Osage Park
4.9(511)google
4.7(3)yelp
Nature
Overview
Osage Hills State Park is a 1,100-acre (4.5 km2) Oklahoma state park It is located in eastern Osage County, Oklahoma. The nearest cities are Pawhuska and Bartlesville. The park offers outdoor recreation opportunities including camping, hiking, fishing and wildlife watching.
Practical Info
Mon7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Tue7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Wed7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Thu7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Fri7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Sat7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Sun7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Suggested Duration1.5-2.5 hours
Best TimeBest experienced from late spring to October between 5:30 PM and sunset. Crafted beautifully as a modern wetland boardwalk preserve along the local airport runway, the low evening sun strikes the expansive historic wooden boardwalk loops and marshgrass directly, painting the fully exposed lily-pads with rich gold shades.
Getting ThereSituated right next to the Thaden Field airport in south Bentonville at 700 SW 16th Street. Drive off I-49 via Exit 85, follow AR-12 West for 1.5 miles, turn left south onto SW I Street, and proceed to SW 16th Street. The green park complex features its own free high-capacity paved surface parking lot loops.
Travel Tips
- Osage Park preserves a highly fragile wetland corridor lined with multi-use boardwalks. Dogs must be secured on a fixed, non-retractable 6-foot leash at all times; forcing or allowing pets to plunge into protected waters to chase waterfowl is a fineable offense.
- Directly adjacent to Thaden Field airport runways, Osage Park rests inside restrictive low-altitude controlled aviation airspace. Operating personal recreational drones here is strictly banned under FAA airspace safety mandates, backed by federal felony prosecution.
- High-density amenities like pickleball complexes cause acute weekend parking deficits from 03:00 PM onwards. Paddlers bringing private kayaks should arrive before 09:00 AM to utilize the temporary boat unload zones before moving vehicles to remote parking spaces.
Reviews
Positive
- Located right next to the airport, it offers a unique experience where you can walk along wetland boardwalks while watching small planes land and take off.
- Features a beautiful, massive covered pavilion that regularly hosts live music events, local farmers markets, and craft fairs.
- The amenities are modern and extensive, including an excellent dog park, a dedicated archery range, and well-maintained pickleball courts.
- The wetland loop trail is flat and well-paved, offering wide open views and several custom wooden docks perfect for casual fishing.
Heads up
- Because it shares a border with an active runway, the loud roaring engines of low-flying aircraft can disrupt the peaceful atmosphere.
- Most trees in the park are still very young, resulting in a severe lack of shade, making summer mid-days unbearably hot and exposed.
- The marshy wetland environment naturally breeds dense swarms of bugs and mosquitoes in summer, causing heavy biting during sunset walks.
- Sections of the wooden boardwalk can become submerged under water after heavy rains, cutting off the loop trail and forcing visitors to turn back.