11-1-2024 Note: Mike visited this paved trail on 11-2-2024. At that point, the building where it starts was not currently being used as the visitor center. So you may need to ask where the old visitor center is. The path starts next to the building (on the right if you are facing the building and runs briefly along the parking lot.

The Tenkiller Multi-Use Trail is an enjoyable multi-use paved trail at Tenkiller State Park in northwest Sequoyah County, Oklahoma. It is a pleasant and easy walk through the front part of the park which heads to a pretty lake overlook.

Getting to the Tenkiller Multi-Use Trail

If you’re coming from the east on I-40, take Highway 82 north through Vian for about 9 miles. Then turn left and head west on Highway 100 for about 3 miles. Tenkiller State Park will be on your right, prior to crossing Tenkiller Ferry Dam.

Head into the park to the visitor center. The paved multi-use trail starts next to it.

When I was last there, there was a sign that said Whispering Pines Trail at the start. To the best of my knowledge though, it is still referred to as the Multi-Use Trail.

The Trail

Even though this is a paved path which is only partially wooded, it is still a pleasant easy walk through the front part of the park.

The path takes you past cabins, some pavilions, and a scenic fishing pond area.

I think the coolest area is the wooded part with a small loop at the end of the trail. The endpoint of this part is Crappie Point. It has some nice views of Lake Tenkiller and the dam and floodgates.

It is about 1.3 miles to walk the entire trail down to Crappie Point and back.

There are a few nature information signs along the trail.

I had AT&T cell signal about 75% of the time.

These photos are from my August 19, 2017 visit to the trail.

Photo Gallery

Click below for full-screen photo gallery.

Map

Note: In most Oklahoma state parks, you will probably need to pay a day use fee of $8 to $10.

Last revised: 8-15-2021.

The post Tenkiller State Park: Multi-Use Trail – 1 mi (o&b) appeared first on Arklahoma Hiker.

Overlook Nature Trail at Lake Tenkiller (Sequoyah County, Oklahoma) is an enjoyable 1.1-mile wooded hike at the south end of Lake Tenkiller. The out-and-back hike is 2.2 miles long.

My profile of the Overlook Nature Trail is here.

These are some photos I took on the trail last fall (November 6, 2018). There was still a good bit of fall foliage left.

In quite a bit of the trail you can see Lake Tenkiller through the trees. The views are more expansive during leaf-off.

The day was mostly overcast but some sunlight managed to sneak in here and there.

Photo Gallery

Click below for full-screen photo gallery.

Revised: 1-18-2022.

The post Lake Tenkiller: Overlook Nature Trail Fall Pics appeared first on Arklahoma Hiker.

The Buzzard Roost Nature Trail at Lake Tenkiller (northwest Sequoyah County, Oklahoma) is a pretty 1-mile loop on Cato Creek.

Although there are no blazes, it is not hard to follow the trail. It has some pretty views, especially along the creek.

My full profile of the trail is in this post. These are more photos I took on that hike (November 19, 2016).

Although the creek was pretty dry then, there was some nice fall foliage.

Photo Gallery

Click below for full-screen photo gallery of these pics and more taken the same day.

The post Lake Tenkiller: Buzzard Roost Trail Fall Pics appeared first on Arklahoma Hiker.

11-1-2024 Note: Mike visited this trail on November 1, 2024, and it appeared to be overgrown and largely unfollowable. Hopefully, at some point it will be back in good hiking condition again.

Buzzard Roost Nature Trail is a scenic 1-mile loop trail along Cato Creek by Lake Tenkiller in northwest Sequoyah County, Oklahoma. It’s a Corps of Engineers public use area, near Cato Creek Landing.

There is a little climbing on the trail, but it is not difficult.

The trail heads generally southwest along a stretch of the creek.

About halfway down the west side of the loop, the trail makes a short detour to the west where it crosses a side stream ravine.

Getting to the Buzzard Roost Nature Trail

If you’re coming from Interstate 40, take exit 297 (Vian) and head north on Highway 82.

About 9 miles north of the interstate (after passing through Vian), Highway 82 makes a sharp right turn where it combines with Highway 100.

Stay on 82/100 for 2.7 miles. Then take a left on E 953 Road. There is a “Cato Creek Recreation Area” sign here pointing left.

After a mile, the parking area for Buzzard Roost Nature Trail is there on your left just before the road curves right and crosses over Cato Creek.

The Hike

There are no blazes on the trail, but the vast majority of it is pretty easy to follow and walk. In fact, it seems like about two-thirds of the trail is on a road trace. But it is still a pretty scenic trail nonetheless, especially given how most of the trail is to the creek bed.

A short spur is at the beginning of the trail. After about 50 feet, you will be at the loop. I would recommend staying right to take the loop counterclockwise.

At about .1 miles, the trail is starts following pretty close to Cato Creek (on the right in this area). Cato Creek is scenic whether it is a wet time of year or not. It was pretty dry during my November hike.

At around .2, the trail turns right and crosses Cato Creek to the west side via a concrete footbridge. (When I did my recent hike, it was a little difficult to see this turn because of overgrowth along the bridge.)

The trail is pretty easy to follow again on the west side. In fact, that crossing was about the only place where I had some trouble following the trail.

The trail climbs some after the crossing. Overall, there is not much climbing on this trail. The elevation change on the trail is only about 80 feet.

At around .3, there is a cool wooden and stone footbridge (in pretty good shape) at the stream crossing over on the west side. This stream valley is a beautiful area. There are a lot of boulders in the stream bed. (It’s probably even more scenic when water is flowing.)

After crossing the bridge, the trail turns and heads east back toward Cato Creek. Now we are into the southern half of the loop. The stream valley we just crossed and the southern part are prettiest parts of the trail. There is quite a bit of interesting hillside terrain in this area with nice views of Cato Creek.

At around .6, the trail crosses Cato Creek back to the east side. (No bridge here.)

There are no blazes, but it is not too difficult to see where the trail continues on the other side.

After the crossing, the loop turns and heads back north. Again, the southern part of the loop is very nice with varied terrain and creek views.

At about 1 mile, the loop ends, and you are back at the very short initial spur.

Final Notes

The trail overall was in good condition and pretty easy to follow.

I had AT&T cell signal about 60% of the time.

These photos are all from my November 19, 2016 hike. There was some nice fall foliage.

[More photos from that hike are in this post.]

Photo Gallery

Click below for full-screen photo gallery of these pics and more taken the same day.

Map

Last revised: 8-22-2021.

The post Lake Tenkiller: Buzzard Roost Nature Trail – 1 mi appeared first on Arklahoma Hiker.