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By B ill D ragoo | Photography By J ames P ratt

Along ’s segment of the Trans-America Trail, roads less traveled make all the difference in adventure.

t was one man’s dream to connect the East to the The route crosses 674 miles of Oklahoma, mostly in the West—not via rail or interstate but by dirt. In this age far northern portion, on its way from eastern to of superhighways and pavement, wouldn’t it be refresh- Port Orford, . Although designed for street-legal, Iing to drive across the United States without the whine off-road-capable motorcycles, Oklahoma’s segment— of tires on asphalt? What if a map and GPS route led down which we’ll call the Trans-Oklahoma Trail, or TOKT for shady, unpaved lanes, over the few remaining steel truss short—also is accessible by automobile. bridges, and through the tallgrass prairies of this vast land? In Oklahoma, the trail generally follows county roads. Travelers will encounter a In 1995, that man, Sam Correro, finished the route he Most are smooth, well-graded dirt or gravel. Some offer number of water crossings had worked on in stages since 1984. An adventure motor- more of a challenge, making a high-clearance vehicle along the Trans-Oklahoma cyclist from Corinth, , Correro decided to string advisable if not essential. Wet weather can turn the route Trail, including this one near Westville. Inset, roll charts, together and ride some 4,800 miles of back roads and call into a mudfest in spots. used by motorcyclists to map them the Trans-America Trail, or TAT. While main- The Boy Scout motto—“Be prepared”—is a good man- road trips, indicate the locations stream travelers choose to see the USA via roadways like tra for those traveling the Trans-Oklahoma Trail. This is of the photographs that Route 66, the TAT is for more intrepid souls. not the interstate. accompany this travelogue.

58 September/October 2014 OklahomaToday.com 59 e miss our turn in an invitation to look around. Friendly brated. Some buildings house old-timers Westville, distracted by and open, Bud Rose leads the way like Bud, others only memories. the old buildings in this through the Buffington Hotel, which As we duck into the woods outside Wonetime railroad town he calls his “bachelor pad.” He offers us Westville, the last vestiges of redbud near the Oklahoma/ border. a seat, pointing us toward chairs loosely trees sprinkle the forest. Lush new Paradoxically, Westville marks the east- arranged around a cast-iron stove. foliage covers oak, hickory, ash, and bois ern portal of the Trans-Oklahoma Trail. “Don’t mind the cans,” Bud says as we d’ arc. Pure white flowering dogwoods It’s a happy accident, I think, as a pair stroll past an open box of canned food chime in to create a magnificent of longhorns and a whitewashed skull on the floor. “That’s my pantry. I don’t display over the Ozark Plateau. The mounted atop a front door catch my eye. have many guests, so I didn’t clean up.” occasional dilapidated farmhouse I wheel our pickup to the curb and urge Bud is happy to show us through stands askew among twisted vines and my wife Susan to snap a few shots of the his home, which was placed on the overgrown trees, losing its battle with building’s statehood-era architecture. National Register of Historic Places gravity and the elements. Our friend and photographer James in 1984. He lives on the first floor; the These buildings won’t be around Pratt arrives to join our impromptu upstairs rooms are occupied only by much longer, and their humble design photo session. birds and ghosts. Dusty walnut trim probably never will be seen again in An older Toyota pickup pulls up still surrounds transom-topped door- these hills, roamed not so long ago by behind ours, and a tall, white-haired ways, and a few old steel beds remain in Native Americans. Each homestead gentleman unfolds from the cab. Smil- various states of decay. tells a story of struggle and joy where ing, he greets us with a handshake and Folks like Bud who live along the families lived, worked, and died. route don’t see a lot of outsiders. The We splash through sparkling streams Left, vintage structures like this trestle bridge near Lake Hulah dot the Trans- TOKT brings welcome newcomers to at a number of low water crossings. A Oklahoma Trail. Above, the forest in these rural communities and provides a roadrunner tests our reflexes, darting eastern Oklahoma near Scraper forms a unique opportunity to enjoy the state’s in front of our truck and reminding us scenic backdrop for adventures. roads less traveled and sites less cele- how infrequently motor vehicles pass

