Tulsa Botanic Garden Opens Cross Timbers Nature Trail
The new trail system sits on 100 acres in Osage Hills, west of the existing gardens, with prescribed burns underway to restore native habitat.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Hiking
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Tulsa Botanic Garden has opened the Cross Timbers Nature Trail, spanning nearly five miles of new paths across 100 acres west of its existing gardens. The garden is also conducting prescribed burns on parts of the land for the first time in decades.
Why it matters
Visitors to the Tulsa area gain new hiking terrain, while the garden's prescribed burns aim to control invasive species such as juniper trees that spread without fire. The trail is part of a longer-term effort to restore native landscapes in the region.
The Cross Timbers Nature Trail spans nearly five miles on 100 acres, with adult admission at $10 and children's at $5. Annual individual memberships start at $60 and family memberships at $99, while the timeline for the planned eight-mile system is not yet specified.
The players
Tulsa Botanic Garden
A botanic garden in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that operates the Cross Timbers Nature Trail and conducts prescribed burns across its 100-acre western property.
The details
The trail system is reachable only through the garden's main entrance, located eight miles northwest of downtown Tulsa. Prescribed burns are being used to kill invasive species like juniper trees, and proceeds will fund the remaining trail miles and land maintenance.
Timeline
Nov. 16-26: Garden closes to prepare for the Botanic Garden of Lights.
Nov. 27: Botanic Garden of Lights begins, running through year's end.
Seasonal Patterns
Prescribed burning in the Cross Timbers region has historically been the main tool for keeping eastern redcedar and juniper from overtaking grasslands and oak savanna. Tulsa Botanic Garden's first burns in decades reverse a long period of fire suppression that allowed these invasive trees to spread.
Hikers should plan admission costs of $10 for adults or $5 for children ages 3 to 15, since trail access runs through the main entrance. Annual memberships starting at $60 individual or $99 family may be worth considering for frequent visitors.
The takeaway
Planning around the garden's closure from Nov. 16-26 helps avoid disappointment before the holiday lights season begins. Visitors seeking the new trails should enter through the main gate and budget for either the day admission or an annual pass.
What happens next
The Botanic Garden of Lights begins Nov. 27 and runs through year's end, after the garden closes Nov. 16-26 to prepare.
Further reading
For more trails near the city, explore Hiking options in and around Tulsa.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Tulsa Flyer.
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