Oxley Nature Center

When we pulled up, the parking lot was full. We saw one person across the pond going the other way. It was very clean, easy for beginner hiking like me. Saw lots of wildlife, found a gazebo for a quick lunch. We’ve been back a few times and always a fun time.

It is always fun to go with the kids and experience the nice trails in the different seasons! I've gone with my kids since they were little, they have really easy walking paths. The nature center is really fun and informative and everyone is always friendly. They have activities like scavenger hunts you can do when you hike too!

Perfect in every way. From the friendly and informed staff, to the quiet, clean and well-cared for grounds, this is one of the best places in the State to take a hike. Perfect for families, or a quiet weekday walk.

Like nature? Want to see birds, bugs, snakes, deer, wild flowers, native pollinators, and more? Oxley is a great place to enjoy our beautiful local ecosystems and get some steps in the process!

When Covid hit my wife and abandoned the virus laden gym. We found a much better alternative, the trails at Oxley Nature Center. Well at least when the weather is cool enough, and the humidity low enough, that you can stand to be outside. Mostly October through April. There is a closed, isolated section of Mohawk Blvd. that lies within the boundaries of the preserve. It makes for a beautiful hard surfaced walking trail. In addition to the scenery, there is usually some wildlife. The area is great if you are into birding. There is a small lake that always has water fowl and it is not uncommon to see deer or hear an owl. This year’s drought has taken it toll. The lake and pond levels are lower and the trees have been punished. Noticeably quite a few trees didn’t survive. A great peaceful place to walk.

This was my first visit to the Oxley Nature Center and I have to say, wow it’s amazing. If you enjoy the outdoors and walking/hiking trails this is your place to be when in Tulsa. It’s located within Mohawk Park nearby to the Zoo and Lake Yahola. Near the ramp which leads to the visitor center you can get a trail map, grab one of these because you might need it, there is so many trails. All the trails are well traveled and easy to stay on, at the beginning of a trail there was wooden signs telling the name of that particular one. We did the Bird Creek trail, coal creek trail and a few others while here. Everywhere was so beautiful. I recommend the bird creek trail because there is great views of the creek and a cool wooden bridge to walk across. There is also several small ponds here that some of the other trails pass by. There is a trail here for everybody. We saw so many butterflies while walking around but also many mosquitoes too. Most of the trails were wide enough you could avoid the grass but some were narrow and we brushed up against the grass. I only found one small tick on me after hiking but if you touch any grass or go off trail for some reason then be sure to check yourself for them. I recommend coming in the early morning to avoid the heat of the day and so you have lots of time to explore the visitor center if you want. We came in the late afternoon so the visitor center was closing soon unfortunately and we only got to spend maybe 20 minutes in there after we were done hiking. The visitor center is a must see in my opinion because the lady we met in there was a wealth of knowledge and kindness too. There is also many animal pelts on display and information about all kinds of animals and insects that are native to Oklahoma. There is public bathrooms available in the visitor center as well as water fountains. Overall, if you like the outdoors this place will not disappoint you. It truly is an urban oasis. My only complaint is you will hear aircraft from the nearby airport at times but I enjoy aircraft so that didn’t bother me. Just keep that in mind, it’s located next to a large city so you can’t completely escape those sounds. Have fun and don’t forget to grab one of those trail maps!

Loved this place. Spent 2 hours getting lost on the trails and will be back soon.

Lots of short trails from here. Any of the wooded ones were a complete swamp when I visited, but I still squeaked out about 3 miles of walking, met a pond slider, and got bit by at least 5 million mosquitos. Nice peaceful place regardless - would recommend going after a few days without rain though.

When Covid hit my wife and I abandoned the virus laden gym. We found a much better alternative; the trails at Oxley Nature Center. Well at least when the weather is cool enough, and the humidity low enough, that you can stand to be outside. Mostly October through April. There is a closed, isolated section of Mohawk Blvd. that lies within the boundaries of the preserve. It makes for a beautiful hard surfaced walking trail. In addition to the scenery, there is usually some wildlife. The area is great if you are into birding. There is a small lake that always has water fowl and it is not uncommon to see deer or hear an owl. This year's drought has taken its toll. The lake and pond levels are lower and the trees have been punished. Noticeably quite a few trees didn't survive. A great peaceful place to walk.

Oxley is one of my happy places. It's kind of amazing that you can be completely alone and feel like you're in the middle of the wilderness but still technically be inside the city. And it's free! The last time I went, I saw a group of five deer, an armadillo, and a lot of evidence of beavers. They also have a decent bathroom, a water fountain, an educational shelter, an observation tower, and a building with some educational exhibits. It's also nice that the trails are open pretty late, even after the building closes. My only minor complaints are that the bee colony is so close to the back door, and there isn't any obvious signage when a trail is flooded.

Great, well-maintained miles of trails. Wildlife, birds, butterflies, and beautiful scenery. The nature center is welcoming to all ages. They hold great events, wonderful volunteers, and just a real gem here in Tulsa.

What a great place to take the family. It's amazing to get in touch with nature and explore the peace you get from it as a family especially. It's great bonding time too, something you can't get from staying home and playing video games ..haha!

Considering I came to Oxley Nature Center in February and on a day that there were problems happening at the nature center, I am pretty darn impressed. It was a lot larger and better designed than I expected and we were able to traverse a couple miles of trails (in total) and are excitedly planning which trails to check out on our next visit. Lovely place!

I LOVE IT. Peaceful beautiful just a great place overall to enjoy time with your family. Or by yourself. 10 out of 10 would recommend. It's beautiful anytime of the year. The people here are so nice. Just really a great place not too crowded or anything probably my favorite park in Tulsa.

There are a lot of areas to walk and look for birds and wildlife. There are easy to follow trails and you can go to other areas of Mohawk park through the woods. There is a nature center with staff to answer questions. There is a gift shop and displays of local wildlife. There is a fireplace that has a little fire going in winter. They do have bird feeders and if you are lucky, in winter you will see Harris sparrows. They have volunteer opportunities and I have seen people stuffing birds for displays :-( They have a lot of school events there, so if you don't want a bunch of screaming kids around, probably would be best to call ahead of time to make sure. The school programs usually around the center, so if you walk far enough, you will get away from the kids. There are restrooms. They are finished with renovations and have also added trails. I was sad to see on the internet that due to budget cutbacks, the center will be closed Sunday and Monday from now on. If you are a woman who likes to tramp around in the woods and love nature, this a pretty safe place. Since they have closed off roads and make people walk to get back in the woods, it is too much effort for people up to no good. It is probably wise to always have company.