Red Revival
Published June 2024
By Karlie Ybarra | 5 min read
There might not be gold in those hills, but Red Rock Canyon Adventure Park has been a ruby in Oklahoma’s crown since before statehood. Plains tribes, particularly the Caddo people for whom the surrounding county was named, wintered in the area to escape the treacherous prairie cold and wind. In 1849, after gold was discovered in California, the ravine was an oasis where fortune seekers traveling the California Road could rest, repair their wagons, and refresh themselves and their animals from ever-flowing springs in the canyon.
Now that shelter and fresh water aren’t as hard to come by, the 311-acre park offers treasures of a different variety. In fact, the crimson sandstone formations and natural beauty are so astounding that Washington state natives Jesse and Christina Roberge fell in love at first sight.
The glamping area at Red Rock Canyon is situated next to a bubbling creek, which makes falling asleep a breeze. Photo courtesy Rhesa Funk/Funk Advertising
“Like most people at home during the pandemic, we were watching a ton of TV,” says Christina. “We watched lots of shows about campgrounds—people traveling and doing things. So we were thinking in that direction when our now business partner went camping with his church at Red Rock in September 2023.”
Bud Patterson called the Roberges to let them know there was real potential in the area, which still is owned by the state but is being leased long-term. Jesse visited Oklahoma in October, and the three of them were the proud holders of a forty-five-year lease agreement by the end of November.
“I came out here having never been to Oklahoma, only hearing about tornadoes,” Jesse says with a laugh. “I had seen a couple videos about it before I came, but when I drove down the canyon, I just said, ‘Wow.’ We uprooted, sold everything, and came here.”
One of the first things Jesse did was read reviews-—especially the negative ones. Then the team got started right away making the park cleaner and safer. They cleared downed cottonwoods, black walnut, and sycamores that were left over from the 2020 ice storm. They also removed sick trees and anything else that might increase the fire danger.
While everyone taking advantage of the park’s hundred-plus primitive and RV camping sites will appreciate the increased visibility of the spring-fed creek, those staying in the glamping area can’t help but marvel at the other recent improvements.
In a secluded campground near the back of the park are three large bell tents on elevated platforms. Each tent is tall enough to stand up in and equipped with two beds—two have double queens and one has double twins—electricity, a coffeemaker, heaters during the winter, and air conditioning in the summer. Christina also includes a lock for each tent so visitors don’t have to bring their valuables while they’re exploring the area’s ten—soon to be twelve—miles of hiking trails.
“The part I love about having a lock is you can sleep with the screen open,” she says.
Warm outdoor lighting outside the glamping area makes every stay memorable. Photo courtesy Rhesa Funk/Funk Advertising
Not only does this provide airflow, it also allows campers to enjoy the after-hours symphony of the bubbling brook, hooting owls, scuttling armadillos, and other creatures of the night. But the dark-averse needn’t fret either—lights illuminate the short path to the updated bathrooms and showers, so no one has to fumble with a flashlight in the middle of the night.
Whether they’re roughing it or glamping it up, adventurers will find plenty to explore at Red Rock. There’s rappelling, a pool and splash pad that open on Memorial Day, even a large beaver dam along Rough Horsetail Trail. Christina also has plans for an archery range, axe throwing, maybe even a zipline, but she hopes whatever travelers come for, they leave with some amazing memories.
“We love being a part of someone’s vacation,” she says. “Isn’t it the best job?”
