A quiet outdoor wonderland tucked into the edge of the Ozarks of eastern Oklahoma is the ideal weekend retreat from bustling Tulsa. Situated just over an hour southeast of the city, Greenleaf State Park is a beautiful lakeside retreat that's popular with anglers looking to tangle with bass, catfish, and sunfish. For hikers and mountain bikers, it features 18 miles of trails through the park's forests. Campers can choose between tent and RV sites or, for a more comfortable stay, pet-friendly cabins overlooking the lake.
Greenleaf State Park is one of Oklahoma's seven original state parks. Much of its infrastructure was originally constructed in the s as part of the federal Works Progress Administration, giving the destination a bit of history to go along with its stellar outdoor assets. The nearest community is Braggs, Oklahoma, where basic supplies for a weekend in the park are just a five-minute drive away.
While Greenleaf isn't the only getaway in Oklahoma's mountain region, which also boasts the beautiful Broken Bow Lake , it's easily one of the most scenic. Greenleaf Lake, where Greenleaf State Park is located, is a burgeoning bass fishery. In , the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, which manages the lake's fishery, stocked Florida-strain largemouth bass in the lake, hoping the fish would introduce their genes into the existing bass population.
Florida largemouths get notoriously big, and can grow to more than 20 pounds. In addition to the lake's healthy bass population, anglers can also chase channel catfish, white and black crappy, and other sunfish. One of the reasons Greenleaf Lake is popular with anglers is that motorized fishing boats are allowed, but other motorized watercraft, like jet skis, are not. This means anglers don't have to worry about other types of recreation on the water, and fishing is the primary pursuit for those visiting the lake.
In addition to the lake, Greenleaf State Park offers a kids' pond, where children under the age of 16 can fish. Like Hochatown, another Oklahoma outdoor paradise , Greenleaf is a great option for anglers, with the Ozark scenery tough to beat.
