SEVEN WONDERS

BY MEGAN ROSSMAN

Built more than eighty years ago by the Civilian Conservation Corps, Oklahoma’s seven original state parks continue to be gathering places for nature lovers across the state.

4. BUBBLING WATERS give Boiling Springs State Park in Woodward its name, but it is underground rock formations—not temperature—that generate this effervescence. While visitors can’t cool off in the springs, they can splash around in the pool and Shaul Lake or hike along five walking trails in this oasis on the plains. » (580) 256-7664 or TravelOK.com/state-parks/ boiling-springs-state-park

5. WHETHER THEY want to zipline over Broken Bow Lake or Segway through the woods, guests at Beavers Bend State Park in Hochatown will find no shortage of thrills. When it’s time to relax, they’ll find the park’s newest digs at the recently renovated lodge and in twelve well-appointed tiny cabins on the bank of the Lower Mountain Fork River. » (580) 494-6300 or TravelOK.com/state-parks/ beavers-bend-state-park

6. THE SANS Bois Mountains have drawn travelers—and outlaws—for generations. When they’re not traipsing through the forest, riding horses, or rappelling, visitors find a variety of accommodations at Robbers Cave State Park ranging from quirky to luxurious, including a covered wagon, a yurt, cabins, and a cliffside lodge with mountain and lake views. » (918) 465-2562 or TravelOK.com/stateparks/robbers-cave-state-park

7. SMALL BUT densely wooded, Osage Hills State Park near Pawhuska is a hiker’s sanctuary, with walking trails, a lake, creeks, and bluffs to explore. It’s also home to several CCC structures, including Bobcat Hollow Bridge, a picnic pavilion, and native stone cabins. » (918) 336-4141 or TravelOK.com/ state-parks/osage-hills-state-park