Fox Den Trail (Natural Falls State Park) Hiking Guide
Most visitors to Natural Falls walk to the waterfall and leave. The Fox Den Trail, tucked between the tent and RV areas, is the park's workout: a short but steep drop to a rock overhang, a small cavern and the stream below the dam, then the climb back out.
Permit: A state parks parking pass is required at Natural Falls. The October 2025 schedule from Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation: $8 per vehicle per day with Oklahoma or tribal plates, $10 for others, with 2- to 14-day passes and annual passes ($60 in-state, $75 out-of-state). Free for in-state residents 62+ and eligible Oklahoma veterans.
How Long and How Hard
The park lists the Fox Den Trail at 1.5 miles, about an hour of walking, and rates it difficult for its elevation change. AllTrails maps a shorter 1.1 miles but gives it 242 feet of gain (239 on another listing), the most of any trail in the park. This page uses the park's 1.5 miles, with AllTrails' climbing figure. Over a mile or so, that much climbing means steep pitches in both directions.
What's Down There
The trail descends to a rock overhang and a cavern area, then reaches the stream below the dam that holds the park's small lake. The park invites hikers to look for a mushroom-shaped rock and a fox denning area on the way down. Watch your footing on the rocky sections near the overhang, and take the climb back up at a steady pace.
Linking Other Trails
The Fox Den makes a good second loop after the waterfall. The park's Bear Trail, a tenth of a mile from the Rankin RV area, drops steeply to the Dripping Springs Trail by the lake; the park calls it steep and technical and suggests rugged footwear. The paved Pine Ridge Trail, about three-quarters of a mile, links the park's main areas. Don't confuse Fox Den with Fox Meadow, a separate 120-acre hike-in primitive campground. It has three short trails of its own, and camping there needs a permit approved by the park manager.
Pass and Park Rules
Natural Falls is in the state's parking-pass program; the October 2025 day rate is $8 for Oklahoma or tribal plates and $10 for everyone else. Trails close at dusk. Leashes must be no longer than 10 feet, and waste must be picked up. The park asks hikers to stay on marked paths and not to take wildflowers, plants, rocks or artifacts.
Best Times
The steep climb out is far more pleasant on a cool day, so fall, winter and early spring suit this loop best. The park is open year-round from dawn to dusk. After heavy rain, take extra care on wet rock and on the creek banks below the dam.
Hiking tips for Fox Den Trail (Natural Falls State Park)
- Wear shoes with grippy soles for the rocky descent.
- Keep something in your legs for the steep return from the stream.
- Look for the mushroom rock on the way down.
- Pair it with the Dripping Springs loop to see the waterfall too.
- Head back before dusk, when the trails close.
Nearby trails to explore
- Dripping Springs Trail (Natural Falls State Park)
- Lake Trail (Osage Hills State Park)
- Frank and Wilson Trails (Keystone Ancient Forest)
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Fox Den and the waterfall loop add up to a full morning at Natural Falls. Plan it in TrailMates, use the event's group chat to sort out the drive from Tulsa and the parking pass, and meet by the campground trailhead. Download TrailMates on the App Store or Google Play.