SALT PLAINS STATE PARK
Recreational opportunities at Great Salt Plains State Park include boating, camping, picnicking, swimming, hiking, mountain biking and exploring. The Great Salt Plains Lake is located at the park and covers 8,690 surface acres with 41 miles of shoreline and is a shallow, salty lake with fishing opportunities for catfish, saugeye, sandbass and hybrid striper. Personal watercraft are not recommended. The park has RV and tent sites, comfort stations with showers, cabins, picnic sites, group shelters, swimming beach, playgrounds, boat ramps, fishing dock and equestrian trails. Horse rental is not available. The Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge sits adjacent to the park and offers great bird watching and fall foliage viewing opportunities. The refuge is the only spot in the world where crystal enthusiasts can dig for hourglass selenite crystals, a rare and fragile form of selenite, which is a form of gypsum. Digging times are available from April 1 through October 15. **Notice** Selenite crystal digging at the Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge resumed on April 25, 2009.
Located in Alfalfa County, Oklahoma, the area was designated a national wildlife refuge by President Herbert Hoover in 1930. The park is known for its unique salt flat landscape and crystal digging opportunities. It became popular among tourists due to bird watching activities and hunting seasons regulated by U.S Fish & Wildlife Service rules. In addition to these attractions, it also offers camping facilities since the mid-20th century.
The park offers a variety of boating options for visitors. There is access to the Great Salt Plains Lake, where guests can enjoy sailing and motorboating activities. The lake also has boat ramps available for use by those who bring their own boats. Canoeing or kayaking on the river that runs through the park are other popular choices among visitors.
Enjoy fishing in the Great Salt Plains Lake, known for its catfish and sand bass. Saugeye is also common here. Other species include hybrid striped bass and crappie. The lake covers 8,690 acres providing ample space to fish from a boat or shoreline.