Yellow Trail (Turkey Mountain) Hiking Guide
The Yellow Trail is the longest and hardest of the three marked loops in Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness, the River Parks Authority's preserve of more than 750 acres on the west bank of the Arkansas River in Tulsa. It leaves the main trailhead, winds east toward the river and then north to the park's northern boundary before turning back.
Distance and Difficulty
River Parks rates the Yellow Trail Difficult and puts it at 4.4 miles, recommending it for experienced visitors only. Mapping figures run a little shorter. The Outbound records 3.85 miles with 381 feet of climbing as a loop, and Hiking Project maps a 3.8-mile line with about 459 feet of climbing, with grades reaching 27 percent.
The Route
Start north of the restroom at the main trailhead off Elwood Avenue, where River Parks has parking, pavilions and climbing boulders. TravelOK describes the loop heading east toward the river, then running mostly straight north parallel to it before a hairpin turn sends you back south. Countless unmarked trails cross the loop; TravelOK counts 25 miles of them. Follow the yellow markers at each junction, because the side paths split often.
History on the Hill
River Parks says oil drilling on the mountain left remnants you can still spot. A section of the 1904 Midland Valley Railroad crosses the property and still carries trains on weekday mornings and evenings. The carvings sometimes called Viking petroglyphs were, according to the archaeologists River Parks consulted, most likely cut by oil-field workers in the 1920s, since the soft sandstone would erase anything much older.
Rules and Trail Conditions
Turkey Mountain charges no entry or parking fee. Dogs must be leashed, and River Parks asks you to bring extra water for yourself and your pet on this loop. The dirt trails close when muddy, so check the trail status on riverparks.org after rain. A curfew runs from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Mountain bikers and Class 1 and 2 e-bikes share the trail; cyclists yield to hikers, but stay alert on descents.
Parking and Crowds
The main lot fills on nice weekends. River Parks opened and later expanded a second lot on 61st Street, west of Elwood, and an upper lot sits along Elwood. River Parks describes a thick canopy of native trees over the mountain, which helps in warm weather, but on a loop this long spring, fall and cool winter days are the comfortable choices.
Hiking tips for Yellow Trail (Turkey Mountain)
- Check River Parks' trail status after any rain; muddy trails close.
- Watch for yellow markers at every junction to stay on the loop.
- Carry extra water for you and your dog, as River Parks advises.
- Use the 61st Street lot if the main trailhead is full.
- Listen for bikes on the descents and step aside.
Nearby trails to explore
- Bixhoma Lake Trail
- Falls Trail (Keystone Ancient Forest)
- North Woods Loop (Oxley Nature Center)
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Turkey Mountain is Tulsa's after-work trail, and the Yellow Trail is the loop most worth a group. Post an evening or weekend lap in TrailMates, settle which lot to meet at in the event's group chat, and start from the main trailhead together. Download TrailMates on the App Store or Google Play.