Osage Hills State Park

Yesterday we decided to visit Osage Hills State Park sans Eddie. I forgot my Garmin and hiking pole, but I made up for it by taking about 45 minutes to decide which other gear to take, and another 15 deciding which lens/lenses to take. I finally decided on my DAJO waist pack so I could carry an extra lens without having to use a backpack, and my walk-around lens.  For what it's worth, I didn't actually use the extra lens (ultra wide zoom), but it was comforting to know I had it with me. Plus I had another lens (macro) in the car, just in case.


The park is lovely in October, and the temperature and breeze were perfect. We came across very few other folks which is always a bonus. After parking past the swimming pool we headed down the trail to the falls area, and almost immediately took a little side path down to the creek. We poked our way along the creek bank on the rocks, seeing a plethora of itty bitty tiny buggy things. I took some pics, but w/o my macro lens on I just couldn't get any decent shots. Damselflies were all over the place, a few large hopping spiders, and many small leaping frogs.

The trail leading to the falls area

We took a little side path that went down to the creek

Hundreds of little mussel shells dotted the rocks along the bank

We followed the stepping stones along the creek for a while, hoping we could make it all the way around to the falls area without having to climb back up to the main trail; it didn't work out that way, so up we came

 We were duly warned!

We found this one mistflower, or mist flower, blooming, otherwise there were mostly the little asters

A view up the creek to the falls area; when we arrived my cousin looked around, a bit puzzled, and asked/stated, "This is the waterfall?" Initially disappointed, she did find them lovely and relaxing

The view up the creek, including the rope swing on the left

View down the creek; if you enlarge this you may see a little blue speck, which is my cousin relaxing and enjoying the falls

Little pastel moth

Pearl crescent on the asters (just like Turkey Mountain)

Reakirt's blue, I believe

Fiery skippers on asters; they were a good number of them, and they were all playful

Lookout Lake, where we watched a man load the middle row boat, then take it out with his trolling motor to do a little fishing

As we were leaving the park we encountered this tarantula crossing the road; of course I hopped out for my snippity-snap routine, looked up and saw a car coming our way; luckily they were older folks who slowed down, so I continued snapping until the tarantula made it safely to the other side; when the car pulled up the man drawled, "That thar's a TAR-ANCH-chula" and his wife piped in, "Dijoo git a PITcher?" Well, yes I did, thank you for waiting.

We had a lovely day, and stopped to eat BBQ at Dinks in Bartlesville.