Black Mesa State Park

Black Mesa State Park is an Oklahoma state park in Cimarron County, near the western border of the Oklahoma panhandle and New Mexico. The park is located about 15 miles (24 km) away from its namesake, Black Mesa, the highest point in Oklahoma (4,973 feet (1,516 m) above sea level). The mesa was named for the layer of black lava rock that coats it.[3]

Black Mesa State Park
Storm at Black Mesa State Park, April 2012
A map of Oklahoma showing the location of Black Mesa State Park
A map of Oklahoma showing the location of Black Mesa State Park
LocationCimarron County, Oklahoma, United States
Nearest cityBoise City, OK
Coordinates36.8458550°N 102.8802025°W / 36.8458550; -102.8802025[1]
Area349 acres (141 ha)
Governing bodyOklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department
www.travelok.com/listings/view.profile/id.631

The associated nature preserve is open to hiking and contains 1,600 acres (6.5 km2) and is home to 23 rare plants and 8 rare animal species.[3]

The nearest community is Kenton, Oklahoma.[3] The nearest town is Boise City, Oklahoma.

The park is the darkest sky for any state park site in Oklahoma, with the site being a Bortle 1 zone;[4] thus, making the park a big attraction for astronomers to view the night sky.

Lake Carl Etling

Lake Carl Etling, also called Carl Etling Lake, was formed in 1959 by a dam built on South Carrizo Creek and is contained within Black Mesa State Park. It has a surface area of 159 acres,[5] a shoreline of 5 miles (8.0 km), and an average depth of 11 feet (3.4 m), with a maximum depth of 38 feet (12 m).[6]

References
  1. "Black Mesa State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  2. "Black Mesa State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  3. "Black Mesa State Park and Nature Preserve". Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  4. R, Mike (August 22, 2021). "State Park Bortle 1 Scale Information In The US". CosmosPNW. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
  5. "Lake Carl Etling". TravelOK.com. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  6. Leisure and Sports Review (LASR). "Lake Carl G. Etling, OK." Retrieved December 4, 2013.
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