These Towns in Oklahoma Come Alive in Spring

Oklahoma, the Sooner State, is home to some of the most beautiful geographical features in the US. From wetlands, rivers, and lakes to the great plains and prairies, it is also some of the most accessible for all levels of outdoor tourism to go out and explore "sooner" rather than later, in the fresh breath of spring.

While the fall time is made for leaf peepers, the spring delights wildflower chasers in Hinton, Medicine Park, and Sulphur to get their fill on the colorful carpet, speaking of colors, Medicine Park, the original resort town in the state in the mountains, features vintage cobblestone streets at the gateway to the 60,000-acre wildlife reserve for hiking and lakeside recreation.

Broken Bow

This tiny town of around 4,000, amongst the gentle slopes of the Ouachita Mountains, whose beauty is only magnified by the nearby Kiamichi Mountains, feels like a paradise, particularly in the spring's fresh breath and mild climate in the south of the southern state. Broken Bow welcomes visitors in the spring season with a picture book-like feel and the outdoors, full of awe and wonder, as some of the state's most picturesque places to soak up some warm rays. Just minutes south of Broken Bow Lake, don't miss the neighboring Maze of Hochatown, a fun springtime pursuit for the entire family, while Skyline Trail and Lookout Mountain, the popular hiking trails in the area, are easy enough for all to obtain spellbinding vistas.

Tourists can start at Mountain Fork Park due east and onto the huge outdoor Beavers Bend State Park and Nature Center, with a beach area and plentiful campgrounds all around to pitch a tent. The state park offers peaceful days on the waters, like fishing, kayaking, and even swimming after a hot day hike. Saddle up with the spirited Riverman Trail Rides, the cowboy-style Beavers Bend Depot and Trail Rides, or the Choctaw Casino Broken Bow, which is retro on the outside but modern inside and full of local culture. There's also the sweet Broken Bow Library and Papa Poblanos Broken Bow, a must-hit for food and drinks. Don't miss the living history forest village at the Forest Heritage Center for insight into the naturally remarkable role that Oklahoma forests play in the state's heritage and economy.

Carlton Landing

Carlton Landing is a beautifully planned resort community in eastern Oklahoma on the shores of Lake Eufaula. Uniquely modeled after Seaside, Florida, the feel of tranquility prevails in a cozy atmosphere along its aesthetic streets, with water views in between cute homes. It is a great place to kick off the spring season for your first getaway of the year or the lake season in northeastern Oklahoma. Get a taste of what the locals enjoy every day at one of the vacation rentals on a relaxing neighborhood stroll through this charming lake town.

Full of parks, playgrounds, and courts, Carlton Landing Swim Beach stays serene through the spring for blissful lounging and picnics, a stone's throw away from the outdoor tables of the Carlton Landing Food Court serving ice cream, which will have you coming back. From the lakeside Carlton Landing Nature Trails, check out Tower Court, while the Carlton Landing Scenic Overlook gives a bird's-eye view of the immense Eufaula Lake, snaking like an amoeba. Don't miss the Meeting House for your morning brew in a homey setting and the Carlton Landing Welcome Center for insights into this unique town. Lastly, Mama Tig's Wood-Fired Pizza really is as good as it sounds!

Eufaula

Eufaula is one of the most popular towns in the state thanks to its eponymous natural landmark, which nestles along the largest lake in Oklahoma. The scenic lake, one of the South's finest, offers an ideal hideaway for visitors, perfect to enjoy time with your loved ones or a romantic escape. Staying serenely natural throughout the spring, the lush banks are perfect for strolls, lounging, and picnics with pretty views, while the sweet town is always ready to welcome tourists with local hotspots that are perennial favorites among the returning visitors. Just around the corner, Arrowhead State Park is fun-packed, and the young kids adore the lakefront Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park with a swimming pool, mini golf, and a floating obstacle game.

The main street, part of the 20-block downtown on the US list of the National Register of Historic Places, has something for everyone, like terrific shows at the premiere Legacy on Main Street, as well as shops, boutiques, and restaurants. One such place, E's Hideaway Restaurant, is borderline divine. The town at the crossroads of the Canadian and North Canadian rivers in east-central Oklahoma caters to scores of new faces annually who have heard of Lake Eufaula's spanning beauty over 100,000 acres—one of the world's largest artificial lakes. Offering serene outdoor recreation and adventuring even in the high summer season, the popular activities include boating, fishing, and swimming, as well as camping along the shores, from the sunset to the scintillating moon in the calm waters.

