Little Sahara

Little Sahara State Park in Waynoka in Woodward County, northwest Oklahoma, covers more than 1,600 acres of sand dunes on the edge of the Great Plains: a surprise in the Oklahoma landscape where the flat agricultural plains of Woodward County transition into a wind-deposited dune system that reaches 75 feet in height and provides the closest thing to genuine dune OHV riding available to Oklahoma, Texas Panhandle, and southern Kansas riders without a multi-state haul. The park's position in the Great Plains means the surrounding context is flat, open ranch country: the dunes appear at the crest of a low ridge and reveal themselves gradually as the flat horizon transforms into a dune field. Oklahoma's climate at this latitude gives Little Sahara a year-round operational window with relatively mild winters and hot summers, the spring and fall seasons (March through May, September through November) offer optimal temperatures for riding. ATVs, dirt bikes, and dune buggies are the primary permitted vehicle classes on the designated dune area. The park maintains a developed campground with RV hookups and tent sites, a concession stand, a vehicle wash area, and ATV rentals for visitors who arrive without machines: a full-amenity configuration that makes Little Sahara a practical day-destination for the Oklahoma City, Wichita, and Amarillo markets. Day-use fees and camping fees apply through the Oklahoma State Parks system. Woodward, 35 miles southeast, provides full services for multi-day stays. Contact Oklahoma State Parks for current conditions (580-824-1471).