RED DRAMBLINGIRT By B ILL D RAGOO | Photography By J AMES P RATT Along Oklahoma’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 Tennessee to of superhighways and pavement, wouldn’t it be refresh- Port Orford, Oregon. 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, Mississippi, 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/Arkansas 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.