Trekking Turkey Mountain
We recently got back from a trip to Colorado where we caught the hiking bug. And while there is no place like the Rocky Mountains, you can still find a few places in the Tulsa area where you can at least pretend for a little bit. One of those spots is Turkey Mountain.
When I first moved to Tulsa about seven years ago, people would tell me all sorts of stories about Turkey Mountain – and none of them were positive. I won’t go into details.
But that (if it ever were) is no longer the case.
It’s now an awesome (and quite crowded) spot for the active. The parking lot was almost full at 9 a.m. on Sunday! There are nice, new bathrooms and clearly marked trails. There was even a troubador type fellow singing and playing the guitar.
And as an aside, I’ve been getting back into running lately. Mostly around my neighborhood with my jogging stroller, but on the weekends I like to go solo on Riverside. I get up early…dark early – so I sometimes worry about being out there by myself. When really the whole point of me being out there is to be by myself – mommy needs a break, ok. But I’m telling you, at 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday in Tulsa, there is no place more crowded than Riverside. I mean there are people everywhere! Cyclists, runners, people on those little bikes that looks like they’re also lounging on the couch. Just fyi.
Anyways, back to Turkey Mountain. We strap my 1-year-old onto my back (thinking of getting a Ergo Baby? Do it.), so she’s an easy hiker, but my 3-year-old is less enthusiastic about hiking. Two miles tops. Luckily, Turkey Mountain has a variety of trails ranging from .8 – 5.7 miles. Download a map here. We went with the Blue Trail which is 1.5 miles. It seems longer because of the trek, so a snack may be necessary, but still doable for any kid over 3 – as long as you’re not in a hurry, and you may need to help them in some areas. A word of caution, a cyclist told us that they’ve seen “a lot of copperheads.” I don’t know if that means 2 or 20. Either way, keep an eye out and warn your kids to stay away from snakes, not run towards them like most of the 3/4/5year-olds I know.
Hiking is such a great way to spend quality time with your family while promoting a healthy lifestyle. I really try and stay away from words like “skinny and thin” and focus on words like “healthy and strong.” I want my kids to want to get out and move! After our hikes or walks, we always congratulate one another and have the kids show us their muscles – and they are more than happy to oblige.
