The state park is especially popular each August when the annual Perseid meteor shower is visible. The dark skies draw countless astronomy enthusiasts to the area every year as they make star gazing ideal. In addition to being an excellent location for wildlife watching, Black Mesa State Park boasts some of the darkest nighttime skies on publicly accessible land in the country. Other wildlife in the area includes black bear, bobcat, mountain lion, mule deer, bighorn sheep and antelope. The park is a birder's paradise with golden eagles, scaled quail, black-billed magpies, and pinyon jays. Visitors can hike to the top of the plateau, Oklahoma's highest point at 4,973 feet above sea level, while in the Black Mesa Nature Preserve. The unique area marks the point where the Rocky Mountains meet the shortgrass prairie and many species are at the easternmost or westernmost point of their natural range. The nature preserve consists of approximately 1,600 acres where visitors can hike and enjoy 23 rare plants and eight rare animal species. The nature preserve is operated by the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department in conjunction with Black Mesa State Park. Black Mesa takes its name from the layer of black lava rock that coated the mesa about 30 million years ago. "It could be in New Mexico, it could be in Arizona, but it is here in Oklahoma," visitor Terry Shreve said.Black Mesa is located in Oklahoma's panhandle along the tri-state border with Colorado and New Mexico. Whether you're staying for a few days or just a few hours, you can experience it all right here, in our state. "It's just a work of art," said visitor Danielle Shreve. There you'll find a monument marking the highest point in the state of Oklahoma, 4,972 feet.īut the true magic here at Black Mesa may come out when the sun goes down. With almost no light pollution, Black Mesa is one of the best, darkest spots in the country to see the stars.Īccording to park employees people come from around the world to check out the stars at Black Mesa. In fact every September, astronomy fans come for a week-long star party.īetween this subtle glow in the middle of the night, and the orange sky of what looks like a painted sunset, beauty is all around. About two miles into the hike, you'll reach a steep incline that'll take you to the top. It's important to pack lots of water, snacks, and sunscreen. It took Brad and two sons more than three hours to complete the nearly 8-mile roundtrip hike. "Lived in Oklahoma for six years so we decided to check it out," said visitor Brad Moses. This is also where you can find the three-state marker, which separates New Mexico, Colorado and Oklahoma. But the biggest attraction is climbing the Mesa itself. Jonathan: "So what kind of dinosaur was this?" Jane: "It was a two legged dinosaur. And there was another track way down here." That includes the 13 dinosaur tracks still carved into the ground next to Carrizo Creek. Jane also acts as a tour guide, showing people around the Mesa's most popular spots. If you want to roll up your sleeves she'll put you to work on her ranch. Every other morning Jane loads up her pick-up with feed and heads out to find her 150 cows. Her family owns the Hitching Post, which is an assortment of homes and log cabins. But Jane provides a lot more than just a vacation rental. "My granddad came to this country in 1886," Jane Apple said. Tall mesas paint the skyline, and at first you see more cactus than people. The tiny town of Kenton has a population of just 14. "Right when you get to the park, it drops off and you're in a valley and it's really pretty," said Park Manager Polly Kiker. But west of Boise City, everything changes. The drive there is seemingly flat, with remnants of the Dust Bowl still dotting the landscape. It's full of diverse wildlife, clear skies, and a growing number of tourists. It gets its name from the black lava rock that coated the land 30 million years ago. Black Mesa State Park is the driest, coldest and highest spot in Oklahoma.
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Summer Staycations: Black Mesa, Oklahoma's Highest Pointįar across the Oklahoma Panhandle, in a secluded corner of the state, is a spectacular landscape unfamiliar to many Oklahomans.