Monday, November 3, 2014
StateImpact on OETA: The Last Weekend at Walnut Creek State Park
Walnut Creek State Park near Prue in Osage County closed for the season on Oct. 1, and might never open again.
EXPLAINER | State Parks
27 stories State Parks
Oklahoma’s state parks, lodges, golf courses and travel information centers are managed by the Parks Division, which is organized within the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation.
OakleyOriginals / Flickr
Robbers Cave State Park in southeastern Oklahoma is one of the state's post popular parks.
The tourism department has suffered a 22 percent budget cut since 2009, and officials in 2011 announced plans to close or transfer seven state parks, a move that Executive Director Deby Snodgrass said would save taxpayers $700,000 a year.
The parks were sparsely attended, generated little revenue from activity fees, and often duplicated amenities of more popular parks nearby, Snodgrass said.
Cities ended up taking over five of the parks; American Indian tribes assumed management of the other two.
Currently, Oklahoma has 35 official state parks.
Appropriation for State Parks
| FISCAL YEAR | APPROPRIATION |
|---|---|
| 2011 | $11,117,884 |
| 2010 | $10,222,308 |
| 2009 | $11,486,806 |
| 2008 | $12,827,001 |
| 2007 | $14,541,892 |
Latest stories
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Uncertainty Looms Over Walnut Creek’s Somber Final Weekend As A State Park
Walnut Creek State Park closed indefinitely last weekend, the latest in a series of park closures that started in 2011.
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Oklahoma State Parks Director Says State Parks ‘Not on the List’ of Core Services
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Four More State Parks at Risk as Budget Cuts and Low Revenue Loom
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Cast-off State Parks Thrive Under Tribal Control, But Not Without Some Struggle
When budget cuts led the Oklahoma tourism department to find new homes for seven state parks in 2011, two of them went to Native American tribes.
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Some Parks Oklahoma Offloaded to Save Money Are Thriving Under Local Control
In April 2011, Oklahoma was dealing with a half-billion dollar budget shortfall.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
The Federal Shutdown is Making Some Oklahoma Parks More Popular
In Sulphur, barricades warn the public away from entering the Chickasaw National Recreation Area, which is closed.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Why the Federal Government Shutdown Might be Good for Oklahoma State Parks
As StateImpact reported on Wednesday, Oklahoma’s state parks are not impacted by the federal government shutdown.
Monday, June 11, 2012
The Death of OK’s Lake Texoma State Park and the Promises of Privatization
More posts
StateImpact Oklahoma Team
