Holy freakin’ cow! This park is unbelievable and well worth the drive to the tip of the panhandle. You can’t imagine just how beautiful this place is and it’s just over the line of two eco-regions.

The park is about 10 mintues from Kenton, Okla., which is the farthest west town in Oklahoma (you have to stop in at the Kenton Merchantile, now that’s Oklahoma).  The drive from Oklahoma City took about 5.5 hours, which was well worth it because of the scenenic views all the way up there.

We camped out Saturday night and geared up to trek the 4.2 mile hike to Black Mesa Sunday morning. During the hike we got to see the great landscape of the Southwesatern Tableland ecoregion. To see the white line of rock sandwiched between the tan stone really makes you stop and marvel. Once we reached the highest point of the mesa, which is marked by a granite monolith, we signed the geocache book, had lunch, made a phone call (yip, cell service at the highest and equally as remote point of Oklahoma), and drank in the sights.

Points of Interest:

1. Black Mesa is the highest elevation of Oklahoma (4,973 feet above sea level)
2. Three corners. Ask the park ranger how to get there. You can be in three states at once.
3. 5 state weekend. You can drive through Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas and Texas in one trip.

Some tips for Black Mesa State Park:

1. The park is not marked the absolute best so from Boise City follow signs to Lake Carl Etling.
2. This park may not be the best during the dead of summer unless you’re used to lots of sun with little shade (at least on the Mesa)
3. Take a drive and visit the other states. You’re too close not to.

Check out the park at http://www.touroklahoma.com/detail.asp?id=1%2B5U%2B3584.