Gloss Mountain State Park

The sparkle that gives Gloss Mountain its name comes from selenite, a transparent, glassy form of gypsum that lies embedded in the red rock of the mesas. When sunlight hits the countless small crystals scattered across the slopes, the whole hillside seems to glint and shine, an effect strong enough to catch a traveler's eye from the highway.

The gypsum and selenite here were left behind by ancient inland seas that once covered the region and slowly evaporated, laying down thick beds of the mineral. The same geological story links Gloss Mountain to the salt flats and gypsum caves elsewhere in northwest Oklahoma, all of them relics of those long-vanished seas.

The flat-topped mesas are what remains after erosion did its slow work on a once-continuous layer of rock. A harder, more resistant cap of rock protected the softer material beneath it, so that as the surrounding land wore away over the ages, these isolated tables were left standing high above the plains.

The result is a small stretch of true badland country, red-and-buff cliffs and gullies rising abruptly from the flat farmland. It is the sort of dramatic, sculpted terrain travelers associate with the desert Southwest, appearing unexpectedly in the middle of the Oklahoma wheat belt.

A trail and a steep metal stairway lead from the base up to the flat top of the main mesa. The climb is short but strenuous and exposed, with little shade, but it rewards the effort with a broad, level summit and sweeping views across the plains in every direction, especially fine at sunrise and sunset.

From the top, a loop path traces the rim past overlooks and rocky outcrops, and the openness of the country is striking. Storms can be seen building far off across the plains, and the light on the red rock and glittering slopes shifts through the day. Sturdy shoes, water, and sun protection make the climb far more enjoyable.

The park sits in open ranch and wheat country west of Fairview, a lightly traveled part of northwest Oklahoma where towns are small and far apart. The mixed prairie and rocky breaks support hawks and vultures wheeling overhead, scaled and bobwhite quail in the brush, and coyotes and deer moving through at dawn and dusk.

Wildflowers color the slopes in spring, and the exposed rock makes prime habitat for lizards and, in warm months, snakes, so it is wise to watch where you step. It is a quiet, big-sky landscape, and the glittering mesas make it one of the most memorable and least crowded stops in the region.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.