Great Salt Plains State Park is a

Oklahoma state park Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...

located in Alfalfa County,

Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...

. It is located north of

Jet, Oklahoma Jet is a town in Alfalfa County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 213 at the 2010 census. History The community of Jet was founded by the Jett brothers, six unmarried brothers named Joseph, Trigg, Newt, Warner, John, and Richard Jett ...

on SH-38 and east of

Cherokee The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, t ...

.U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, "Welcome to Great Salt Plains Lake."
Accessed July 28, 2015 Recreational opportunities at Great Salt Plains State Park include boating, camping, picnicking, swimming, hiking, mountain biking and exploring. The

Great Salt Plains Lake Great Salt Plains Lake is a reservoir located within the Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge in Alfalfa County, Oklahoma in the United States named because of the salt flats in the area and for the Salt Fork Arkansas River, which is dammed to for ...

is located at the park and covers with of shoreline and is a shallow, salty lake with fishing opportunities for catfish, saugeye, sandbass and hybrid striper. The average depth is reportedly and the impoundment capacity is 31,420 acre-feet. Salinity of the water in the reservoir is one-fourth that of sea water. 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.Thomas L. Hedglen, "Great Salt Plains State Park and National Wildlife Refuge." ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture.''
Accessed April 19, 2013. The Great Salt Plains cover an area of . It was so named because it is covered with a layer of salt deposited long ago by an inland sea. A saline aquifer still flows beneath the surface and replenishes the salt whenever the water table rises. The salt is left behind when the water evaporates. The first white men to visit this area were members of the Sibley expedition in 1811, who named it the Grand Saline.Kurtis W. Boucher and Richard A. Marston, "Great Salt Plains," ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture.''
Accessed April 19, 2015. President

Herbert Hoover Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964) was an American politician who served as the 31st president of the United States from 1929 to 1933 and a member of the Republican Party, holding office during the onset of the Gr ...

designated an area of the Salt Fork east of

Cherokee, Oklahoma Cherokee is the largest city within, and county seat of, Alfalfa County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 1,476 at the 2020 census, a decline of 1.5 percent from 2010. History Settlement and founding After the land opening of 1893, ...

as a National Wildlife Refuge on March 26, 1930. The

Great Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge The Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States system of national wildlife refuges. It is located in Alfalfa County in northern Oklahoma, north of Jet (pop. 230), along Great Salt Plains Lake, which is formed by a dam on ...

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 Selenite may refer to: Substances containing selenium *A selenium-containing anion or ionic compound with the SeO32− anion: **Selenite (ion), anion is a selenium oxoanion with the chemical formula SeO32− ***Selenous acid, the conjugate acid, w ...

, a rare and fragile form of selenite, which is a form of gypsum. Digging times are available from April 1 through October 15.

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

US Army Corps of Engineers:Great Salt Plains RecreationGreat Salt Plains Great Salt Plains State Park and National Wildlife Refuge
{{authority control State parks of Oklahoma Protected areas of Alfalfa County, Oklahoma Geography of Oklahoma