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Northwest Oklahoma has more to offer than waving wheat and wind, though wheat fields and windy days are plentiful.

This area of the state is home to several state parks and natural wonders, including sand dunes, salt flats, caves, lakes and mountains.

The Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge, consisting of 32,197 acres within Alfalfa County, is a safe habitat for thousands of birds, including some endangered species. The salt flats area is the only place in the world where visitors can dig for hourglass selenite crystals.

  

The Great Salt Plains State Park, adjacent to the refuge, is home to a shallow, salty lake, with areas for camping, hiking, swimming, boating and fishing, but most importantly, brilliant views.

Speaking of great views, Gloss Mountain State Park is marked by the brilliant, selenite-rich earth that forms small mountains in the otherwise flat prairie. Sometimes referred to as the Glass Mountains, the mountain surfaces shine like glass in the sunlight.    

Further west, in Woodward County, Alabaster Caverns State Park offers one of the largest natural gypsum caves in the world, and the only gypsum show cave in the United States. Guided tours are available for Alabaster Cavern, but the park also maintains four caves for wild caving, or spelunking. This unique state park also offers camping and hiking, and, if you’re lucky, a chance to see some of the resident bats.

A final example of Northwest Oklahoma’s diverse terrain can be found in Woods County. Little Sahara State Park features over 1,600 acres of sand dunes, some as high as 75 feet, making this location perfect for ATV enthusiasts. 

Visit https://www.travelok.com/articles/northwestoklahomasstateparktreasures for more information on other amazing state parks and unique travel destinations in Northwest Oklahoma.