Although camping is allowed within the state park, no camping is allowed within the nature preserve borders. A restroom is available at the nature preserve trailhead along with shade structures about half way up the trail. Allow at least four hours to hike to the top of the mesa from the parking area and back. Located about 15 miles from the nature preserve, Black Mesa State Park is adjacent to Lake Carl Etling and offers online reservable RV campsites with water and electric hookups, tent campsites, picnic facilities, boat ramps, playground and restrooms with showers.īlack Mesa Nature Preserve is open dawn to dusk only. It is one of the most viewed meteor showers in the Northern Hemisphere and is best seen from remote areas such as the Oklahoma panhandle.
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. You can see the town of Kenton in the valley below.Black Mesa is located in Oklahoma's panhandle along the tri-state border with Colorado and New Mexico. There is also a great view off the south side of the mesa if you walk over to the edge of the mesa from the monument. Once you get to the high point monument there is interesting information on it in all directions. As an interesting side note, the trail head is only a few miles to the south of the CO/NM/OK corner- which you can drive to. The monument sits right along the OK/NM state line. On top of the mesa there are views of the surrounding area and fewer trees. The trail up the valley floor winds through juniper and cactus grasslands. The trail follows a valley along the north side of Black Mesa for about 2 miles then turns and goes up the side of the mesa and across the top for about ¾ mile to the monument. Time to Nearest Town: 40 minutes to Boise City, OK.Ĭondition of Approach Roads: Highway 325 is paved and the road that you turn north on is also paved, although not as smooth. In northwestern Cimarron County, Oklahoma. The highest point of Black Mesa within New Mexico is 5,239 feet. The parking lot and Nature Preserve will be on the left about several miles up this road on the north side of the mesa. Its highest elevation is 5,705 feet in Colorado. Right across the highway from Camp Billie Jo. It is fairly obvious and a blacktop road. I would recommend earlier in the spring, late fall (late Oct-November) or a great winter day hike.įrom Kenton, OK, go east on Highway 325 for half a mile, then turn left (north) on a county road for 5 miles. I would recommend earlier, but lots of people hiking this day. Time of Year I Hiked the Trail: I hiked this trail May 29 from 8am-12pm. This Trail is Good for: Hiking, bird watching, wildlife (occasionally big horn sheep in the area)ĭispersed Camping Nearby: No, Camp at Black Mesa State Park east of Kenton, OK and west of Boise City, OK. Location: North of Kenton, OK in the very western part of the Oklahoma panhandle. And about 560 feet elevation gain going up the mesa from the valley floor. Total Mileage: 8.5 miles roundtrip according to Runkeeper App.
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