The Binocular Site
Black Mesa Nature Preserve, Oklahoma
Oklahoma's Black Mesa park gets its name from a volcano. About 30 million years ago, a now-extinct volcano coated the area with lava, which then cooled and hardened into the black rock that now covers the mesa.
The nature preserve sits Oklahoma's highest elevation of 4,973 feet above sea level, which is marked by a monument made of native granite. The preserve protects about 60% of the mesa. With Lake Carl Etling nearby, Black Mesa park offers campsites, boat ramps, picnic facilities, restrooms with showers, bunkhouses, and trout fishing.
About 15 miles from the park, Black Mesa Nature Preserve covers nearly 1,600 acres and is home to many rare species of plant and animal. Certain species of bird can be found there year round, such as scaled quail, golden eagles, pinyon jays, and black-billed magpies. The nature preserve is also home to bobcats, mule deer, mountain lions, black bears, antelope, and bighorn sheep.
There are no restrooms in the preserve, and camping is not allowed, so it's best to stay at Black Mesa park and hike into the preserve. See the Black Mesa Nature Preserve website for more information.
The state bird of Oklahoma is the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and you can find a checklist for birding activities in Oklahoma here.
Photo credit to Ross@Florida, used with permission under the creative commons license.
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