Vista Hiking Trail
- 0.9 mi
- round trip
- 340 ft
- climb
- 4,378 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct
- best months
Vista Hiking Trail is a short, easy out-and-back hike in Black Mesa State Park & Nature Preserve in Oklahoma, managed by State Park and Recreation. The trail is about 1.8 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 87 feet, and it starts and ends at roughly 4,310 feet, reaching a high point of about 4,378 feet. The climb is gentle, with the steepest stretch at about 0.2 miles in, where the grade reaches about 6 percent. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Kenton, Oklahoma, show October highs around 74°F with lows near 40°F, and April highs around 70°F with lows near 38°F. July is the hottest month, with typical highs around 93°F. The trail makes an easy addition to a visit to the park. For something different nearby, Sunset Boulder, a climbing area, lies about 4 miles away.
Best time to go · Apr–May, Sep–Oct
Best time to visit Vista Hiking Trail
Best months: April–May and September–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
52° / 19°
Feb
55° / 22°
Mar
62° / 30°
Apr
70° / 38°
May
80° / 48°
Jun
89° / 58°
Jul
93° / 63°
Aug
90° / 61°
Sep
84° / 54°
Oct
74° / 40°
Nov
61° / 28°
Dec
51° / 20°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Kenton, OK, 6.2 mi away at 4,350 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
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