{"id":54050,"global_id":"americanhiking.org?id=54050","global_id_lineage":["americanhiking.org?id=54050"],"author":"50","status":"publish","date":"2025-12-14 13:11:28","date_utc":"2025-12-14 18:11:28","modified":"2026-03-12 10:44:59","modified_utc":"2026-03-12 14:44:59","url":"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/volunteer-vacation-trip\/salt-plains-wildlife-refuge-guided-birding-tour-crystal-dig-ok\/","rest_url":"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/wp-json\/tribe\/events\/v1\/events\/54050","title":"Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge Tour & Guided Birding Walk, OK","description":"

An Exclusive Experience at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge!<\/p>\n

Support Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge by helping maintain the Eagle Roost Trail and Hoot Owl Loop. Volunteers will have a private tour from refuge staff and experience a guided bird walk during fall migration to see more than 60,000 Sandhill Cranes at one time! You can also view the unique salt flats, the only place where hourglass selenite crystals form.<\/p>\n

Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge was established March 26, 1930, The refuge consists of 32,197 acres in north-central Oklahoma. Landscapes include salt flats, mixed-grass prairie, herbaceous wetlands, forested riparian areas, rolling sand hills, and open water. The salt flats have always held an important role to wildlife and people. The refuge has been designated a Globally Important Bird Area by the American Bird Conservancy, and a site of International Importance within the Western Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve Network.<\/p>\n

There is no experience needed to join a Volunteer Vacation!\u00a0<\/b>Your expert hosts will provide detailed instruction, tool demonstrations, and project oversight throughout the week. All you need is a willing attitude and to be in good physical condition to participate in moderate physical activity for approximately 6-8 hours a day with plenty of breaks, at your own pace. Find out more about what it\u2019s like to join a Volunteer Vacation and other frequently asked questions\u00a0here.<\/a><\/p>\n

Avg. Temperature:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Typical weather for this area during this season has highs of around 70\u201375\u00b0F and lows of 45\u201350\u00b0F. Late October in northern Oklahoma is pleasantly cool with generally dry conditions punctuated by occasional showers or thunderstorms.<\/p>\n

Sample Schedule: <\/strong><\/p>\n

Day 1: Arrival<\/p>\n

Typically meet in the afternoon for check in, introductions, orientation, and camp setup. (Time\/place TBD)<\/p>\n

Day 2: Work Day<\/p>\n

Enjoy a hearty breakfast, pack lunches, and be on the trail between 8 AM and 9 AM<\/p>\n

Lunch and plenty of other breaks will be included.<\/p>\n

Wrap up the work day in the late afternoon and head back to camp and enjoy a few hours of daylight for free time.<\/p>\n

Reconvene at a chosen time for dinner.<\/p>\n

After dinner has been cleaned up, evenings offer plenty of\u00a0 time to relax, sit around the campfire and get to know your fellow crew members, or enjoy more free time.<\/p>\n

Day 3: Work Day<\/p>\n

Day 4: Rest Day (Specific Day on Trip Will Be Confirmed By Host)<\/p>\n

Your choice! Explore the area, take a recreational hike,\u00a0 tour local attractions, or hang out at camp. Group excursions can be planned or set-out on your own.<\/p>\n

Day 5: Work Day<\/p>\n

Day 6: Work Day<\/p>\n

Day 7: Departure<\/p>\n

Pack up and clean up, celebrate your accomplishments, wish each other a fond farewell, and depart. Please note: This schedule is subject to change due to weather or other circumstances. Any updates will be communicated to the group.<\/p>\n

