Lake Trail (Osage Hills State Park) Hiking Guide
Osage Hills State Park sits in the rolling oak country of the Osage Nation just west of Bartlesville, and its Lake Trail is the longest walk on the park's hiking trail map. It heads north from the central trailhead through the site of a Civilian Conservation Corps camp, skirts Lookout Lake and comes back to join the short Overlook Trail to the park's lookout tower.
Permit: Osage Hills is one of the Oklahoma state parks that sell parking passes. Per Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation's October 2025 fee sheet: $10 a day per vehicle, or $8 with an Oklahoma or Oklahoma tribal plate; multi-day passes; annual pass $75 ($60 with Oklahoma plates). In-state seniors 62+ and honorably discharged Oklahoma veterans qualify for free passes. Buy online through the park's travelok.com page.
Distance and Terrain
AllTrails lists the Lake Trail as a 3.7-mile loop with about 246 feet of climbing; a second AllTrails listing has 3.4 miles and 272 feet. TravelOK calls the park's trail system unpaved, across some rugged terrain, yet still suitable for beginners. The park page describes the terrain as rocky and hilly, and the trails are open to mountain bikers as well as hikers.
The Route
TravelOK describes the Lake Trail running fairly straight north from the trailhead in the middle of the park, through an old CCC campground, then around the edge of the lake before turning south to merge into the Overlook Trail. That short connector ends at the lookout tower, and from the tower you head south back to the start. The park map shows the CCC camp site on the west side of the loop and the lake lookout near its northern end.
CCC History and the Lake
The Civilian Conservation Corps built much of Osage Hills in the 1930s, including the eight native-stone cabins still rented today. Anglers fish Lookout Lake and Sand Creek, which winds through the 1,100-acre park, for bass, crappie, catfish and sunfish, and the park rents fishing boats. TravelOK says hikers may spot white-tailed deer or wild turkey.
Pass, Hours and Dogs
Osage Hills is in Oklahoma's state park parking-pass program, so every car needs a pass. Per the tourism department's October 2025 figures, a day pass costs $8 with Oklahoma or tribal plates and $10 otherwise, and campers and cabin guests get one included. Day use runs 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., but the trails close at sundown. Dogs are welcome on a leash or otherwise under direct control, per state park rules.
When to Go
Fall is the season TravelOK singles out, when the forest turns yellow, orange and red. Spring is also good, before summer heat and ticks set in. From November through April the park office keeps shorter hours (8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and closes on Thanksgiving and Christmas, and RV-site water is off from November 1 to April 1.
Hiking tips for Lake Trail (Osage Hills State Park)
- Buy the parking pass online before you leave home.
- Add the Overlook Trail spur at the end to finish at the lookout tower.
- Finish before sundown, when the trails close.
- Listen for mountain bikes on the shared rocky sections.
- Plan a fall trip for the best leaf color.
Nearby trails to explore
- Falls Trail (Keystone Ancient Forest)
- Yellow Trail (Turkey Mountain)
- Dripping Springs Trail (Natural Falls State Park)
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Osage Hills is a good fall day trip from Tulsa with friends. Post a Lake Trail hike in TrailMates, use the event's group chat to split the drive and agree on who buys the parking pass, and meet at the central trailhead. Download TrailMates on the App Store or Google Play.