| I had returned on an early afternoon flight from
San Antonio. Having been crammed in a plane with a hundred
other people and fighting my way through thousands more at
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, I was ready to get as far
away from people as possible. I grabbed my kayak and headed for
Oklahoma City’s best place to find solitude outdoors: The Stinchcomb
Wildlife Refuge.
The Stinchcomb Wildlife Refuge lies north of Lake Overholser and
follows the North Canadian River past Morgan Road in Yukon. It
contains over 1,000 acres that haven’t changed much in the last 150
years. Hundreds of birds, small mammals such as beaver, and deer
make their homes in the refuge.
The primary ways to enjoy the refuge are by foot, mountain bike
and boat. Several trails suitable for hiking run through the refuge
linking four small lakes to the river. Entrances to the trails are
from NW 50th on the east side of the refuge and County Line and
Morgan Roads on the west side.
Several geocaches are hidden in the refuge.
Locations for the geocaches can be found from the Geo
Caching link on the Outdoor Network's website. Both the caches are
off-trail in areas that can be muddy and have dense vegetation. Be
sure you have extra batteries for your GPS to find your way back
out.
Mountain bikers can ride the service road and a few trails the
entire length of the refuge. Less experienced mountain bikers will
find the road and trails less technical than the Bluff Creek trail
system north of Lake Hefner.
Boating in the refuge is typically by recreational kayak or
canoe. Kayakers can put in on the west side of Yukon and float
9 miles down the North Canadian River to Lake Overholser
(From Yukon - there is a nice launch site north on Garth Brooks Blvd and
another by going north from route 66 on highway 4, also known as
Piedmont Road).
Canoeists and kayakers will frequently put in just south of the
old Route 66 bridge and paddle up the river for several miles before
returning.
The level and flow of the river makes every trip a little
different.
When the river is high, paddlers can adventure through reeds to
Street Car Lake or paddle up the river to Morgan Road. A faster
flowing river provides a challenge to paddle up river and makes the
return trip more adventuresome.
Along the river and lakes, the signs of wildlife are constant.
Blue herons, owls and ducks can be seen year round. Egrets and
cranes will often visit during the warmer months. The felled trees
from the many wild beaver in the refuge may be seen every few feet.
The hoofed tracks of deer are abundant. At dusk the wildlife comes
out to play. Deer sightings are common. The tail slaps of swimming
beavers as you approach to close are heard. Bats dance in the sky as
they emerge to chase insects above your head. In warmer weather fish
will jump from the water as you paddle by.
Oklahoma City has plans to increase access to the refuge with a
park planned in the vicinity of Street Car Lake and additional
trails throughout the area. |
