Engagement photos in mid-October and I am looking for a beautiful park or publicly accessible areas (i.e. pretty fields, ponds/bridges, or just unique scenery) within about an hours distance of OKC in any direction. I know I can google parks in OKC but I want thoughts from people who have been and any hidden gems that no one hears about. Thank you in advance :)

If you can do a 3 hour drive, Talimena Drive in SE Oklahoma has some of the most breathtaking fall scenery in the country. In OKC, the parks in Heritage Hills are spectacular.

We won't be having much of a fall this year, sadly.

If you can do a 3 hour drive, Talimena Drive in SE Oklahoma has some of the most breathtaking fall scenery in the country. In OKC, the parks in Heritage Hills are spectacular.

We won't be having much of a fall this year, sadly.

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I didn't know about the Heritage hills parks, I will be checking those out! Thank you!!

Lots of nice scenery in the Wichita Mts just northwest of Lawton. Just a 90 minute drive.

Not sure what 'Heritage Hills parks' you are referring to - I don't recall any that meet the criteria above. The homes and their grounds are often spectacular, but those aren't parks.

Locally, I like the Myriad Gardens - if cropped correctly you can get some nice backgrounds.
The green space along the south end of the Bricktown Canal (south of the old I-40 by the Landrun statues).
Will Rogers Park can be nice when the flowers are blooming.
I've taken people north towards Guthrie and found some cool fields (some with sun flowers) with old barns and/or windmills for the background.
There is a hill or two to the SE of downtown that give a great background of the downtown skyline.
There are a few really nice 'beaches' around Guthrie on the Cimarron River.
Of course there are lots of places in/around Bricktown for cool texture backgrounds of brick walls, wooden doors, etc.

If you are looking for traditional fall scenes, the SE part of the state should have them in abundance but it might be at the end of October - and this year might be a bit iffy. Beaver's Bend might be a pretty place and I personally love Poteau if you get there at the right time. But that sounds like it is further than you want to drive. Red Rock Canyon, in Hinton, has some pretty areas that, with good light, make lovely photos and it isn't far. I have a personal affection for the Wichita Mountain area and there are some places with rock in the background that might be particularly lovely, different.

Just a suggestion, but you might enjoy spending a little time looking at flickr. There are photo groups that post photos from Oklahoma. Here is a link to one that has quite a bit and it typically identifies where it was taken: http://www.flickr.com/groups/okscenic/

Be aware that mid-October might be a touch early to get good fall color. Seems like it's been hitting the last week of October...first week of November the last couple of years.

There are some beautiful spots on the OU campus and shots could easily be framed to just include the trees/gardens and not any buildings.

If looking for fall colors the OU mums should be on anyone’s bucket list at least once.

http://www.oufoundation.org/sm/fall07/thams.asp?ID=259

Not sure what 'Heritage Hills parks' you are referring to - I don't recall any that meet the criteria.

Harn Park on Classen Drive.

Not sure what 'Heritage Hills parks' you are referring to - I don't recall any that meet the criteria above. The homes and their grounds are often spectacular, but those aren't parks.

Harn Park.

edit: oops, Buffalo Bill beat me to it.

Cedarvale Gardens - to the west as you take the Davis exit down on I-35

Lake Murray Park Area

Check with local Scouts on the possibility of the southern area of their Nichols Scout Ranch property,
SW edge of OKC off 119th & County Line

Check with local Girl Scouts on their E-ko-wah property near Bray, OK (Between Elmore City and Marlow)

In addition to Harn Park, I'd also recommend some of the inner north side "serpentine-style" parks, like Edgemere Park, Goodholm Park, and way too many more to name. These parks are often lines with beautiful historic homes and have good vantage points from park lawns over ridges of trees.

Theta Pond at OSU also comes to mind, along with definitely the North Oval at OU.

Harn Park.

edit: oops, Buffalo Bill beat me to it.

I'm familiar with Harn Park (we jog past it a few times a week). Its a pretty enough green space, but wouldn't be a place I'd give much consideration to for engagement photos. Its great local scenery on the whole, but its also closely surrounded by streets, parked cars, etc. and no real 'landscape' other than being outlined by trees. The homes are nice, but not really what I'd pick for an engagement photo. But to each their own.

Martin Nature Park has a little rocky area by the creek that might be a nice location.

Martin Nature Park has a little rocky area by the creek that might be a nice location.

Forgot about that place - yes, it has some really nice areas for photos.

I'm familiar with Harn Park (we jog past it a few times a week). Its a pretty enough green space, but wouldn't be a place I'd give much consideration to for engagement photos. Its great local scenery on the whole, but its also closely surrounded by streets, parked cars, etc. and no real 'landscape' other than being outlined by trees. The homes are nice, but not really what I'd pick for an engagement photo. But to each their own.

