The Best Parks in Tulsa

McCullough Park

★★★★★ 5 (1)

"Awesome neighborhood park for everyone to enjoy! Splash pad here is seasonal. Nice playground equipment for lil toddlers and bigger ones. Skate park here for bikes and skateboarding or rollerblading. Large open field area for soccer ! Lots of tables for a picnic and covered pavilion for maybe birthdays or parties. Sure you can rent it. Bathrooms here as well. Nice are for the kids with lots of shade. My son never wants to leave"

Stars & Stripes Park

★★★★☆ 3.9 (18)

"When it's 60 degrees in December, I simply cannot bring myself to go to the gym. So I do my little three-mile trek around the lake, with Stars & Stripes as the main point of my walk. A path maximizes the amount of time spent walking directly along the shoreline. The promontory juts out over the lake, and offers one of the most sweeping views of the lake. I don't have kids, but if I did, this would be one of the top playgrounds to visit. There's also plenty of parking, and ducks and geese for the kiddos to feed. This is just one small part of the beautiful Lake Hefner, but it's one of my favorites and worth a review."

Helmerich park

★★★★★ 4.7 (6)

"Nice and well maintained park with okay size parking lot. There is a nice kids playground with more that the average swing and slide type thing. There is a water feature in summer. There is a walkway down to the river and the River Park trail."

Tulsa River Parks

★★★★★ 4.5 (8)

"'I feel like I swallowed the sun' is something I utter at least 17 times a day in Tulsa summers. Add carrying around a 30 pound baby and even my belly button is sweating.Thank you, Tulsa for this park! Between the splash pad, fun park equipment, easy parking and rubber ground this is a place where my mister baby and I find joy and coolness."

Robert J Riggs Jr Park

★★★★☆ 4 (1)

"Brilliant park with a fantastic walking trail that loops around the entire park. It's not all smooth concrete but the parks I saw that were stone/rock would be okay for someone who is mobility challenged or perhaps a wheelchair.Smaller playground with benches for the adults while the little ones climb and play. The playground I saw had a softer base though if it was mulch, much of it has drifted off. Street parking on 2 91st Avenue and S 93rd Avenue.[Review 16272 overall - 106 in Oklahoma - 1778 of 2021.]"

Osage Hills State Park

★★★★★ 4.5 (8)

"At first, Osage Hills State Park doesn't seem like something too special, but if you begin hiking the trails, you'll find some real gems. First, there are some rocky canyon-type cliffs the hand Sand Creek winding through them. It's really pretty and there are some waterfalls and big rocks to wade onto in the middle of a creek that gets really wide in some parts. Seconds, there is sand all around (hence the name Sand Creek), enough in some spots to feel like you're sand bathing at a beach... no joke! Wish I snapped better pictures of the sandy parts. It was a fun experience!"

Oxley Nature Center

★★★★★ 4.7 (7)

"When Covid hit my wife and I abandoned the virus laden gym. We found a much better alternative; the trails at Oxley Nature Center. Well at least when the weather is cool enough, and the humidity low enough, that you can stand to be outside. Mostly October through April. There is a closed, isolated section of Mohawk Blvd. that lies within the boundaries of the preserve. It makes for a beautiful hard surfaced walking trail. In addition to the scenery, there is usually some wildlife. The area is great if you are into birding. There is a small lake that always has water fowl and it is not uncommon to see deer or hear an owl. This year's drought has taken its toll. The lake and pond levels are lower and the trees have been punished. Noticeably quite a few trees didn't survive. A great peaceful place to walk."

Darlington Park

★★★★★ 4.7 (3)

"This is my favorite park to take my nieces and nephew. Besides the close proximity to my neighborhood (it's off 29th st. onto Darlington), they have two tennis courts (no lights though), a basketball court, plenty of large trees, benches, picnic tables, and a shelter. The kids absolutely love the playground area. It looks like it's pretty new and it is kept up. They really enjoy coming here. There is a small playground for younger kids and a bigger one for older kids. It has a spongy waking surface made of recycled rubber, so it soften off possible falls. Parking is only along the curb, usually best on 29th street. There are trash cans and a dog litter dispenser."

