Keystone Ancient Forest

Keystone Ancient Forest near Sand Springs protects one of northeastern Oklahoma's most important stands of old-growth cross timbers. The preserve contains very old post oak and blackjack oak trees, some of which began growing centuries before Oklahoma statehood. The cross timbers once formed a broad ecological barrier between eastern forests and western prairie. Because the trees grow slowly on rocky soils and were difficult to clear, pockets of ancient woodland survived where more productive land was converted to farms or towns. Trails at Keystone allow visitors to walk through a landscape that looks modest until the age of the trees is understood. Gnarled trunks, open oak woodland and rocky ridges reveal an ecosystem shaped by drought, fire and poor soil rather than lush forest growth. The preserve is especially good in spring and fall, but its real value is year-round: it offers a rare chance to stand among living trees that predate much of the written history associated with Oklahoma.