WMWR recap11 The hole beneath the falls where the water collects is deep. Not sure how deep, but looks like a mini Jacob’s Well (in Wimberly). There was still water there, but it was low enough to reveal a rock formation I’d never seen before- tell me what you think it looks like? Ophelia? 🤔 A little spooky maybe? We chose to see it as the physical manifestation of the spirit of Spirit Pond taking a rest to recharge before she brings the waterfall back to life. ✨ Maybe we’re dorks but we love it ✌️ #wmwr #wichitamountains #hike #hiking #explore #momandson #adventure #roadtrip #bonding #nature #natureheals #meditation #postoaklake #oaklahoma #visitoklahoma #oklahomaoutdoors #postoakfalls #spiritpond #energyvortex #spirit #rockspirit
WMWR recap10 In the morning we got up and prepared for a big day of hiking. Our plan was to do a Charon’s Garden loop, hitting up the boulder field and Post Oak Falls along the way. I’d done the whole thing before, but Austin had only done the Falls previously. We were both eager to go see it again, so that was our first stop on the trail. This place is special to us. We secretly call it “Spirit Pond.” There’s just an energy here. Maybe it’s because it’s always void of people, maybe it’s how the sun gets captured between the canyon walls, maybe it’s the vibration of the waterfall and its clear, cold water. Except this day, there was no water. I hadn’t seen it in this season before, and it was shockingly dry. There was still some water in the hole though, which I’ll get to. But the energy was still there and somehow comforting, like communicating that seasons are so natural, that nature herself flows in cycles, none of which are less than others. So we sat and soaked up the silence and ate our trail charcuterie. #wmwr #wichitamountains #hike #hiking #explore #momandson #adventure #roadtrip #bonding #nature #natureheals #meditation #postoaklake #oaklahoma #visitoklahoma #oklahomaoutdoors #postoakfalls #spiritpond #energyvortex
WMWR recap 9 There aren’t many parks I love as much as this one. When I say the staff is the absolute friendliest and make me feel safer than anywhere- I freakin mean it. We pull up to the check in station and I explain to the camp host that I have a tick I can’t reach on my back and I’m not going to ask my kid to try to get it out potentially traumatizing him along the way. Would he please help me? He was a little skeptical but very kind and offered to go grab his tick tweezers. When I jumped out of the car and showed him the tick, he goes “Oh, sure enough! You’ve got yourself a tick there!” Which.. ok.. I could read into that (like, did he think I was making it up? Did he assume I didn’t know what a tick was? Was this a trap?) but you know what? He couldn’t have been more kind and respectful in a potentially realllly awkward situation. I appreciated it so so so much. Then we got to our hike-in site and started unloading, and again- literally everyone in the campground was so nice and respectful. This was the inaugural run of our new @nemoequipment tent and we had NO IDEA how monstrous this thing was. Like, we each had our own room. Our own ROOM. It was a little ridiculous but we decided to lean into it with twinkle lights and the full glamp experience #campingwithmom Got some looks but mostly people uber impressed by a mom and her kiddo clearly kicking camping ass. Plus our fire was pro status 🤷🏼♀️ #killinit #wmwr #wichitamountains #hike #hiking #explore #momandson #adventure #roadtrip #bonding #nature #natureheals #meditation #postoaklake #oaklahoma #visitoklahoma #oaklahomaoutdoors #tickcheck #nemo #campsite #glamp
Go explore! 📸@shelbyelizabeth.yoga #thisisoklahoma
WMWR recap 8 We hauled it back to the lake as fast as we could.. which wasn’t very fast due to the thick brush we had to battle to entire way. “Mandatory tick check at the car,” I told AJ, which proved to be fruitful later on 😖😱🤢 The lake looked even more gorgeous in the early golden hour, so snapped a couple more pics, discovered my tick, and hopped in the car to head to camp.. and find someone who could help me remove my new hitchhiking pal 😵💫 #wmwr #wichitamountains #hike #hiking #explore #momandson #adventure #roadtrip #bonding #nature #natureheals #meditation #postoaklake #oaklahoma #visitoklahoma #oaklahomaoutdoors #tickcheck
WMWR recap7 The Eye We found it! Once we saw it, there was no doubt. We could totally imagine some sort of earth spirit peering through the mountain. It was a litttle creepy.. made even creepier by someone who placed a bone right in the center 👻 #wmwr #wichitamountains #hike #hiking #explore #momandson #adventure #roadtrip #bonding #nature #natureheals #meditation #postoaklake #oaklahoma #visitoklahoma #oklahomaoutdoors #theeye
WMWR recap6 Oh look, standing on rocks again 😂 I dunno, I just like this photo of us. His hair looks wild, I remember feeling body-tired but energized from the adventure and the joy of sharing it with my little(big) dude. Seeing him immersing himself in the outdoors makes my grinch heart triple in size. And I love that he likes standing on rocks too 😅 #wmwr #wichitamountains #hike #hiking #explore #momandson #adventure #roadtrip #bonding #nature #natureheals #meditation #postoaklake #oaklahoma #visitoklahoma #oklahomaoutdoors #rockscrambling #rockscramble #rockpile #standingonrocks #naturetherapy #outdoorfamily
