As we approached the state park I couldn't help thinking the landscape reminded me of New Mexico. The mountains aren't mountains at all but more like flat topped hills made up of red dirt and selenite.
Selenite is an alternate name for Gypsum, a mineral that is transparent and colourless that exudes a pearly lustre which glows, thus the name Gloss Mountains. When the sun hits the mountains just right they sparkle and look like they are covered with diamonds.
Western Oklahoma is such a contrast compared to the eastern part of Oklahoma but it has a beauty all its' own. Northeastern Oklahoma is green and lush with lots of trees and is quite hilly, whereas western Oklahoma is more flat and there aren't as many trees and the dirt is red, and I mean red. In the western part of Oklahoma you will see farming communities and lots of oil wells. Woodward is almost two hours west of Enid and it feels like it is out in the middle of nowhere. Driving through Gloss Mountain State Park broke the boredom of a long drive of the same scenery.
Christine
5 comments:
Thanks for sharing, Christine. Amazingly, I've lived in Oklahoma my entire life, and I've never been to western Oklahoma (just barely west of I-35)!! I have got to make it a priority to take the girls west. Everyone tells me that there's nothing to see, but I want to find that out for myself. We live in a beautiful state of contrasts, as you said, and I want my girls to experience those contrasts.
Beautiful pictures.
That is quite interesting! I reconize the name of the rock. My dad used to do a little geology as a hobby, an I am certain he had some of that rock. I think he made my Mom a broach out of it. I just never knew where it came from, so it is nice for me to learn now!
Yes, Thank-you for sharing....Learn something new every day :)
I'm so proud to be from Oklahoma. It's beauty is only surpassed by the wonderful people who live here.
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