Great Salt Plains State Park

Jonathan Elmore
Jul 25
2 min read

When you drive out to the Great Salt Plains, as you see it in the distance you probably think, "Dang, that's big. And flat. And salty!" I bet that why they call it that. HA! All kidding aside, the dig areas at the State Park are a sight to behold. Not only can you see an amazing natural feature, but you can also dig for Oklahoma's state crystal, the selenite crystal. And, boy are there a lot of them. I found out first hand. I discovered that what you see out there is the result of ocean waters that were in Oklahoma in prehistoric times. The ocean ebbed out of the area, but left the salt plain. Pretty cool!

I was a very young boy when my parents took my brother and me out there the first time. I didn't remember being out there, but I remember having three or four crystals in my rock collection. The crystals are clear at the edges and varying shades of brown in the middle. The crystals are comprised of gypsum which in other parts of the world are mainly clear. But the rich iron oxide in Oklahoma's soil infuses the crystals with their signature brown tint. And it's said that if you find one with a brown hourglass shape inside one, you've found a good luck charm. I'll take all the luck I can get!

When you go out to the dig site, be prepared for unpaved roads that have a washboard effect on your vehicle. Once you get out to the dig site, you can park and walk in to the vast area the park has set aside for digging. The dig site is open from April to October and the actual dig area changes. When an area has been churned up enough, they move to an undisturbed section. This gives each area a chance to regenerate and fill back in. Pretty incredible land management going on there. The rules for digging are basically each person is allowed to harvest 10 pounds of crystals and if you're lucky enough to find a big crystal, you're allowed to keep it, but only one big one per person. We didn't find any big ones but we got quite a few smaller ones of all shapes and sizes and we were only out there for about an hour. Pretty good haul as far as I'm concerned.

If you go out, be prepared to be hot. The salty plains reflect the light so bring sunglasses, sunscreen, and water. If you have a little canopy to shade you as you dig, you can stay out a little longer, but it's not neccessary to have a good time. While you're in that area, the Great Salt Plains State Park has way more to do than just dig crystals. They have a wildlife refuge, a lake which is about half as salty as the ocean, horseback riding areas, picnics, barbecue pits, nature trails, and fishing. Great vacation spot right here in Oklahoma about a two hour drive north of Oklahoma City. Go find it and have fun!

23280 S. Spillway Dr., Jet, Oklahoma