The Oklahoman

Planning a state park trip? There's an app for that

- By Dino Lalli

It is fascinatin­g to me thinking about how apps have changed how we do business, how we select a recreation­al activity, how we gather informatio­n. The content an app provides, usually in an easy-to-follow interface, is fast, efficient and extremely helpful.

With that in mind, as you plan your next trip to an Oklahoma state park, there is a free app you can use that will make it much easier to find out what is available at each location and you can even book reservatio­ns. You can even use it to find nearby state parks!

When I downloaded the app on my phone recently, I just randomly clicked on Arrowhead Area at Lake Eufaula. The next page has four headings “About,” “Events,” “Trails” and “Deals.” Under the “About” section, it has all the basic informatio­n of the park address, park office phone number and a toll-free number. Then there are ways to book a campsite, book a tee time and pay for parking. As I scrolled up, there is a descriptio­n of the Arrowhead Area at Lake Eufaula State Park, along with beautiful photos, followed by a listing of amenities. At the bottom of that page, there is a listing of External Resources.

Going back up to the top of that page, I clicked on “Events,” and there was a listing for “Movie in the Park” for July 3. I then clicked on “Trails,” where I found a complete listing of all the trails in the park. With each trail listed, it gives the distance and type of trail it is, and when I clicked on that individual trail, there

is a map, along with all the activities you can do on the trail. The one I clicked on had hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking.

And finally, each park has a deals page that highlights available discounts.

Using the app, it will be very easy to book not only a campsite, but also lodging reservatio­ns.

“To have our state park amenities now available to our visitors in one easy-to-use app is exciting,” Oklahoma State Parks Director Kris Marek says. “Especially the trails informatio­n since there are so many hiking, biking and equestrian opportunit­ies in our state parks.”

Accessing informatio­n about a nearby state park, or one that is some distance away, is very easy! And getting the new Oklahoma State Parks app will certainly make life not only easier, but also convenient.

The Oklahoma State Parks app is available free in Apple's App Store and in the Google Play store. And for more informatio­n on Oklahoma State Parks or to order a free Oklahoma State Parks & Outdoor Guide, go to TravelOK.com/Parks.

 ??  ?? The new, free Oklahoma State Parks app will make it much easier to find out what is available at each location and will even allow you to book reservatio­ns. [PROVIDED]
The new, free Oklahoma State Parks app will make it much easier to find out what is available at each location and will even allow you to book reservatio­ns. [PROVIDED]

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