Treasure Hunting on a Drive Through the Oklahoma Panhandle 

This road trip is a treasure hunt for sandstone formations, dinosaur tracks and Plains Indian rock art in the hills and canyons of the Oklahoma Panhandle. This video is part of America's Most Scenic Roads, the series that led to Beautiful Byways. The drive starts in the Texas Panhandle before crossing into the Oklahoma Panhandle on US 385. What’s remarkable about the remote western part of the Sooner State is its geological and paleontological importance. This is where prairie shortgrass meets the Rocky Mountains. And a lot of dinosaur bones have been unearthed here - 18 tons, in fact. An ancient volcano exploded in present-day Colorado and one of the lava flows ended in Oklahoma. This slow-eroding real estate is called Black Mesa and as the eastern-most extension of the Rockies, it’s the highest point in Oklahoma, elevation 4,963 feet. As the area where the mountains greet the Great Plains, plants and animals are at their westernmost and easternmost ranges. The rocks are impressive, too. Sandstone formations named “The Old Maid” and “The Wedding Party” are scenic representations of millions of years of erosion. And just across the border in Colorado is an unexpected oasis with more great hiking trails and ancient rock art. For more scenic drive inspiration visit Beautiful Byways: www.beautifulb....