Land Acknowledgment:<\/strong><\/p>\n

AHS acknowledges with gratitude that this project takes place on the traditional lands of the Osage, Comanche, Ute, Kiowa, Wichita, people past and present. We honor the land itself, the Indigenous communities who have stewarded these islands and mountain landscapes for countless generations, and those who continue this stewardship today. This acknowledgement is one step in our ongoing commitment to uplift Indigenous voices. We invite the American Hiking Society community to learn about, support, and stand in solidarity with the Indigenous peoples whose lands we live, work, and recreate on.<\/p>","excerpt":"","slug":"salt-plains-wildlife-refuge-guided-birding-tour-crystal-dig-ok","image":{"url":"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/20160127-170522-2.jpg","id":54198,"extension":"jpg","width":2560,"height":1440,"filesize":618233,"sizes":{"medium":{"width":550,"height":309,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","filesize":23620,"url":"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/20160127-170522-2-550x309.jpg"},"large":{"width":800,"height":450,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","filesize":50608,"url":"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/20160127-170522-2-800x450.jpg"},"thumbnail":{"width":300,"height":300,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","filesize":12067,"url":"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/20160127-170522-2-300x300.jpg"},"1536x1536":{"width":1536,"height":864,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","filesize":192186,"url":"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/20160127-170522-2-1536x864.jpg"},"2048x2048":{"width":2048,"height":1152,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","filesize":342902,"url":"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/20160127-170522-2-2048x1152.jpg"},"rta_thumb_no_cropped_1920x9999":{"width":1920,"height":1080,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","filesize":301916,"url":"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/20160127-170522-2-1920x1080.jpg"}}},"all_day":true,"start_date":"2026-10-18 00:00:00","start_date_details":{"year":"2026","month":"10","day":"18","hour":"00","minutes":"00","seconds":"00"},"end_date":"2026-10-24 23:59:59","end_date_details":{"year":"2026","month":"10","day":"24","hour":"23","minutes":"59","seconds":"59"},"utc_start_date":"2026-10-18 04:00:00","utc_start_date_details":{"year":"2026","month":"10","day":"18","hour":"04","minutes":"00","seconds":"00"},"utc_end_date":"2026-10-25 03:59:59","utc_end_date_details":{"year":"2026","month":"10","day":"25","hour":"03","minutes":"59","seconds":"59"},"timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_abbr":"EDT","cost":"","cost_details":{"currency_symbol":"","currency_code":"","currency_position":"","values":[]},"website":"","show_map":true,"show_map_link":true,"hide_from_listings":false,"sticky":false,"featured":false,"categories":[],"tags":[],"venue":{"id":51993,"author":"83","status":"publish","date":"2024-11-29 04:24:46","date_utc":"2024-11-29 09:24:46","modified":"2024-12-13 12:54:11","modified_utc":"2024-12-13 17:54:11","url":"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/location\/salt-plains-national-wildlife-refuge\/","venue":"Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge","slug":"salt-plains-national-wildlife-refuge","address":"71189 Harper Road","city":"Jet","country":"United States","state":"OK","zip":"73749","stateprovince":"OK","json_ld":{"@type":"Place","name":"Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge","description":"","url":"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/location\/salt-plains-national-wildlife-refuge\/","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"71189 Harper Road","addressLocality":"Jet","addressRegion":"OK","postalCode":"73749","addressCountry":"United States"},"telephone":"","sameAs":""},"show_map":true,"show_map_link":true,"global_id":"americanhiking.org?id=51993","global_id_lineage":["americanhiking.org?id=51993"]},"organizer":[{"id":42173,"author":"9","status":"publish","date":"2019-12-11 13:45:42","date_utc":"2019-12-11 18:45:42","modified":"2019-12-11 13:45:42","modified_utc":"2019-12-11 18:45:42","url":"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/host\/us-fish-wildlife-service\/","organizer":"US Fish & Wildlife Service","slug":"us-fish-wildlife-service","json_ld":{"@type":"Person","name":"US Fish & Wildlife Service","description":"","url":"","telephone":"","email":"","sameAs":""},"global_id":"americanhiking.org?id=42173","global_id_lineage":["americanhiking.org?id=42173"]}],"custom_fields":{"_ecp_custom_3":{"label":"Project Rating","value":"Easy"},"_ecp_custom_4":{"label":"Trip Accommodations","value":"Dormitory\/Bunkhouse"},"_ecp_custom_5":{"label":"Accommodations Description","value":"Volunteers will stay in a bunkhouse with two large bedrooms with six beds in each room. All beds are twin sized. The bunk house has two bathrooms with showers and a full kitchen with stove, oven and coffee maker. A washer and dryer are on site. Free WIFI available. Volunteers need to bring their own sheets, bedding or sleeping bag and towels."},"_ecp_custom_6":{"label":"Area and Attractions","value":"Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge was founded in 1930 for breeding and migratory birds. The refuge consists of 32,197 acres within Alfalfa County in north-central Oklahoma. Landscapes include salt flats, mixed-grass prairie, herbaceous wetlands, forested riparian areas, rolling sand hills, and open water with Great Salt Plains Lake. About 1\/3 of the refuge is salt flats. This area is the only place in the world you can dig for unique hourglass selenite crystals seasonally.\r\n\r\nThe refuge has many other recreational opportunities including hunting, fishing, hiking, birdwatching, non motorized boating and wildlife observation. There are five hiking trails on refuge. Birdwatching is very popular in the fall for migration since about 60,000 Sandhill Cranes migrate through annually and some endangered Whooping Cranes. \r\n\r\nOver 300 species of birds have been observed and it is also a site of international importance on the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. Other places to visit nearby are Salt Plains State Park, Gloss Mountain State Park, Little Sahara State Park and Alabaster Caverns State Park. They offer cabins, RV sites, cave tours with bats, ATV\/UTV riding, camping, kayaking and hiking."},"_ecp_custom_9":{"label":"Minimum Age","value":"16"},"_ecp_custom_10":{"label":"Maximum Group Size","value":"6"},"_ecp_custom_11":{"label":"Travel Details","value":"Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport in Wichita, KS is the closest airport. Airport pickup is not available but carpooling can be arranged upon confirmation of the trip. "},"_ecp_custom_23":{"label":"Project Access","value":"Host staff will provide transportation for the 1 mile drive on the unpaved road to the worksite."},"_ecp_custom_32":{"label":"Hike Type","value":"Day Hiking"},"_ecp_custom_33":{"label":"Registration URL","value":"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/civicrm\/event\/register\/?id=395&reset=1"},"_ecp_custom_34":{"label":"Trip Length","value":"Full (week long)"},"_ecp_custom_37":{"label":"Volunteer Age","value":"Family Friendly"}},"json_ld":{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"Event","name":"Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge Tour & Guided Birding Walk, OK","description":"<p>An Exclusive Experience at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge! Support Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge by helping maintain the Eagle Roost Trail and Hoot Owl Loop. 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