160 Ancient Forest Drive
Sand Springs, OK 74063.

The Keystone Ancient Forest nature preserve is a 1,360-acre park maintained by the City of Sand Springs with more than 12 miles of hiking trails. Featuring 300-year-old post oaks and 500-year-old cedars with wildlife and beautiful scenery, the park is one of Sand Springs's most distinguished features. 

The Keystone Ancient Forest is only open during select hours and days, and off-trail hiking is not permitted. This allows the park to maintain its natural beauty and prevents the littering and vandalism that is prevalent elsewhere.

There is a new $1 million visitor center with a gift shop and restrooms, and an observation tower is being planned as well.

Leashed dogs are also permitted in the forest on the first Saturday and third Sunday of each month.

The Case Community Center's Christmas trees are harvested from within the Keystone Ancient Forest and are typically more than 20 feet tall.

Sunday: 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday: CLOSED
Wednesday: CLOSED
Thursday: 7:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Friday: 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Saturday: 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Hiking With Disabilities

Keystone Ancient Forest is a popular destination for individuals with disabilities due to its ADA accessible trails and Trackchairs that allow anyone to experience the great outdoors regardless of age or mobility issues.

The forest features a 0.6-mile ADA accessible paved trail, and there are two Trackchairs available for use. Trackchairs are motorized and utilize tank tread instead of wheels, so they can go off the paved trail with ease.

Although the chairs are too large for the narrow Falls Trail, Wilson Trail, and Less Traveled Trail, they can be used on the Childers Trail, Fire Road Trail, and Frank Trail.

Anyone interested in scheduling a hike with the Trackchairs can do so by calling 918-246-7795 or by filling out this form. A KAF staff member will then contact you. You will be required to hike with a friend or caregiver who has the ability to assist you if necessary.

The forest hosts an annual Ancient Trail Trek in February which features 5K, 10K, and 15K options. Proceeds go back into park maintenance. There are also astronomy nights held sporadically throughout the year.

Follow the KAF on Facebook to keep up with events, weather-related closures, and other breaking news.

The documented history of the forest dates back to the journals of famed American author Washington Irving, who traveled through the land in 1832 on a month-long military expedition into Indian Territory. The Sleepy Hollow author kept detailed records of his travels, and there is a lookout point named for him where hikers can stand on the same soil as that expedition.

The City of Sand Springs passed the Cross Timbers Scenic Acquisition proposal in 2001. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation paid $1.4 million in federal funds between 2001 and 2002 to buy the land from private owners. One of the former land owners, Irv Frank, donated $50,000 to the project in 2004.

The park first opened on a limited basis in the fall of 2007 thanks to a $200,000 grant from the State Department of Tourism and Recreation that literally paved the way for primitive hiking trails. In 2008 the Band of America Charitable Foundation donated $20,000 to the preserve.

The Childers Trail is located just off the parking lot. It is 0.6 miles in length, 5 feet in width, and takes about 15 minutes to complete. The trail surface is smooth asphalt and is ADA accessible. It is named in honor of the Sam Childers family that donated land to the conservation effort.

The Frank Trail is 2.8 miles round-trip and takes about an hour to hike. The trail surface is compacted stone and bare soil and is rated as moderately-difficult. It is named for the Irv Frank family.

In 2014 a new one-mile difficult-rated trail titled "The Wilson Trail" was unveiled, extending the total length of park hiking trails to 4.4 miles. The trail is named for Chris Wilson.

Since 2015, the park has hosted a New Year's Day Hike With Your Dog Day and an "Ancient 5K" run.

The Less Traveled Trail was opened on October 28, 2017 to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the park.

In 2021 the park opened the 3.5-mile difficult-rated Falls Trail which opened up a previously unexplored area of the forest that features beautiful water falls and dramatic elevation changes.

Also in 2021, the park officially opened the Irv and Sharna Frank Visitor Center and was inducted into the Old-Growth Forest Network. It is the first forest in Oklahoma to be inducted into the network.

In 2022 the City of Sand Springs purchased two Trackchairs thanks to a $25,000 donation from Phillips 66. The motorized wheelchairs have tank tread instead of wheels, allowing the hiker to travel outside of ADA accessible areas and enjoy the entirety of the vast nature preserve.