The Valley Section of the Black Mesa Trail I like to break the Black Mesa hike into 3 distinct parts: the valley section, the ascent, and the mesa section. The initial part of the trail starts off open and flat, through a largely grassland environment, bordered by a ring of plateaus and mesas. There is a sign for the trail and a gate at the trailhead. There is almost no shade along this trail, especially during the later part on the top of the mesa. I would plan on bringing 2 liters minimum for this day hike, especially in the summer. Be sure to pack in all the water you will need for your hike. There is a wooden sign marking the small parking area and a single toilet facility at the trailhead.
There is no cost to enter the Nature Preserve and hike Black Mesa. The trailhead for the Black Mesa hike can be found in the Black Mesa Nature Preserve, in the very northwest corner of the state.
On the day of my hike, I encountered two other individuals in just over three hours. There is nothing else for miles around, and odds are you can have this trail mostly to yourself for the majority of your hike. Once you reach the top, you will easily see how these high point views can be quite impressive, even from a humble contender like Oklahoma. There are sections of flat terrain traversing grasslands, sections of uphill ascent, and sections of wide open expanses walking on the face of the plateau. But as I said before, this is such a unique region due to the worlds of central grasslands and Rocky Mountains clashing, that it is a fascinating and enjoyable hike.Įven though Oklahoma may not be known as a “diverse” hiking environment, this hike accomplishes just that. It is in a very remote corner of an under-rated state, when it comes to outdoor opportunities and hiking. The Black Mesa high point trail is not a trail that is going to garnish a lot of recognition or renown. Rating: Moderate, due to some incline and length of trail Hiking Black Mesa Oklahoma: the Highest Point in Oklahoma Black Mesa State Park is located a short distance south of the Black Mesa Nature Preserve, where the hike to the highest point in Oklahoma is located. The nearest small town to the Black Mesa trailhead is in Kenton, Oklahoma. A hike up Black Mesa Oklahoma not only allows you to check off a state high point hike, but it gives you first hand experience of what this symbiotic blending of United States topographies looks like up close.īlack Mesa Oklahoma is home to eagles, quail, black bears, bobcats, mountain lions, mule deer, antelope, and big horn sheep.īlack Mesa Oklahoma is located literally only minutes from the Colorado and New Mexico borders, in far northwestern Oklahoma. It is a perfect blending of geographies and ecosystems, and it is what makes this area very unique. Unique wildlife can be found here, with western dwelling species at their most eastern reaches, and eastern dwelling species at their most western reaches. What is unique about this area, and the Black Mesa hike, is that it is THEpoint where the Rocky Mountains of the west meet the central prairie grasslands. Black Mesa Nature Preserve is open from dawn to dusk only, and there is no camping within the Nature Preserve borders. The hike to the highest point in Oklahoma, atop of Black Mesa, is found on the Nature Preserve part.īlack Mesa State Park is adjacent to Lake Carl Etling, and offers campsites for overnight guests. The state park and nature preserve that house Black Mesa Oklahoma, are actually two separate entities, approximately 15 miles apart. A valley of hike-able grasslands and plains, bordered by a ridge of mesas, vistas, and plateaus.Ī melding of central grasslands and western Rockiesīlack Mesa State Park and Black Mesa Nature Preserve What you find here at Black Mesa is a taste of both of these unique geographies blended seamlessly together. To the very near northwest lies the famed topography and mountains of Colorado, and to the south and east lie the open plains and grasslands of Oklahoma and Texas. This corner of the Sooner state really melds the characteristics of the surrounding regions.
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