Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge Red Earth Trail

Red Oklahoma clay sticks to everything as you follow ancient river terraces along the Arkansas River where Cherokee families once farmed and fished before the Trail of Tears forced their westward migration. This refuge circuit winds through bottomland hardwoods and prairie edges on gravel and dirt maintenance roads, crossing Sally Creek at a concrete ford where great blue herons fish in the shallows. The route climbs to Tuff Point Overlook — actually a prehistoric Indian mound — offering sweeping views across 20,000 acres of restored wetlands where thousands of ducks and geese funnel through during fall migration.

Easy to moderate difficulty requires high-clearance vehicles during wet conditions when the red clay becomes impassable gumbo that’ll strand a tank. Best visited during dry periods from late summer through early winter when wildlife viewing peaks and roads stay firm. No overnight camping allowed, but nearby Kerr Reservoir offers Corps of Engineers campgrounds. Bring binoculars for wildlife and expect to spend time cleaning red mud from your undercarriage. You’ll earn premier waterfowl viewing, Cherokee cultural history, and a true taste of eastern Oklahoma’s river bottom country.