Quartz Mountain Nature Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Quartz Mountain State Park |
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Lake Altus and granite peaks in Quartz Mountain State Park
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 Quartz Mountain State Park
Location in Oklahoma
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| Location | Greer and Kiowa, Oklahoma, United States |
| Nearest city | Lone Wolf, OK |
| Established | 1937 |
| Governing body | Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department |
Quartz Mountain State Park is a cool place to visit in southwest Oklahoma. It's located at the western end of the Wichita Mountains. You can find it about 13 miles (21 km) east of Mangum, Oklahoma and 20 miles (32 km) north of Altus, Oklahoma. The closest town is Lone Wolf, Oklahoma, which is about 9 miles (14 km) northeast of the park.
The park is managed by Oklahoma State Park. It started small, with just 158.3 acres (0.641 km²) next to Lake Altus. Local people bought this land for $51.58 and gave it to the state. In 1935, it became one of the first seven Oklahoma State Parks. Since then, more land has been added. Now, the park covers about 4,540 acres (18.4 km²) of land and over 6,000 acres (24 km²) of water! The park sits on the west side of Lake Altus-Lugert, a lake that was first built in 1927 and then made bigger in 1940.
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How Quartz Mountain State Park Began
The park has an interesting history, starting with a group called the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC was a program during the Great Depression that put young men to work on public projects. In 1935, the CCC set up a camp right where the park is today.
The National Park Service (NPS) helped manage these CCC workers. They suggested that Oklahoma could create a system of state parks using these trained workers. So, the state government created the Oklahoma Parks Commission to manage the new parks. The City of Altus and other people donated about 3,000 acres (12 km²) of land for the park. The NPS spent around $500,000 building roads, trails, restrooms, and other cool things for visitors. In 1937, the NPS finished the project and gave it to the state. That's how Quartz Mountain became one of Oklahoma's very first state parks!
The Lodge and Arts Center
Quartz Mountain State Park is home to a lodge complex where visitors can stay and enjoy the park.
The Original Lodge
The first Quartz Mountain Lodge was built in 1955. It had 44 rooms, both indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and a tennis court. A 9-hole golf course was added in 1959, and it was later expanded to 18 holes in 1993. Sadly, a fire damaged parts of the lodge in 1995, but the guest rooms were saved. It reopened quickly, but then closed again in 1998 to be torn down.
A New Lodge and Arts Complex
A brand new lodge was built and opened in 2001. This new complex is much bigger, with 118 guest rooms, several cabins, a restaurant, and even a place for performing arts and shops.
Since 1978, the park has also been the home of the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute. This is a special program where young Oklahomans, aged 14 to 18, can apply and audition to study with famous artists. The state spent $17 million to build a new Resort and Arts Conference Center, which opened in 2001. This facility was first called Quartz Mountain Nature Park and was managed by the Oklahoma Board of Regents for Higher Education. However, in October 2020, it went back to being cared for by the Oklahoma State Park system.
Baldy Point: A Climbing Spot
The Baldy Point area is a very popular spot for rock climbing. People have been climbing there since the 1970s. To make sure this area was protected, a group called The Access Fund bought the land in 2001. They then donated it to the State of Oklahoma. In 2002, this area was named Quartz Mountain Nature Park, but in 2020, it went back to being part of Quartz Mountain State Park.
