The Lake that the Great Depression built |
Questions or comments? E-mail me: robin@redriverhistorian.com |
Tucker Tower, built by the WPA, pays homage to the workers who built the massive public works projects - the lake, the dam, the structures - at Lake Murray State Park between Ardmore and Marietta, Oklahoma. |
Trekking the Trails Though camping isn't my thing, I am a big hiker, so I took full advantage of a lovely, early Spring day to enjoy the Buckhorn Trail at the southeastern side of Lake Murray. Following is a short photo essay of this peaceful and completely-void-of-people hike (my kind of recreation, to be honest). I highly recommend an extended visit to Lake Murray State Park! |
Inside the Nature Center at Tucker Tower are excellent natural history exhibits. Most are touchable and interactive. |
A view to thrill at Tucker Tower. |
Built by the WPA, Tucker Tower served as a recreation center for the workers and later, for the public. The entrance to the tower looks like a chapel, dedicated to the working men who built this beautiful place. |
The trail starts just behind the park office at the old CCC water tower - a relic from the early days of construction. |
CCC-era archeology surrounds the water tower. Much of old debris appears after heavy rains. Remember that anything found on state park property is for LOOKING only - no collecting! |
The Buckhorn Trail starts rocky. It's great for mountain biking if you like that sort of thing. I prefer walking. I liked the hollow ways that are being carved from the silty soil. |
The trail is well marked by iron signs... |
... and newer signs that replaced the original iron arrows (see the tree's appetite for reference)! |
Of course the trail will eventually cross a portion of the lake. The bridge wasn't exactly sturdy, but it worked as intended. |
As usual, I improvised by finding a sturdy branch along the trail to use as a walking stick. Having a "crutch" to use for balance makes hiking safer as well as easier. It took me a while to find a good one, but it was necessary to cross over certain obstacles, like... |
... the scenic "raw sewage lagoon." The stick helped me avoid holes and find sturdy ground. |
Obstacles are small prices to pay for peaceful and scenic views. The Buckhorn Trail goes to Tipp's Point. You can go further to connect to approximately 25 miles of trails around Lake Murray. I didn't have provisions for such a hike, so I just went 7 miles. |
The signs helped out a lot. Thank you, Park Rangers! |
Lake Murray State Park is built in the Cross Timbers. This unique landscape is characterized by long stands of post oak trees. Post oaks don't grow very big, but they are gnarly - a sign of their survival between extreme aridness and wetness in the region's climate. |
How to get there |
Look at the map to discover this gem of a historic landscape. |