WMWR recap5 After #snacks we continued on through thick brush and thorns determined to find The Eye, not even sure what it was we were looking for. Eventually we found the general location and spent a ton of time traipsing up and down the rock pile seeing if we could figure out the mystery. Took in some amazing views and some fun photos along the way. #wmwr #wichitamountains #hike #hiking #explore #momandson #adventure #roadtrip #bonding #nature #natureheals #meditation #postoaklake #oaklahoma #visitoklahoma #oklahomaoutdoors
WMWR recap 3 Trail to Spanish Cave The trail quickly disappeared and we found ourselves without cell service. Didn’t phase us though, we always come prepared. This is why I literally ALWAYS tell people to download your google map AND get @alltrails or @gaiagps to navigate #protip Also climbing up the rocks to geolocate ourselves was stupid fun #mountaingoat #wmwr #wichitamountains #hike #hiking #explore #momandson #adventure #roadtrip #bonding #nature #natureheals #meditation #postoaklake #oaklahoma #visitoklahoma #oklahomaoutdoors
WMWR recap 2 Just some snaps of Post Oak Lake and the dam. *cue terrible mom jokes* “Have a dam seat” “Want a dam snack?” “There’s a dam snake!” “Don’t fall off the dam trail” I’d apologize but there’s no coming back from this anyway 🤦🏼♀️ #wmwr #wichitamountains #hike #hiking #explore #momandson #adventure #roadtrip #bonding #nature #natureheals #meditation #postoaklake #oaklahoma #visitoklahoma #oklahomaoutdoors #momjokes #dam
WMWR recap 1 Little dude and I took off to Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge for a weekend shortly after STORY to get some quality time in. We missed eachother. We always find that camping together re-bonds us as a team- we have to work together to survive 😅 Before heading to our campsite we pulled over at Post Oak Lake for a short(ish) hike. Our destination was Spanish Cave and The Eye- two features we’d never visited before. We were stoked and the weather was perfect. AJ immediately mountain goated down to the water’s edge and found what he claimed as “his new meditation spot.” I explored the other side and met a couple of new friends, including our first snake of the trip. #wmwr #wichitamountains #hike #hiking #explore #momandson #adventure #roadtrip #bonding #nature #natureheals #meditation #postoaklake #oaklahoma #visitoklahoma #oklahomaoutdoors
Exploring the Wichita Mountains ❤️ . 1 - 2 Post Oak Lake 3 - 5 Treasure Lake 6 Lake Elmer from the top of Mount Scott 7 - 8 Lake Lawtonka from the top of Mount Scott . #wichitamountainswildliferefuge #wichitamountains #postoaklake #treasurelake #lakeelmer #lakelawtonka #mountscott #exploreoklahoma #discoveroklahoma #thisisoklahoma #travelok #landscapephotography #oklahomaphotography #naturephotography #oklahomaoutdoors #okherewego #myoklahoma #onlyinoklahoma #oklahomalakes #oklahomalife
Post Oak Lake - Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge #wichitamountains, #wichitamountainswildliferefuge, #postoaklake, #oklahoma, #oklahomaphotography, #oklahomatravel, #wildliferefuge, #traveloklahoma, #travelok, #exploreoklahoma, #exploreok, #onlyinoklahoma, #captureoklahoma, #hikeoklahoma, #nature, #naturephotography, #oklahomaphotography, #reflection, #lakereflection, #lakereflections
Post Oak Lake - Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Sooo lovely! #onlyinoklahoma, #wichitamountainswildliferefuge, #wichitamountains, #postoaklake, #reflection, #lakereflections, #travelok, #traveloklahoma, #wildliferefuge, #nature, #naturephotography, #naturelovers, #exploreoklahoma, #exploreok, #oklahoma, #oklahomaoutdoors, #oklahomaphotographer, #oklahomaphotography, #oklahomanaturephotography, #captureoklahoma, #medicinepark, #friendsofthewichitas, #friends_of_the_wichitas, #oklahomaoutdoors
We hiked the south portion of Post Oak Trail. Post Oak Lake, Charons Gardens Wilderness Area. . #postoaklake #charonsgardens #wildernessarea #postoak #postoaktrail #hike #hikeoftheday #trailpics #wildflowers #dayhike #travelok #outside #betteroutdoors #wichitamountains #wildliferefuge
#wichitamountains #postoaklake #sunset #hiking #girlswhohike #outdoors #peace #oklahoma #oklahomaphotographer
#wichitamountains #postoaklake #fungi #bluesky #hiking #girlswhohike #outdoors #peace #oklahoma #oklahomaphotographer
Sunset at Post Oak Lake #wichitamountains #postoaklake #sunset #hiking #girlswhohike #outdoors #peace #oklahoma #oklahomaphotographer
The dam at Post Oak Lake. #wichitamountainswildliferefuge #wichitamountains #postoaklake
Went for a little hike today and didn’t find what we were looking for. It was still fun though. #wichitamountainswildliferefuge #wichitamountains #charongardens #treasurelake #postoaklake
It was a cold hike today! All the waterfalls were dried up 😢 #getoutdoors #hiking #nature #witchitamountains #peace #themountainsarecalling #familythathikestogetherstaystogether #oklahoma #charongardens #postoaklake
#postoaklake #witchitamountains
Post Oak Lake, southern side of the Charon Gardens Wilderness Area, Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma.