Five Oklahoma Spring Excursions

With the dregs of winter hopefully behind us, it’s time to focus on Oklahoma’s much more hospitable spring season. It’s during this time of year that Oklahomans begin to venture outdoors again in search of entertainment. Here are a few ways to make the most of the season.

Lightning ignites the sky over Broken Bow Lake at Beavers Bend State Park in Hochatown. Photo by Lori Duckworth

Spring thunderstorms in Oklahoma are my favorite seasonal displays of nature’s monstrous beauty. Although there are about 100,000 thunderstorms a year in the United States, only about 10 percent of those are severe, and it seems like a lot of that severe weather happens here. So, Oklahomans get a first-row seat to a lot of premier sky theatrics. A great place to learn more about our endlessly interesting atmosphere—and just weather in general—is, of course, the National Weather Center in Norman. In addition to school and group tours, this one-of-a-kind facility offers guided public tours for groups of nine or fewer on Mondays at 10 a.m. and Fridays at 2:30. Aspiring visitors must register in advance. ou.edu/nwc/visit/tours

The annual Azalea Festival returns to Honor Heights Park in Muskogee this April. Photo by Lori Duckworth

Another fun feature of spring is the return of outdoor festivals, which understandably see a lull after Christmas. One of my favorite harbinger’s of the season is the Festival of the Arts in downtown Oklahoma City, which, this year, is running April 24 to 27. The Azalea Festival in Honor Heights Park in Muskogee, which runs April 1 to 30, also is a beautiful way to spend a day. As an added bonus, admission to the park’s Butterfly Papilion gardens is free during April. So, guests can get an eyeful of beautiful bugs and blooms when they visit.

The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge is host to many varieties of wildflowers, like coreopsis, also known as tickseed, seen here. Photo by Inge Johnsson

Sprinklings of colorful wildflowers are easy to find just about everywhere in the mid-to-late spring, but if you want to be surrounded by blossoms, the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge is a first-rate destination. The blooming typically begins in March, and generally peaks in May and early June. The Friends of the Wichitas organization will host two weekend Wildflower Walks in May, both of which last for about two-and-a-half hours and involve easy hiking.

Redbuds stun in March and April at Robbers Cave State Park. Photo by Saxon Smith

Oklahoma State Parks are beautiful all year, of course, but spring is a particularly good time to visit one. With the return of flowers and foliage, I like visiting Robbers Cave State Park near Wilburton for pops of bright pink redbud trees throughout the forest, which occurs before most of the trees even have new leaves. You can also spot the creamy white blooms of dogwood and cherry trees in early spring here, and all across the state. To find a state park near you, check out this handy map.

Beets are a nutritious early spring crop. Photo by Lori Duckworth

There’s nothing quite like fresh produce, and Oklahoma’s farmers’ markets are the best places to find a variety of local growers’ offerings. In the early spring, there are several seasonal crops worth browsing, including asparagus, carrots, peas, radishes, spinach, beets, and rhubarb. Here are a few favorite locations from around the state:

• Tulsa Farmers’ Market
• Farmers Market at Scissortail Park
• Oklahoma City Farmers Public Market
• Lawton Farmers Market
• Rose District Farmers Market in Broken Arrow
• Edmond Farmer’s Market

Written By

Megan Rossman

Megan Rossman is Oklahoma Today's photography editor.