60 September/October 2014 OklahomaToday.com 61 through the area. Bluebirds flit across the Jean Pierre Chouteau established the The TOKT skirts the northeastern pasture by the roadside, entertaining us first trading post here for business with edge of Oologah Lake, then enters with their antics. the Osage. Salina, from the French Bartlesville at mile 155. Bartlesville Just eighteen miles in on the trail, word sel (meaning “salt” in English) boasts several motels and the Inn at near Turkey Hollow, we come across was named for the nearby salt springs. Price Tower, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Clear Fork Church, with its low stone We spot a rusted cast-iron kettle in a iconic skyscraper. This would be a wall and perfectly preserved playground city park, a remnant of a nearly forgot- good stopping point for the first equipment from the past century. I ten era when salt was obtained by boil- night, but the prevalence of good resist the urge to try out the giant sheet ing water from these springs in large camping is more inviting. metal slide, but Susan has a go at the kettles. We have an easier time finding We continue on and pitch our tents merry-go-round. We find the two-holer salt for our burgers at the Dairy Deal at Osage Hills State Park. Park ranger outhouse still in perfect working order. downtown on Ferry Street. Kyle Thoreson and park manager Nick The trail is dark and shady as we Northwest of Salina, the hills give Conner share information on the Cross approach the Illinois River north of way to prairie. It’s not unusual to Timbers and the history of the park, Tahlequah, with limestone bluffs see the occasional llama or alpaca built by the Civilian Conservation hanging to our left and polished guarding livestock against predators, Corps in the 1930s. We enjoy brief chrome waters glistening to our but a few single-humped surprises glimpses of the meticulous stonema- right. Glimpses of the river become greet us as we pass Windsong Ad- sonry in the park’s bridges, culverts, and more frequent as our route paral- ventures, a hunting lodge northeast of shelters before moving on. lels the waterway for a mile or two Adair. Camels graze lazily nearby and before crossing it on an old green venture close as we stop and approach n our second day, near mile steel bridge. Nearby outfitters such as the fence. I share my Nutter Butters 170, the trail strikes Hulah Sparrow Hawk Camp and War Eagle and make a friend for life. James gets OWildlife Management Area Resort offer guided fishing, canoe a green spit bath from a llama. He near Pawhuska, which has wetlands trips, camping, and cabins—but the should have offered cookies. more akin to Florida than Oklahoma. day is young, and we have far to go. A 1938 WPA bridge recalls a time Just before crossing the Neo- While it’s no trouble to find lodging when dirt roads were the norm and along most parts of the Trans-Oklahoma sho River, we roll into Salina, one Trail, some prefer camping. Osage Hills dust poured in through windows open of Oklahoma’s earliest permanent State Park near Pawhuska offers 23 to the midday heat. Hulah Lake and Euro-American settlements. In 1796, primitive tent sites, 20 RV sites, and the 16,000-acre Wildlife Management French Creole fur trader and explorer natural beauty. Area, administered by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, are home to wild turkey, dove, quail, rabbit, squirrel, and bobcat and offer primitive camping—no showers, toi- Map Quest madeline smith lets, or picnic tables. Life goes by at a slower pace for the • Kenton • Ready to hit the Trans-Oklahoma Trail? Newkirk • people who make their homes in these Lookout Alva • First come the maps, and they’re only Ponca City • Bartlesville • parts. We stop and chat with brothers available from the TOKT’s founder. Terry and Larry Hurst as they string fence on their land, which is just three It is unlikely anyone could successfully Adair • Westville hundred feet from the Kansas border. navigate the Trans-Oklahoma Trail Salina • without proper maps. There are sixteen Near the Caney River in Osage for Oklahoma alone and volumes County, the road twists and turns, and for the entire United States route. • we keep a slow pace so we won’t miss Although a capable traveler could Tahlequah • the relics hidden among the under- manage most of the trail in a sturdy sedan, a four-wheel-drive vehicle Turn-by-turn brush. We spy what looks like an old roll charts like Sears, Roebuck, and Co. house stand- or dual-sport-capable motorcycle is this one clamp preferable. All trail maps, roll charts, onto motorcycle ing defiantly against the elements, its and GPS tracks are proprietary; handlebars, allowing fences and gates losing the battle to order them from Sam Correro at riders to safely weather and rot. Behind it is a rusting transamtrail.com/store. $24 to $372. check their course. 1930s Chevrolet hay truck, now home to snakes and rodents. Another outhouse

62 September/October 2014 OklahomaToday.com 63 dates the demise of this place, its last inhabitants moving out before plumbing moved indoors. The tallgrass prairie of Osage County seems to spring up from nowhere, open- ing our view from the few feet between curves to vast acres crossing miles of rolling, grass-covered hills. The nearby Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, managed by the Oklahoma Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, is the largest preserved tract of native tallgrasses on earth. There is no bad season to cross this prairie: The green fields of spring eventually turn yellow and finally fade before winter. Archaeological discoveries over the years mark the locations of an- cient Indian villages throughout Osage County. It is easy to imagine a young Kaw, Osage, or Pawnee trapping game, knapping flint arrowheads, or carving a bow by the side of a stream. Camping is easy to come by around Kaw Lake, just east of Ponca City, but it’s too early for us to put down stakes. We stop at Stagecoach Barbeque in Newkirk to enjoy ribs and smoked chicken while the boys at G&B Auto repair a punctured tire on James’ vehicle. They’re accustomed to these kinds of tasks, since the motorcyclists traveling the TAT stop here occasion- ally for repairs. The roads straighten out west of I-35, and our scene takes on the familiar look of western Oklahoma. Fields of yellow-crowned canola lie to the north, and deep green, knee-high wheat unfolds to the south. Even the dirt changes color, from tan to the red soil so famous for dyeing rivers and farm ponds the color of rust. Camping is scarce in these parts except for a local RV park, but Alva has several motels. We choose one to regroup and freshen up.

ow three days and 400 miles into our 674-mile journey, what The Trans-Oklahoma trail takes travelers began as a lark feels like a test through varied terrain, from the over- N flowing rivers and forest canopies of of endurance. We rumble along mile eastern Oklahoma to endless horizons after mile of straight, dusty roads. The and waving wheat fields like this one varied scenery and winding roads of west of Alva.