Terrace Park

★★★☆☆ 3 (1)

"Quite large at around 20 acres, Terrace Park is located just north of I-44 in a residential neighborhood. The park is ideal for dog walking and maybe some kite flying as there aren't too many trees but there is some shade.The playground towards the northern end of the park is quite large and in good condition. There is enough to climb on and play with as well as a low slide. Some nearby picnic tables make it idea.Lots of open space with gently rolling hills. The grass is cut close.[Review 16252 overall - 89 in Oklahoma - 1758 of 2021.]"

Keystone State Park

★★★★☆ 4 (2)

"Only open during summer. There are nice views of the lake and dam. There a couple of picnic tables and a grill. There are restrooms, but I am not sure if they are operational."

River West Festival Park

★★★★★ 4.8 (8)

"There's so many events and festivals this park hosts. I find myself here a lot throughout the year. It's definitely a spot for recreation and entertainment. Among the events that are held here are: OKScotfest, Oktoberfest, Boomtown art and Music festival, wednesday night rides, ONEOK FreedomFest, Starlight Band Concerts... Some are completely free and others require paid admission (usually around $15). Check out there website for the full calendar and details about what's going on!"

Keystone State Park

★★★★☆ 4 (28)

"This is a dog friendly park that had a number of walking trails and tables for fun! We went to see the leaves change and we were pleasantly surprised with all of the trees here! It backs up to an "ancient forest"!Everything was easy to find and there were a few parks buildings with easy access to facilities if needed. It appears to be a nice lake as well, even though we didnt do much beyond enjoying the view while hiking!"

Chandler Park

★★★★☆ 4.1 (13)

"This park is all living things friendly. Dogs, babies, adults, etc...? It's the best. There are lovely views of the city, large open fields for festivals and sports, playgrounds, and lots of adventure for everything. There's plenty of parking and it's so easy to get to. Grab a picnic and hunker in for a beautiful day."

Maple Park

★★★★☆ 4 (4)

"Feast your eyes on downtown while swinging on a star (swing set)!With enough room to throw a frisbee or play a game of wiffle ball, this place has it all. (I have carried around a wiffle ball bat and ball in my trunk since high school for when I find places like this... really. Please still like me.)This park is hardly every crowded when I'm there and Olof enjoys the fact he can freely use the facilities since there are doggie pickup bags available to cleanup after himself.The Midland Valley Trails will provide a good walk and spit you out there if you choose to head towards downtown.Let's start a wiffle ball league of Maple Park!"

Gathering Place

★★★★★ 4.7 (328)

"Absolutely love going to Gathering Place. It's always so well kept, clean, gorgeous plants and flora. We took our 4 month old today ahead of a family brunch and let him enjoy some time outside before it got too hot. While there isn't a lot for him, we did get him out of his stroller and let him sit with us on the swing to look at trees. This is an AMAZING park that is open to the public, free, with so many different offerings."

Hunter Park

★★★★☆ 4.3 (23)

"This is a great place to bring the kids and the dogs. There is so much free space to start a pick-up soccer game. The frisbee golf course all over the park is super fun. You kind of get a tour of the park while playing! The playground area provides something for kids of all ages. The dog park is amazing. Separating the dogs by size helps out with safety of the smaller dogs. There are trash cans provided to clean up after your dogs relieve themselves, and a water station to cool off after a brisk game of fetch."

Mohawk Park

★★★★☆ 4 (5)

"Yesterday I walked past one if the closed gates and found a horse arena and little rock dam at the end of a lake. I also noticed a disc golf course. They have added signs to help get around in the park, it is very easy to get lost. Oxley nature center is now closed Sunday and Monday. At first I thought it just meant the building, they meant the whole road that leads to the area."

Settle Inn RV Park & Cabins

★★☆☆☆ 2.2 (6)

"Settle Inn RV Park is a small campground. Julie, camp Host, was a very nice, friendly gal. Close to Pawhuska, OK. for Chef, Ree Drummond (Pioneer Women cooking show), restaurant & fabulous store. It's a beautiful, quiet, basic RV Park, with plenty of trees to shade your RV. (No DISH reception at all). BUT.....OMG.... they REALLY need to remove some trees..... seriously! VERY FEW SITES CAN HANDLE A BIG RIG. We're in site #7.... Pulling in and getting out was quite challenging for our 43 ft Class A Coach. We will not stay here again."

