and sold to private hands and has recently returned to state park status. I camped and hiked while I was there during a very warm Christmas break. Join me and learn some of the best and worst things at the park and make sure you are able to have a great trip whenever you make it to southwestern Oklahoma!
Useful Links
- Quartz Mountain State Park Official Site
- Lake Altus-Lugert Lake Level Corp of Engineers Website
- Oklahoma State Park Winterization and Updates Site
Pros
- Gorgeous landscape
- Lots of RV and camping spots
- Large lodge for events or overnight stays
Cons
- Isolated (could be a pro too)
- Large park and have to drive to some areas
- RV spots very close together
Camping at Quartz Mountain State Park
I stayed at the Moutain View Campground during the winter so only the Scissortail bathroom was available. It’s located here. You can find the winterization plan here. Only one bathroom is open during the winter so be prepared for that.
Mountain View Campground
The park is gorgeous from that campground but both the Mountain View and Scissortail campgrounds. The mountain view campground is right along the levee along the lake. The sites are a bit more spaced out than the Scissortail. It did have a 30amp and a 20amp 110v outlet. It did have a site-side water spigot too. There were lots of trees near the sites and seems like it would be a good summer spot too.
Scissortail Campground
The Mountain View is right by the Scissortail campground and that’s where the sites are a lot closer. There looked to be electrical and spigots site-side. Some supposedly even have a sewer connection. This campground also looked easier for longer trailers because they were all pull-through. The Mountain View sites were all back-in spots.
Hiking at Quartz Mountain State Park
Quartz Mountain State Park has several trails spaced throughout the park. Be ready to drive to a few of them due to the large distances in the park. The trails were all well marked and maintained but always be prepared in case you do get lost.
New Horizon Trail
The New Horizon Trail was a moderate to hard trail. It was less than a mile but it had some scrambling and big boulders to step over. This trail may not be best for people who couldn’t do well with tall stairs because it felt like that for several parts of the trail. It was steep for several feet on parts of the trail so be ready to lean to one side a few times. Overall, it was a fun hike and it was nice to see over all the park and lake!
Cedar Valley Trail
The Cedar Valley Trail was in the western part of the park and was very simple. It was well maintained and flat and easy. The trail travels around the small valley nestled between two parts of the mountains – in the “valley”. The valley had several stripped and maybe even dead trees that were white and dry-looking. There is also tall grass all around but the trail is mowed out to keep the trail. There is also another portion of the trail that can take you into the mountains.
Baldy Point Trail
Baldy Point Trail started at the same point as Cedar Valley Trail but goes towards Baldy Point. It’s flat for a while then starts to aggressively travel up the side of the mountain. It’s a moderate trail but has lots of more gradual parts too. It wasn’t as aggressive as the New Horizon Trail. There are great views of the flat plain to the southwest and then you can see all the mountains and to the park from the tall point.
Quartz Mountain State Park Ratings
Bathrooms
The bathrooms had some wear and tear but everything worked and they were maintained and cleaned. I didn’t shower so I can’t confirm if it had hot water but several people used the building while I was there. It was a little better than average so not my worst experience.
Campsites
The Mountain View campground was really nice. The location and views were towards the hills and not so much the levee behind you. They had both water and electrical hookups.
Activities
Obvious things like fishing, swimming, and hiking are around the park. There are a few above-average things at the park-like a golf course and a small putt-putt place for the kids. Be ready to drive a short distance for these extras because they are not located near the campsites.
There are cabins and a group dorm area for a large church or scout event. There is even the lodge. The lodge was very nice and had a cool modern look. An above-average activity list for sure!
Location
The location is a bit isolated. The nears town is Altus and that is several miles away. There are some very small towns near but not much is in them. There are even a few roadside attractions around there but their best days are behind them. Pack the cooler a bit higher than usual for this spot.
Visible Cell Service at Quartz Mountain State Park
I was able to get 20 Mbps download and only 0.5 – 1 Mbps upload speeds. This was even behind the hill and in the corner of the Mountain View Campground. I only had 1 bar and did lose service in certain spots even around my campsite but was able to stream videos in the right spot.
Conclusion
This was an above-average park in Oklahoma. I’d say it’s also a good compliment to be added to your Wichita Mountains trip for a smaller “state-sized” equivalent to the National Wildlife Refuge which is much bigger and expansive. There were lots of campsites available and I bet the campground is a buzz when full. The lodge is a nice addition and would be a fun “stay-cation” if you live in the area. It should be on your next weekend trip idea list if you’re within a few hours of this cool Oklahoma park.
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