This was a really enjoyable hike. We left the trailhead around 8:00am and arrived at the summit three hours later. The beginning of the hike is flat, and follows an old ranch road for about 2 miles. The trail then turns left toward the mesa, and continues for about a mile. The trail then ascends the mesa 500 feet along three easy-to-hike switchbacks to the top. Once on top of Black Mesa the trail continues for another mile to the granite monument. This highpoint is treated well by its caretakers:. signage is very good; an "army style canister" holds a sign-in log (and prevents critters from getting in); there were several bottles of unopened water for the hiker in need; and the monument has a number of inscriptions. We did not see any wild life, and only met up with two other groups of hikers, on our Tuesday hike.
A certificate of accomplishment can be purchased at the Kenton Merchantile, in Kenton, OK. Its worth stopping by.
Oklahoma's highpoint is located approximately 35 miles NW of Boise City in Black Mesa Nature Preserve.
Black Mesa---a basalt-capped plateau---gained its name from the color of the volcanic ash found in the region.
| 8.6 miles, round trip | 775 feet elevation gain | 3 hours round trip | USGS Benchmark on summit |
Copyright © 2002 Mel Chrestman, Jr. and Melinda K. Smith highpoints. All Rights Reserved. This page was last updated on 02/15/12.