Keystone Ancient Forest

★★★★☆ 4.1 (10)

"I almost hate giving a relatively low rating to this place, as it is definitely an asset to the community where it's located. My husband and I caught wind of Keystone Ancient Forest online and since we make pretty regular visits to the Tulsa area we thought it would be a great place to check out. Unfortunately, it is volunteer staffed and only open for hiking on certain days. At some times of the year, it's only open one or two days per month if at all. In the Fall it seems to be open more, though only on Saturdays from 8-2 at the time of my writing (Nov 2015). When we arrived, we met friendly volunteer guides and signage indicating two trails, easy and moderate. For us, even the moderate trail was extremely easy though it was a lot of fun and a comfortable 2.6 miles long. The landscape was unremarkable to be completely honest. It's just woods and a few rocky areas overlooking Keystone Lake. We did not really know what to expect, and perhaps we were imagining some of the grandeur and wonder of National Parks we frequently visit. But that was our error. Anyway, I would not go out of my way to visit here unless I was already in the area for some other reason. The Frank Trail which is considered moderate, was well marked. They supposedly have a Wilson Trail that is more difficult, and it is described on their website but when we were actually at the park it had been scraped off a lot of the maps and we only found mentions of it "coming soon". While we would likely investigate this further and return to complete a more challenging trail, I was a little disappointed especially given the very sporadic availability of these hiking areas. We visit many superior parks and trails in this part of the country that are open dawn to dusk every day of the year, so Keystone Ancient Forest is a bit of a puzzle to us in that way. They don't have a visitor center or anything like that, and porta-potties are the only "facility" on site. It is clean and well kept, and the easiest trail is just over 1/2 mile and completely paved so it would be somewhat accessible even for small children or those with limitations in their mobility (though maybe not wheelchairs, in my opinion)."

Martin Park Nature Center

★★★★★ 4.6 (56)

"Great nature station with a few exhibits and live animals to view. The Center also has a schedule for numerous different outdoor events, hikes, children events, animal viewings, and other nature classes. Writes fellow Yelper Clarissa S., "Several bird blinds are scattered along the trails, but they certainly aren't required for viewing. Sit on a convenient, shady bench. Climb up into that tree house fort. Rest on the creekside sandstone. Enjoy the show.""

Veterans Park

★★★★☆ 4.1 (13)

"Great little place for picnics, photo ops, and more.Terrific view of downtown Tulsa!"

Leake Park

★★★★☆ 4.4 (8)

"Such a great place to take a walk. This park has a nice 1 mile trail that loops around. Perfect for walkers. Great for keeping count of your miles. Nice family-friendly amenities that include sand and water play, and it's always nice to have accessible bathrooms. They have a pond with geese and ducks. My dog is always entertained by that, and it's just a nice escape. Nature is always great for peace and clarity. There is also shady parts which will be nice for the summer months."

Guthrie Green

★★★★★ 4.6 (54)

"What a great space for FREE concerts! Even in the rain (as when Pokey LaFarge played a couple of weekends ago).The spirit of community was such that the concert organizers worked with Mr. Nice Guys to hold the acoustic concert in their small space. The show must go on!"

Woodward Park

★★★★★ 4.6 (31)

"Always serene and relaxing. Don't forget to wander over to the Linneaus gardens while you're there."

Vandever Park

★★★★☆ 3.5 (2)

"This park sits on the border of a suburban neighborhood, an apartment complex, and office space. It was not quite deserted on the hot April day when my one year-old and I went to visit. There are double tennis courts, a picnic pavilion, two swings, and playground equipment. Everything is in working condition, and there are a few wonderful trees that give lots of shade from the afternoon sun. The parking lot needed its stripes repainted, and I wish the swing set had had a bucket seat for a baby, but for a neighborhood park, it's a-ok! Nice to visit if you live in walking distance or need to find a tennis court, but if you're making a special trip for a couple of hours at the park, Tulsa has bigger, more lively, and more baby-friendly options."

Scissortail Park

★★★★★ 4.6 (82)

"We we're passing by and decided to stop by. This park is beautiful. There were beautiful flowers and grass area. We decided to order done ice cream and walk around the park. My son played at the park for a while. They had nice clean bathrooms here. Definitely worth stopping by."