I, too, jog past Harn Park almost daily, though with the recent heat, not in the past week or so. It's right up the street from the Midtown Y. I've seen at least 2 weddings take place in the park, and on more than a few occasions have seen wedding parties from the Heritage Center having pictures taken in the park.

But you're right, the allure of a sandbar on the Cimarron River may be hard to pass up.

I'm familiar with Harn Park (we jog past it a few times a week). Its a pretty enough green space, but wouldn't be a place I'd give much consideration to for engagement photos. Its great local scenery on the whole, but its also closely surrounded by streets, parked cars, etc. and no real 'landscape' other than being outlined by trees. The homes are nice, but not really what I'd pick for an engagement photo. But to each their own.

Is "to each their own" your message for people who have weddings at the Philbrook, or like my parents back in the 80s, at Thornewood Castle near Seattle? I think that large, grandiose historic homes are even a significant niche of their own amongst wedding venues...

Is "to each their own" your message for people who have weddings at the Philbrook, or like my parents back in the 80s, at Thornewood Castle near Seattle? I think that large, grandiose historic homes are even a significant niche of their own amongst wedding venues...

A wedding at the Philbrook or even a castle is not the same as standing in front of someone else's house you don't even know for an engagement photo. Big difference in saying, "yes, these were taken at the philbrook" and saying "I don't know, just thought we'd pose in front of this dudes house." Also, if you're in the Harn Park any time other than winter, you're not going to see much of the homes because all the Harn Park is, is a strip of grass lined with trees. You'd need to be on the curb taking the photos to see the homes and most of those homes are not the most picturesque in Heritage Hills. You don't have to get all twisted because I didn't like your precious park as a top spot for engagement photos. Its a pretty park if you want somewhere close to walk you dog but if all you require for photos is some green grass and a row of trees, you won't find it hard to find 100's of other places for those photos.

FYI - we weren't discussing 'wedding venues.'

I wonder how the fall colors will be this year. . . we got a great amount of rain, but the progress seems to have reversed :(

I wonder how the fall colors will be this year. . . we got a great amount of rain, but the progress seems to have reversed :(

I'm sure they'll be great. We have great fall coloration every year -- at least in Edmond, for sure.

Spring and fall are gorgeous in Oklahoma. But I think I've become more of a fan of fall, simply because I've got more time to enjoy it. Spring hangs around for just a couple of weeks before the broiling temps arrive. Whereas winter is rarely in any hurry to get here and the lovely fall weather lingers for several months.

Talimena drive in SE Oklahoma is supposed to have a really beautiful autumn display, though I've never seen it personally.

http://oklahomablogger.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/talimena-scenic-drive-fall-views.jpg

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MEDIA/stelprdb5162087_tn.jpg

You're very correct. I've done the Talimena drive in the fall color season and it is spectacular.

In addition to Harn Park, I'd also recommend some of the inner north side "serpentine-style" parks, like Edgemere Park, Goodholm Park, and way too many more to name. These parks are often lines with beautiful historic homes and have good vantage points from park lawns over ridges of trees.

Theta Pond at OSU also comes to mind, along with definitely the North Oval at OU.
Crown Heights Park has some good spots as well.

It would be hard to beat Talimena, some of the parks around Lake Murray and Lake of the Arbuckles can have some nice locations as well. Not sure what Turner Falls looks like anymore.


I wonder how the fall colors will be this year. . . we got a great amount of rain, but the progress seems to have reversed :(
We have bought some prints from a photographer in Breckenridge (Colorado Scenics by Steve Tohari (http://www.coloradoscenics.com/)) and last fall when we were in Breck for the weekend we were discussing many different things about photography, he said the most vibrant fall color shots that he has shot is usually in a drier (but not drought stressed) year. We are headed to Estes Park/Rocky Mountain National Park in a couple of weekends to do some leaf peeping. I got some decent shots between Independence Pass and Aspen last fall and it was dry and we were about a week early for peak color.

Talimena Drive during the last week of October - first week of November. Really all around the Ouachita National Forest all the way south from the drive to Beavers Bend.

Also, areas of Northeastern Oklahoma east and north of Tahlequah are quite stunning.

FWIW, the Talihina Chamber is promoting the annual fall festival October 26
Talihina Chamber Of Commerce » TALIHINA FALL FOILAGE FESTIVAL, OCT. 26th 2013 (http://www.talihinacc.com/events/dates-announced-for-2010-mountain-gate-fun-run-honobia-bigfoot-festival-fall-foliage-festival)

Making a fb or phone friend with someone in Talihina, Heavener or Poteau wouldn't be a bad way to stay up on when colors will peak. A few days can make a real difference in the hills north or south of my old stomp grounds.