Monday, June 13, 2011

Turner Falls, OK: A Paradise Lost

I have visited Turner Falls, OK a couple times in the past and always enjoyed the clean, cool water and amazing scenery. I first visited 16 years ago and was enchanted. I went about 4 years ago and enjoyed my visit then, too.

That's why I was so shocked at what I saw when we visited the park yesterday. The water was just nasty.

We got there 8AM on Sun to get a good spot in the shade. We went to the Falls first and were dismayed at how dirty everything was. There was litter all over the beach. There was trash floating in the water. There was a trail in the sand where it looked like some kind of overflow had run from the men's bathroom down to swim area. A brown algae is growing in the water and it there was foam floating on top that never dissipated. It reminded me of dirty wash water. We didn't feel comfortable swimming in that so we decided to search upstream.

We went to the very back of the primitive camping area and got in the creek there. The litter was still a problem (dirty diaper -eww!) but at least it was on the banks and not in the water. The water was clearer - but the brown algae coated the plants. It was a small area (maybe the size of 2 swimming pools) and lots of people were already there. When I walked further upstream to escape the crowd I encountered the foam on top of the water again. Decided to get out.

We stopped by the Blue Hole pool on our way out of the park but didn't think it was worth the effort of getting in since it was downstream from the Falls.

We spent a total of two hours in the park then returned to the hotel to "decontaminate". Two tickets = $26.28. I hope they put the money to good use. I recommend you save your money and view the falls for FREE from the Turner Falls Overlook (580-369-2330) photo above.

The place feels like it has been "used up." I'm not a radical tree hugger - but I really fear this natural wonder is in danger of not recovering from what man has done to it.
  • Visited June 2011

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