At the 11,200-acre salt flats near Cherokee, visitors can hunt for Oklahoma’s state crystal, selenite, free of charge from April 1 through October 15, sunrise to sunset, finding the iron-oxide-tinted gypsum crystals just beneath the salty crust within the clearly marked Dig Area one mile past the gate at 66003 Garvin Road; some crystals lie on the surface, while others can be uncovered by digging holes no deeper than two feet, adding water to reveal them, and gently loosening them by hand before drying them in the sun. The site includes a year-round observation deck and a restroom just inside the gate, but the exposed, salty landscape demands preparation, including a shovel, sun protection, and plenty of water for drinking and rinsing. Visitors must leave holes open for wildlife, rinse salt from their vehicles afterward, and follow rules limiting collecting to ten pounds and one large cluster per person per day, with no selling, no drones, leashed pets only, and no digging outside the season or beyond the designated area, as seasonal closures help protect whooping cranes and other wildlife.

Photo: ExploreHere

Photo: ExploreHere

Photo: ExploreHere

Photo: ExploreHere

Photo: ExploreHere

Photo: ExploreHere

Photo: ExploreHere

Photo: ExploreHere

Jet, Oklahoma · USA