Get Outside

Woods County is your home-base for the best in White Tail Deer hunting in Oklahoma.  Many of the state’s largest deer have been taken in Woods County over the years, so if you are in the mood for deer-hunting, be sure to contact us for more information about hunting week-ends, leasing for the season, or other wildlife opportunities contact us at info@visitwoodscounty.com.  If your idea of a good time is a hike on a lake trail, the Great Salt Plains State Park and National Wildlife Area offers tremendous options. Bird-watching, fishing, hiking, camping, wildlife photography, and crystal digging are available at Great Salt Plains. The National Wildlife Refuge is on the national flyway for migrating birds and Refuge personnel schedule pelican and eagle watches in the spring. Watch the calendar of events for more event information. 

Millions of Mexican Free-Tail Bats call the gypsum caves of western Woods County home during the summer months. Maternity colonies are found at the Selman Living Laboratory near Freedom. Each July, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife sponsors Bat-Watches at the Selman Living Laboratory, but reservations are necessary. Be sure to contact the Wildlife Department at www.watchbats.com to make your reservation.  Buses depart from Alabaster Caverns State Park.

At Little Sahara State Park, located four miles south of Waynoka on U.S. Highway 281 hundreds of acres of shifting sands provide boundless options for outdoor recreation. ATV, dune buggies, and camping await those with a “wild spirit” at the dunes. The park is open 24/7/365 and is the place to go for recreational sport vehicles in the Midwest.

Alva’s WWII POW Camp Trail is open for hikers and bicycling. The trailhead begins near the old depot near downtown Alva and makes it way south toward the Woods County Fairgrounds which is located where the original POW Camp was located during WWII. Signage and rest stations are being added to assist trail users. Parking is available at the Fair Grounds on the south edge of Alva just west of U.S. 281.

The Alva Recreational Park is home to numerous ball fields, soccer fields, indoor basketball courts and playground area. The facility hosts numerous tournaments and games year-round. For more information, please contact the Alva “Rec” Park offices.

Freedom, Queen City of the Cimarron, is located in western Woods County on the banks of the Cimarron River. Freedom is the home community of Alabaster Caverns State Park, the world’s largest public access gypsum caves. The caves are an underground wonderland of sights and sounds. The rich history of the caves is displayed in the park office building and hikers will be amazed at the number of trails that surround the park’s deep cedar canyons. Stables Cantina and Cedar Canyon Lodge is located just at the entrance of the park and is a fantastic place to grab much needed “rest and relaxation”!