Boiling Springs State Park Woodward County Oklahoma

Boiling Springs State Park is a park built northeast of

Woodward, Oklahoma Woodward is a city in and the county seat of Woodward County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the largest city in a nine-county area. The population was 11,975 at the United States Census. The area was historically occupied by the Kiowa, Coman ...

, USA. It was built by the

Civilian Conservation Corps The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was a major part of ...

in the 1930s.

History

The park originated in the 1930s and was named for its springs.Boiling Springs Park
Woodward Online - Parks (accessed May 18, 2013) It was constructed as a park from the natural environment by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The park received its current name because its sandy-bottom springs appear to be boiling because of the inrush of subsurface water. The water temperature is actually far cooler than boiling."Boiling Springs State Park. OKASLA 2011 Awards Entry." Undated.
Accessed March 2, 2018. Native Americans, Spanish explorers, and pioneers have visited and inhabited the land used for the park. Spanish expeditions from Mexico are believed to have visited the area as early as 1541 as part of

Francisco Vázquez de Coronado Francisco Vázquez de Coronado y Luján (; 1510 – 22 September 1554) was a Spanish conquistador and explorer who led a large expedition from what is now Mexico to present-day Kansas through parts of the southwestern United States between 15 ...

’s search for the fabled "

Seven Cities of Gold The myth of the Seven Cities of Gold, also known as the Seven Cities of Cibola (), was popular in the 16th century and later featured in several works of popular culture. According to legend, the seven cities of gold referred to Aztec mythology r ...

". In 1641, another Spanish explorer –

Juan de Oñate Juan de Oñate y Salazar (; 1550–1626) was a Spanish conquistador from New Spain, explorer, and colonial governor of the province of Santa Fe de Nuevo México in the viceroyalty of New Spain. He led early Spanish expeditions to the Great Pla ...

- reported that several Indian encampments were found near the cool springs and heavy timber of the area. In 1823, U.S. Cavalry General Thomas James established a fur trading post here. Captain

Nathan Boone Nathan Boone (1780–1856) was a veteran of the War of 1812, a delegate to the Missouri constitutional convention in 1820, and a captain in the 1st United States Regiment of Dragoons at the time of its founding, eventually rising to the rank of lie ...

, son of

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyond the we ...

, explored the vicinity of the park in 1843 on an expedition originating from

Fort Gibson Fort Gibson is a historic military site next to the modern city of Fort Gibson, in Muskogee County Oklahoma. It guarded the American frontier in Indian Territory from 1824 to 1888. When it was constructed, the fort was farther west than any othe ...

in eastern Oklahoma. Pioneers flocking into this area during the land run of 1893 found the location quite suitable for farming and hunting. In the early 1900s, area residents were just beginning to find and enjoy the recreation potential of this site. In 1935, much of the land comprising the present day park was acquired by the City of Woodward to provide a place for recreation for its citizens and visitors. Although the local "swimming hole" was already present, the primary development work was accomplished by the young men of Company 2822 of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) from 1935 to 1939. A monument stands in the main picnic area of the park in honor of the contributions made by these men in making the park a place for so many to enjoy.

Geography

The park covers 820 acres and includes a small lake. It is located northeast of Woodward in a portion of Oklahoma known for a semi-arid climate and sparse vegetation. The park itself includes a forest of hackberry, walnut, soapberry (also called chinaberry), oak, and elm, attracting whitetail deer, wild turkey, raccoon, coyote, bobcat, beaver, badger, skunk, and opossum. Northwestern Oklahoma includes three eco-regions known as the Sandstone Hills, Gypsum Hills and High Plains. Water rising rapidly to the surface from underground streams creates the appearance of "boiling" water on the springs.

Amenities

The park offers cabins, RV sites and tent campsites. It has an 18-hole golf course and hiking trails.Ohranger.com "Boiling Springs State Park." Oh Ranger, Undated
Accessed May 18, 2013) The park provides a variety of services and facilities for the enjoyment of more than 200,000 visitors each year. Two camping areas can accommodate everything from pup tents to modern recreational vehicles. Cabins are situated beside the park's 5-acre lake. Group camps, community building, and numerous picnic facilities are available here along with a host of other activities including hiking, camping, swimming, fishing, exercise walking and wildlife observation.

Fees

To help fund a backlog of deferred maintenance and park improvements, the state implemented an entrance fee for this park and 21 others effective June 15, 2020. The fees, charged per vehicle, start at $10 per day for a single-day or $8 for residents with an Oklahoma license plate or Oklahoma tribal plate. Fees are waived for honorably discharged veterans and Oklahoma residents age 62 & older and their spouses. Passes good for three days or a week are also available; annual passes good at all 22 state parks charging fees are offered at a cost of $75 for out-of-state visitors or $60 for Oklahoma residents. The 22 parks are: * Arrowhead Area at Lake Eufaula State Park * Beavers Bend State Park * Boiling Springs State Park * Cherokee Landing State Park * Fort Cobb State Park * Foss State Park * Honey Creek Area at Grand Lake State Park * Great Plains State Park * Great Salt Plains State Park * Greenleaf State Park * Keystone State Park * Lake Eufaula State Park * Lake Murray State Park * Lake Texoma State Park * Lake Thunderbird State Park * Lake Wister State Park * Natural Falls State Park * Osage Hills State Park * Robbers Cave State Park * Sequoyah State Park * Tenkiller State Park * Twin Bridges Area at Grand Lake State Park

References

External links