Oh my gosh! I knew Turkey Mountain existed but I hadn’t ventured there in a good 20+ years. To be very accurate, the last time I was at Turkey Mountain I was still in high school and went there with a boyfriend to make out. But moving on…
Turkey Mountain has undergone a remarkable transformation. Thanks to a $1.5 million grant from the George Kaiser Family Foundation, the entrance is beautiful. There is ample parking (including a lot for horse trailers), climbing boulders, restroom facilities, an outdoor shower, and a water fountain for trail users and their furry friends.
There are four main trails – yellow, red, blue, and pink – and endless unmarked trails – totaling about 45 miles of running/hiking/biking enjoyment. You can walk for an hour and not encounter another person and then turn a corner and meet a group of mountain bikers or trail runners.
A recent outing with a friend and my two pups found us on the yellow trail. The yellow trail is a 4.4 mile loop along the east side of the mountain. Now let me clear something up right now – I am not an experienced hiker by any stretch of the imagination. At all! The only thing I can ever remember about the outdoors is “leaves of three, let it be”. Well, that and what to do in case of a bear attack, which is “big and brown - lay down; big and black – fight back”. And as we all know – the bears are rampant in Brookside. But I found the yellow trail to be a fun, easy hike. It took about 2 hours to complete (we could have gone faster but the boy dog had to pee on something EVERY 5 MINUTES) and it was really very fabulous. There were some amazing boulders the size of small cars, the views were phenomenal, people were friendly and I felt very Daniel Boone-like.
Along the way we saw some remnants of old pump jack stands from when the mountain was prospected for oil in the early 20th century. We saw an amazing view of downtown Tulsa, the Arkansas River, and a not so amazing view of the sewage treatment facility.
Another outing involved the blue trail. I found the blue trail to be a little more challenging even though it's shorter in length (1.5 mile loop). It's a bit rockier and steeper than the yellow trail and takes you into the heart of the mountain.
If you are new to hiking, don't have a lot of time, or just curious about what Turkey Mountain is all about - I would suggest the red trail. It's less than a mile and only takes about 20 minutes. It winds south of the parking lot, running parallel to 71st street for just a bit, and then back into the mountain.
The red trail will give you a very good idea of what to expect on the other trails without leaving you exhausted or feeling overwhelmed.
The pink trail looks intimidating on the map but it’s really not that bad. Keep in mind however that the pink trail is not as clearly marked as the other trails so you do need to pay more attention and be aware of your surroundings. It’s also a lot more private.
When you are in the middle of this urban wilderness, it is so easy to forget that you are only 7 minutes from downtown. Remarkable! And let me add that I felt very safe the entire time I hiked. Not once did I feel any trepidation or concern.
If you choose to venture out, I would recommend taking basic safety precautions –
- Hike with a buddy. If you go alone, make sure you let someone know when to expect you back.
- Take some water and perhaps a granola bar. Yes, there is a fountain at the trail head but it's always better to be safe than sorry.
- If you're new to hiking, follow the trail markers. As tempting as it may be to go off on your own, you don't want to get lost and then have to call 911 and then make a big scene. It's easier to just avoid the embarrassment altogether.
And don't forget to check back next week for the latest in Keeping Tulsa Local.
