Veteran Lake Loop

The Veteran Lake Loop circles a small reservoir within Chickasaw National Recreation Area, combining lakeside walking with forested trail sections through the post oak and blackjack oak woodland of the Arbuckle Mountains foothills. The lake was developed in the early twentieth century as part of the original Platt National Park, one of the smallest units ever administered by the National Park Service before it was merged into the current recreation area in 1976. The artesian springs that feed this part of the recreation area were the primary attraction that led to federal protection of the land, and several spring seeps are visible along the trail margins where the water table intersects the surface. The surrounding forest supports white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and a rich community of songbirds that use the mixed oak woodland and lake edge habitat. In winter, the lake attracts diving ducks and other waterfowl taking advantage of the spring-fed open water that rarely freezes. Historical interpretive signs along the loop describe the Civil War history of the Chickasaw Nation in Indian Territory and the establishment of the original park in 1902 as one of the first federal recreation areas in the United States dedicated to public use and enjoyment.