Hinton

Hinton opens the doors to one of the state's must-visit natural attractions, the Red Rock Canyon Adventure Park. Offering overnight tent camping and RV sites, visitors can experience the natural beauty overnight and bask in the glory of the canyons just south of the town. Offering scenic hikes, canyon walls for climbers, and relaxing campsites, it is perfect for exploring on a weekend getaway in the spring without the tourist crowds once the summer vacations begin. Easy to miss along Red Rock Canyon Road, Hinton rewards tourists with a mix of charming, modern, and all-authentic Oklahoma experiences and stays like the family-friendly Hinton Country Inn, Sugar Creek Inn & Suites, and the Canyon Inn.

One of the best hikes in the southern portion of the US, the California Nature Trail stretches just south of the park, with easy parking near the trailhead as well as restrooms just east of the trail. The well-trodden California Road Nature Trail Loop portion offers a bird's-eye view of the canyon, which is easy enough for kids and particularly stunning at sunset, and an endless sea of wildflowers in the spring. Once a stop for travelers on a westward journey along the California Trail, don't miss the Hinton Historical Museum and the Pony Bridge just north for a selfie across, as well as the nearby Stafford Air & Space Museum for fans or drive to the Sunset Cove Marina at Fort Cobb Lake 30 minutes south for a one-of-a-kind sunset you won't regret.

Medicine Park

Medicine Park makes for an idyllic, scenic escape with panoramic views of springtime Oklahoma, right at the doorstep of the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge. Cozily nestled in the heart of the Wichita Mountains, the colorful town where every corner is photogenic features vintage cobblestone streets and avenues with independent shops and restaurants. Medicine Park, the original resort town in Oklahoma, dates back to 1908, with a walkable downtown and buildings made from locally sourced cobblestone and naturally rounded stones from the nearby Medicine Creek. Built around the nearby mineral springs, it has long attracted native tribes for its therapeutic properties in the Wichita foothills.

Visitors can enjoy views of the picturesque granite outcroppings and rolling hills, with grassy plains perfect to spread out a picnic on a carpet of early spring wildflowers under the sun with mountains at the horizon. The 60,000-acre wildlife reserve, a park, is a natural habitat for hundreds of free-roaming animals, including bison, elk, deer, and countless bird species. Offering hiking trails, visitors can explore the wildlife and relax lakeside, enjoy fishing, or go boating. Part of the state's natural conservation area, the refuge features remnants of early human habitation, like historic ranches and, even prior, Native American sites.

Sulphur

With so many wonderful little towns in the Sooner State, we'd sooner not have to choose to complete the list. Sulphur makes a real bang of a statement in the spring, which has long attracted native tribes and then settlers to drink mineral water from the springs. Although the medicinal benefits no longer pertain, the charming town attracts real water enthusiasts to kick off the warm-weather season early with its vast choice of surrounding lakes and rivers, as well as the aforesaid springs at the Chickasaw National Recreation Area. Visitors can learn about "the peaceful valley of rippling waters," Sulphur, in the language used here centuries ago, like the heritage and legacy of Chickasaw people at the 184-acre Chickasaw Cultural Center.

Located in the city proper, just a stroll away from downtown town, it comes equipped with a theater showing Chickasaw stories. One of the most beautiful places when the spring arrives, where the locals, as one, head into the outdoors, is just east across the creek. Follow the "crowds" to the well-beloved paved trail amid beautiful wildflowers around the peaceful beauty of Veteran's Lake and nearby Rock Creek Campground to call it a night. Minutes south of town, Lake of the Arbuckles, a waterfront park, is ideal for hiking and outdoor adventures. Nothing hits the spot like Boomarang Diner after, while the Artesian Hotel, Casino, and Spa, created in 1906, is full of local history, fine dining, and live entertainment.

The first town boasts a spectacular location at the foot of two mountain ranges. Carlton Landing and Eufaula are lakeside towns along the eponymous one of the world's largest artificial lakes—a vision of beauty and serenity along its lush banks for strolls and lounging with your loved ones. Sulphur is a treasure trove of culture to hang out in the steps of the Chickasaw people.

From the frequently overlooked towns like Hinton, at the gateway to the Red Rock Canyon Adventure Park, to the popular lakeside town of Eufaula, with downtown on the National Register of Historic Places, there's spring in the air in every town to pause and enjoy the outdoors.