by Kevin Ogle with Rob Morris

Skyrocketing fuel costs are causing many families to cut back on their summer vacation plans. The high price of gas actually provides a great opportunity to discover (or rediscover) one of Oklahoma’s greatest natural resources—the 50 state parks which reflect the diversity of our Sooner State.

On the east side of the state you’ll find the piney forests of the Ozarks and on the west side, the splendid, sunlit mesas of the Panhandle. In between there’s enough variety to keep you and your family busy for weeks—and at a bargain that won’t annihilate your vacation budget.

“The great thing about our parks system is that because it’s so diverse, you don’t have to go far to experience anything from spelunking to rock climbing to jet-skiing,” says Hardy Watkins, Oklahoma State Tourism Director. Take Natural Falls State Park near West Siloam Springs, for example. A fantastic 75’ waterfall and lush forests led to this park being chosen as the filming site for the classic movie, Where the Red Fern Grows.

If the desert is more to your liking, choose between Beaver Dunes in the Panhandle or the world-famous Little Sahara, near Waynoka in northwest Oklahoma. You’ll find hiking and off-roading opportunities galore at either.

The state is blessed with a wide choice of state parks that are planned around lakes. Boating, sailing, skiing, and fishing opportunities beneath the Oklahoma sun provide wonderful family bonding moments.

In the blast furnace of July and August, you might consider going underground at Alabaster Caverns State Park in Freedom, Oklahoma. This naturally air conditioned, .75-mile cave is formed of alabaster, a rare form of gypsum. In fact, Alabaster Caverns is the largest gypsum cave in the world.

These parks merely scratch the surface of what Oklahoma offers your family this summer. And while state parks may not feature million dollar roller coasters and thrill rides like Disney World, they do offer something that’s increasingly rare in today’s frenetic world—a million chances to explore the natural wonders of our state, hand in hand with your child.

Watkins sums up the opportunities this way, “State parks are great places for families to make memories. State park experiences pull kids out of video games and TV and make life real and experiential…and they will always remember it. That’s time you can’t get back with your family.”

Until next time...

Kevin Ogle, a native Oklahoman, is a news anchor on Oklahoma’s NewsChannel 4. He and his wife have two teenage daughters.