Riverparks Authority To Announce Turkey Mountain Trail Renovations

Riverparks Authority officials are expected to announce the plans for trail renovations at Turkey Mountain Park on Friday. Currently, there are three main marked trails at Turkey Mountain and several unmarked paths, but soon these trails will get an overhaul that will make them much more user friendly.

Ryan Howell with Riverparks said the construction schedule for the initial phase of trail improvements and additions will be fluid as they begin the work on this part of the Turkey Mountain Master Plan that was chosen in 2019.

This first phase of the five-part plan includes 400 acres and will take between six months to a year to complete.

Crews will be making the trails better marked so people don’t get lost, making them in a way they won’t deteriorate when it rains, and make the trails a loop compared to the spiderweb design they have now.

“We are going to be taking away the trail but we are going to be adding a brand new trail that is not susceptible to erosion and it won’t be muddy all the time,” Howell said. “It will be very low maintenance for us and our volunteers.”

Howell said these are the biggest issues they need to address after hearing from hikers over the years on how they need to improve.

Officials say Turkey Mountain is one of the only places in Tulsa to get a trail hiking experience, so they are excited to bring better options for hikers to try out.

“The trails will be open for the most part,” Howell said. “The only places they will be closed is where they are actively engaging in construction or the trails aren’t quite finished yet, we will be closing down trails as new trails are built.”

He says the trails will be changing almost weekly but you can find the most updated maps for your hikes on riverparks.org before you go.

The official unveiling will be at 1 p.m. in the Turkey Mountain Park parking lot. The event is open to the public and officials encourage anyone who has questions to come and speak with them.

“Leave No Trace” will also be hosting a clean-up event Saturday morning at 9 a.m. for anyone who wants to help clean up the park and trails before construction begins. They ask that you bring gloves and good shoes to walk in.