Pawnee Bill Museum Ranch & State Park

★★★★☆ 3.8 (5)

"This place is pretty good. The buffalo are very nice and will lick your car. The people that work there are very friendly and great"

Feyodi Creek

★★★★☆ 4 (2)

"Used to be a recreation area, now labeled an RV area. Large park, picnic tables, soccer fields, fishing, covered shelters, disc golf, boat ramp, RV camping, amphitheater. The lake has been low several years and the park is not as well cared for. Triangle Area Veterans Memorial made of very nice black glossy granite."

LaFortune Park

★★★★☆ 4.3 (18)

"LaFortune Park is a true Tulsa staple to me. Most recently, it's a great place to play Pokemon Go if you're into that. One of my favorite things about the park is how well marked the distance is on the perimeter track. It's 3.25 miles around the whole park which is a great distance for running, walking to get in some steps, riding a bike, or taking a coffee and walking on a date. If you have little ones, there is a ton to do here such as vast playground equipment, sights to explore around the creek, and ice cream trucks in the summer. If you like golf, this is a great park to check out.In addition to the multitude of outdoor activities to be enjoyed here, it is a great location. It is situated right next to Saint Francis Hospital, you know just in case, and next to Kingspointe Shopping Center which has great choices for a meal before or after your adventures.Basically no matter your age, there is something fun for you to get out and enjoy at LaFortune Park!"

Hominy Municipal Lake

★★★☆☆ 3 (2)

"Poorly maintained, broken restrooms. There are RV spaces to rent, some rotten and broken picnic tables and a few that are usable. Not ramp and wheel chair assessable fishing dock. If you like roughing it, this place is not as shocking as it would be if you were expecting better."

Haikey Creek Park

★★★★☆ 4.1 (8)

"Went here for the first time yesterday to take the pups on a nice walk. It's a very well maintained and clean park. Has a lot to offer. Picnic tables, restrooms, disc golf, a playground, plenty of trashcans and waste receptacles and plenty of wide open space. The trails are pretty even and flat which I loved. They're perfect for jogging. We really loved the trail through the woods. All in all we had a great time here, and will definitely be returning. Highly recommend by me as well as my pups!"

Ray Harral Nature Center

★★★★★ 5 (4)

"This park is very nice and the nature center is spacious and filled with fun hands-on exhibits. it's also free to visitors and the restrooms are clean and staff was very friendly. We came on a beautiful sunny day to take a stroll and found very wide, mostly paved trails that were all very easy, maybe a bit of steep incline on the red trail but nothing most walkers would have a problem with at all. The paths are clearly blazed which is nice. Dogs welcome."

Rayola Park

★★★★★ 5 (2)

"Cute park with play structure, swings, splash pad, pavilion and walking paths. One path wraps around the play structure. Great if you want to get a couple miles in while keeping an eye on your kids playing. There is also a creek. The kids love. As the laundry servicer, I'm not as much of a fan. When we got here there were about 25 adults standing around doing something on their phones. I'm pretty sure they were playing Pokemon."

Fort Smith National Historic Site

★★★★★ 4.6 (20)

"Fort Smith as a town is named after the historical site known as Fort Smith beginning in the early 1800's.This site was pivotal for westward expansion (by default Native American genocide/diaspora), the civil war and thats bout it.Location - Off the I-40 in central western arkansas and eastern central oklahoma. Ft Smith is a border town and nestled between OKC and Lil Rock.The site itself has the old statehouse looking structure that served as the fort, jail, etc. Other structures are maintained such as barracks, cannons, flagpoles and the old wall.The museum hours are standard 9-5 but thats just the structures. The land is open year round. A short walk away is the infamous Trail of Tears with placards explaining stuff and some Western Theatre battles of our nasty Civil War. The trail of tears is somber and sad.The site doesnt mentioned this neat pop culture factoid... Fort Smith may have been the last civilized town before the most famous couple was gunned down in Bienville Parish, Louisiana.Fort Smith the town does not have much there. Eateries are limited to chains and everyone drives super slow. The pace is waaaay to chill for city slicks. The coolest point of interest in my opinion would be the Ozark Forest. Safe travelings my friends."

Oologah Lake

★★★★☆ 3.6 (8)

"Right by the dam, super view of the lake. Picnic tables and a restroom. Grass kept cut. There is not lake access from the overlook. There is fishing, boating, swimming, camp king and picnicking on and around the lake. Lots of birds."