In my experience, people who have never been to Oklahoma usually imagine our state as a great expanse of prairie grass. You can’t blame them really; we are, after all, the place where the “wind comes sweepin’ down the plain.”
 
In reality, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, Oklahoma has 11 ecoregions—more than almost any other state. So while there are plains (several different kinds, in fact), there are also swamps, mountains, and forests.
 
After I added “see all of Oklahoma’s ecoregions” to my travel resolutions this year, I soon realized that 11 ecoregions could absorb a whole year of columns. So the following suggestions are only starting points that focus on getting a sense of each area’s terrain as well as a few of the most kid-friendly stops along the way.
 
Western High Plains, Southwestern Tablelands, and Central Great Plains (Western Oklahoma)
These three ecoregions in the western half of the state are grouped together to better explain the Great Plains Trails—a new network of 13 marked driving loops that take visitors through the diversity the west has to offer. These suggested trails take the guesswork out of finding the best places to see each area’s wildlife and the features.
 
Several state tourism and conservation groups collaborated on the Trails, which are marked by scissortail-emblazoned road signs and explained in detail on their website,WildlifeDepartment.com/WildlifeTrails.htm. Large, detailed maps are also available through the tourism department and at travel centers. Both resources provide a list of the animals you may spot from your car, making “I Spy” and “Birdlife Bingo” perfect games to pass the time. The loops are short and you could easily to do one or two in a day, but if you decide to linger, the website makes lodging and guest ranch suggestions.
 
One loop in the panhandle, for example, winds through the Playa Lake area, which is rich with avian diversity and prairie-dog towns. The Cimarron Loop passes the sand dunes of Little Sahara State Park and the ravines and buttes known as the Cimarron Gypsum Hills.
 
Crosstimbers (Central Oklahoma/Texas Plains)
The crosstimbers are a borderland of sorts—not quite forest and not quite plains. My suggestion for seeing this area is to head east out on I-40 toward Shawnee, where you might stop to take in the Egyptian mummies at the Mabee-Gerrer Museum. From Shawnee, head south on Highway 177.
 
If you have time, make a 20-mile side-trip to Seminole along Highway 270 to visit the Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum. Hands-on kids activities include a climbing maze, child-size grocery store, hospital, and an aquarium. If time doesn’t allow, continue south on 177 to Startford, Oklahoma’s “Peach Capitol” (with a peach festival held on July 19).
 
As you near Sulphur, you will enter the Arbuckle Mountains. Explore a few of the best parks in this area by either heading west to Highway 7 and Turner Falls in Davis or continuing south to Highway 70, where a turn to the west will take you to Lake Murray near Ardmore. A jaunt southeast of Ardmore will take you to Lake Texoma. When you’re ready to come home, head up I-35 to make the return trip faster.
 
Tallgrass Prairie (Flint Hills)
When they say “tall” they mean it—native big bluestem, Indian grass, and switch grass can grow up to eight feet taking, making a spectacular backdrop for the region’s wildflowers, bison, deer, and 300 bird species. Now one of the smallest ecoregions in Oklahoma, the tallgrass prairie once spanned 142 million acres across several states. A 50-mile driving tour of the area begins and ends in Pawhuska and includes a visitors’ center, scenic turnouts, and a two mile hiking trail.
 
Caves & Prairie (Central Irregular Plains), Ozark Highlands and Ozark Forest (Boston Moutains)
When I think of northeast Oklahoma, I picture a mass of trees and lakes, but like the grasslands, each of these forested areas is unique. Canoeing or rafting the area via the Illinois River is one of my favorite ways to see this area, and June is usually the most hospitable month. A number of companies offering canoe and raft rental operate out of Tahlequah—a quick online search and you’ll be set.
 
Grand Lake O’ The Cherokees, one of Oklahoma’s most popular destinations, offering boating, swimming, fishing, and pelican watching (in season—this year’s Pelican Festival will be September 19 in Grove.) Other state parks and lakes in these regions include Greenleaf, Sequoyah, and Tenkiller.
 
Hardwood Forest (Arkansas Valley)
Trees and water are the story in this region, but the key attractions all have history at their heart. Heavener Runestone State Park was created to protect a mysterious set of stone-carved letters or symbols that may be over 1,000 years old. The nearby Spiro Mounds are even older and of greater historical significance. Guided tours of the site are available Wednesday-Sunday.
 
Robbers Cave State Park near Wilburton may be the best place to get a feel for the terrain that makes up this ecoregion. Despite its history as a haven for outlaws, the park is now home to family-friendly activities such as hiking, camping, and paddleboat rentals.
 
Ouachita Mountains and the Cypress Swamps and Forest
In my experience, pictures of this area, more than any other, tend to elicit comments like, “That’s Oklahoma?!” from natives and outsiders alike. The Talimena Drive boasts stunning expanses of foliage that are a world apart from the Panhandle, where we started our eco-tour. Named for its location between Talahina, OK And Mena, AR, the 54 mile one-way track is most popular in the fall, but it offers the best view of the Ouachita Mountains year-round.
 
Children might have more fun looking for rarely-seen alligators at Little River Wildlife Refuge near Broken Bow, where several roads wind through the bottomland hardwood forests. Access to the park can be found off Highways 259 and 70, and there are signs to lead the way.
 
Even if you never get around to visiting each of the 11 regions, you are now well equipped to spread the word that Oklahoma has a few tricks up her sleeve when it comes to terrain!
 
For more information about the ecoregions and more travel tips:
www.travelok.com/atv/index.asp
 
State Park information:
www.touroklahoma.com
 
The Great Plaines Trails information:
www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifetrails.htm
 
Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art
1900 West MacArthur Drive
Shawnee, OK 74804
405-878-5300
www.mgmoa.org
Hours:
Tuesday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday 1 - 4 p.m.
Admission:
$5 for adults
$4 for seniors
$3 for students with a valid I.D.
$3 for children ages 6 - 17
Free for children 5 and under.
 
Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum
1714 Highway 9 West
Seminole, Oklahoma
www.jasminemoran.com
1-800-259-KIDS
Hours:
Tuesday - Friday 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sunday 1-5 p.m.
$7 for adults and children over three
$6 for seniors
Kids under 3 free with a parent
 
Tallgrass Prairie Preserve
918-287-4803 for information.
 
Talimena Drive
http://www.byways.org/explore/byways/2485/
 
Little River Wildlife Refuge
580-584-6211
 
Chelsey Simpson is an editor who lives in Edmond with her husband and her miniature schnauzer, Ellie.
Editor's Note: Here's another way that Oklahomans can learn about the diversity of Oklahoma. A documentary called "Oklahoma Rocks!" will soon be available at okgeology.com. It is being considered by TV stations and may be made available for schools.