Jun 19

Jun 19 Unexpected discoveries through ultrarunning - Bartlesville, Oklahoma

One of the best aspects of my ultrarunning destinations trips is the unexpected discoveries that I find along the way. On my trip to Oklahoma for the Flower Moon trail marathon, I didn’t expect to visit a world famous skyscraper, a pop-culture phenomenon, nor learn about the birth of the FBI.

I began my trip landing in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I picked Tulsa as my start since it is about an hour south of Bartlesville, Oklahoma where I’d found a unique hotel on AirBnb that is just 20 minutes from the Osage Hills State Park where the Flower Moon trail runs are held. The very first thing I wanted to explore after landing was sites along Route 66. Known for kitschy displays and for keeping a historic vibe I was hoping to find a classic diner. I found just what I was looking for at the Tally’s Good Food Cafe, known for the best chicken fried steak sandwich in Oklahoma. This dish hasn’t ever been my favorite, but when in Rome, eat what they feature on the menu. While good, it’s still not something I prefer.

I headed north for the 1 hour drive to Bartlesville to get to my hotel, The Hotel Phillips. The hotel is a stately building on the edge of downtown Bartlesville. What I learned pretty fast is that Bartlesville is where Phillips Petroleum was founded, and the town is dominated by the company. You can even visit the site of the first commercial oil well in Oklahoma. Many of the high-rise buildings, as well as a large research facility on the edge of town, are all owned by Phillips. One building that is not owned by Philips, though, is the Price Tower. What makes this building unique is that it is the only Frank Lloyd Wright skyscraper in the world. It’s exceptionally unique looking because of its green patina from the copper cladding on the outside to the oddly shaped, and somewhat small, elevators. They have a very nice restaurant and bar at the top, including a terrace, that provides great views of the city and surrounding area. It was here while having a drink that I learned about one of the main reasons people come to stay in Bartlesville outside of Phillips Petroleum business.

Bartlesville is about a one hour drive from Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Pawhuska is home to the Pioneer Woman who is a star on the Food Network. She’s developed a large following on TV, but also has a restaurant in Pawhuska, The Mercantile, that is very popular (as evidenced by the nearly 5000 reviews on Google). I got there extra early to avoid any lines, and while there I also saw crews filming a movie, The Killers of the Flower Moon. They based the movie on the book of the same name, Killers of the Flower Moon, which is about a series of murders in the area. The trial was held at the Osage County Courthouse that sits high upon a hill overlooking the town. It is an imposing sight. The murders, as well as the subsequent investigations, were an integral part in the founding and development of the FBI.

Much of the surrounding area is made up of Indian reservations and large swaths of undisturbed prairie land. I traveled out to the Tallgrass Prairie Reserve so I could hike the prairie and see a herd of buffalo. At the reserve there are a couple of short trails from the visitor center that let you walk into the prairie area and appreciate the quiet. It’s very remote, with much of the drive on dirt roads through the reserve.

The run itself is held in the Osage County State Park. This area is made up of relatively dense woods, rolling hills and a river. For the marathon, the run does two loops of the 13 mile course. The high point is the view of the falls on the river, but the course is also very runnable on soft single track through the forests. The organization, aid stations, and volunteers were all top-notch! Despite what turned out to be a hot day and not feeling my best for a portion of the race, I won my age group!

Oklahoma makes a great ultrarunning destination because of the many miles of trails in state parks such as Osage and the large undisturbed areas of prairie land. I ended my trip by touring a preserved bridge from the old Route 66. It’s fun to imagine all the travelers that have come before us when looking at the preserved stretch of road. Come to Oklahoma to revisit the past, but also make your own memories with an ultrarunning destination trip of your own.