64 September/October 2014 OklahomaToday.com 65 eastern Oklahoma are behind us, and Near mile 545, we hit deep sand, and the long, flat trail ahead seems to stretch two ruts through the sage are our only Drive, into infinity. Crisscrossed debris barriers indication of the route. Brad Stevens, that look like train trestles skirt the Salt who lives in the lone red brick house at Call, or Fork of the Arkansas River and break the east end of the sand trap, has res- the monotony. Cows stand knee-deep cued many a motorcyclist who walked in the slow-moving waters. to his house begging for help to right a Click The road forks just past the river, one fallen mount. leg paved and one dirt. We turn right “A Florida rider broke his leg in How to find the places on dirt, staying true to the route. Gyp- this spot a few years ago,” he says, along the trail sum hills and copper streak the valleys “and I put his bike up in the barn with chalk and green sediment layers. until he could come back and finish Beyond Alva, the land becomes even his trip the following year.” Sparrow Hawk Camp, Tahlequah more western—not John Ford movie There are a lot of TAT-friendly folks 21985 North Ben George Road western but a landscape of tumble- along the route, some of whom put up (918) 456-8371 weeds rolling across the sandy prairie, signs and ask visitors to stop by and or sparrowhawkcamp.com driven by unfettered winds. sign their guest books. War Eagle Resort, Tahlequah Sage and yucca replace tilled farm- We see pronghorn and rabbits 13020 State Highway 10 lands. Dust devils hundreds of feet everywhere as we near the end of the (918) 456-6272 high spin wildly. It is a raw brand of TOKT. At Black Mesa State Park, we or wareagleresort.com beauty but beauty nonetheless. Egrets set up camp and enjoy a hot shower. Dairy Deal, Salina pose in the rare shallow pond like A cloudless sky presents some of the 211 Ferry Street debutantes at a cotillion ball. The red most brilliant stars on earth, with the (918) 434-5326 dirt has ended, and white dust leaves a dark surroundings uninterrupted by city Windsong Adventures, northeast patina on our dashboard and shoes. lights. Amateur astronomers bring their of Adair An undulating dirt road northwest telescopes here and often are eager to (918) 864-0055 of Alva leads to a modest house with a share the view. We enjoy a quiet night, or windsongadventures.com few outbuildings. We have unknowingly with the welcome exception of a nearby Inn at Price Tower, Bartlesville landed in Lookout. Sandy Wimmer camper’s fiddle strains of “Faded Love” 510 South Dewey Avenue comes out to greet us, and another his- floating down South Carrizo Creek. (918) 336-1000 or pricetower.org tory lesson unfolds. She tells us nearby Osage Hills State Park, Pawhuska Lookout Mountain was the vantage fter a good night’s sleep, we 2131 Osage Hills Park Road point from which settlers would spot hike up Black Mesa, the high- (918) 336-4141 sites for their future homesteads. Sandy’s Aest point in Oklahoma at 4,973 or TravelOK.com/parks mother was postmaster in Lookout from feet, and enjoy the view as a reward Hulah Wildlife Management Area, north 1946 until 1972, and her house is the for the past few days’ effort. There we of Pawhuska original post office. find a cache with mementos—business (918) 349-2281 Her barn is full of relics, old tools, and cards, Monopoly tokens, a kite folded or wildlifedepartment.com implements of an earlier time. Sandy and tucked away in a handcrafted Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, north likes the old things, and a touch of sad- box—left by previous visitors to this of Pawhuska ness comes over her as she talks about lonely and beautiful place. Dinosaur (918) 287-4803 or nature.org the few buildings slowly returning to tracks and arrowheads remain in the Kaw Lake, east of Ponca City dust near Lookout. area, as do other artifacts of those who (580) 762-9494 or kawlake.com “When people retire and move or have gone before. Stagecoach Barbeque, Newkirk pass away and the kids don’t want to A trip like this is off the radar for 400 West South Street stay out there, the house dies,” she says. many, but as John Steinbeck said in (580) 362-3160 So we have seen in the remnants by Travels with Charley: In Search of Amer- The Trans-Oklahoma Trail or stagecoach-barbeque.com incorporates segments of the the roadside. The TOKT gives travel- ica, “A journey is a person in itself; no Santa Fe Trail’s Cimarron Black Mesa State Park, near Kenton ers a chance to experience what is left two are alike….We do not take a trip; Route—like this one near (580) 426-2222 or of these old buildings. If we take the a trip takes us.” We are indeed taken by the Oklahoma- TravelOK.com/parks border—and other off-the- time, we can learn something of what the diminishing pearls of the past and beaten-path historic sites in it must have been like when they were the progress of our generation, all seen western Oklahoma. filled with life. along the Trans-Oklahoma Trail.

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