Photograph Little Sahara State Park

In western Oklahoma and just a few miles south of the town of Waynoka, is a sand dune gem called Little Sahara State Park. Known to ATV and dirt bike enthusiasts all over the region, Little Sahara State Park contains over 1,500 acres of golden sand dunes towering up to 75 feet high that were formed by prehistoric river flow from the Rocky Mountains. It is truly one of a kind natural wonder, as it is vastly different from the usual topography of Oklahoma. It is also open all year round, 24/7, which allows for easy photography access.

You can get to Little Sahara State Park by taking US Highway 412 and heading north up on US Highway 281 for about 7 ½ miles where you will reach the Visitor Center.

The best times to visit and photograph Little Sahara State Park are during the off seasons and in the mornings, when it's less blustery and lower temperatures since there is no shade, and when it's less packed with ATV riders.

The main vantage point for photographs is via accesses within the Buttercup campground. From Buttercup campground you can have an aerial view of the sand dunes by taking the trail to the observation deck. The trail to the observation deck is ADA-accessible and its parking lot is in the Buttercup campground. The observation deck provides panoramic views, with scenery best view-able during the winter season where the vegetation is dormant and not blocking the view of the sand dunes. From the Buttercup campground, you can also photograph the sand dunes by accessing the dunes themselves via the ATV track. Stay extremely close to the fence and keep out of the way of the ATV track. Once you have entered the sand dunes, stay alongside the fence and do not impede the way of ATV riders, as visibility is very low with the height of the sand dunes and riders are likely going at very high speeds.

Nearby Little Sahara State Park are the Alabaster Caverns, Gloss Mountain State Park, and as mentioned earlier, the city of Enid. All are about within 30 minutes to an hour from the park, which including those into your itinerary can make going to Little Sahara State Park a fun-filled photographic weekend!