MEDIA ROOM

Experience the April 2024 Eclipse at Oklahoma State Parks     The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department (OTRD) is reminding Oklahomans and out-of-state travelers to secure their lodging accommodations at an Oklahoma State Park to view the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, as many sites are filling up quickly. “The upcoming 2024 eclipse...

Celebrate Family Month at Oklahoma State Parks   On Tuesday, October 31, 2023, Governor Stitt officially declared November as Family Month in Oklahoma. To help families spend more time together, the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department (OTRD) is partnering with the Governor’s Office to offer free admission and waived parking fees at select state parks...

Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department celebrates Killers of the Flower Moon opening weekend, encourages responsible tourism   Oklahoma City (October 25, 2023) — Following the release of Killers of the Flower Moon on Oct. 20, the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department (OTRD) is encouraging responsible, respectful tourism and travel to the region where the movie was filmed. With a massively successful...

Tourism Department Seeks Applications for the Recreational Trails Program   The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department announced today that they are now accepting applications for 2024 grant funding through the Recreational Trails Program (RTP).  They are due by 11.59 a.m. on March 31, 2024. The program is administered through a strategic partnership between the Federal...

Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department Hosts Legislators at State Parks   The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department hosted Rep. Carl Newton and Sen. Casey Murdock at Alabaster Caverns State Park and Boiling Springs State Park in northwest Oklahoma. Lawmakers were able to meet staff, learn more about the unique Oklahoma landscapes and features, the economic...

Experience the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse Totality from an Oklahoma State Park Don’t wait, make your plans now for the solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. This is the last total solar eclipse visible in the contiguous US until 2044. Six Oklahoma State Parks will see at least 99% totality, with three (Beavers Bend, Talimena...

OTRD Announces Identification of 51 Underutilized Agency Vehicles in Fleet Modernization Initiative OKLAHOMA CITY (August 7, 2023) – Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation (OTRD) Executive Director Shelley Zumwalt announced today great progress in the state’s ongoing fleet modernization initiative announced by Governor Kevin Stitt in February. In total, OTRD has identified 51 underutilized vehicles, saving taxpayers...

OTRD Executive Director Shelley Zumwalt Names Sterling Zearley Director of State Parks OKLAHOMA CITY (June 27, 2023) – Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation (OTRD) Executive Director Shelley Zumwalt has named Sterling Zearley as the new Director of State Parks. “With more than two decades of experience in the State Parks system, Sterling Zearley will be an...

La Ratatouille Named New Vendor for Restaurant Services for Oklahoma State Parks OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department, in partnership with the Oklahoma Office of Management & Enterprise Services, has announced that La Ratatouille is the new restaurant operator for Oklahoma State Parks. This comes after an extensive Request for Information (RFI) and...

RFP for Oklahoma State Parks Restaurants Closed, Multiple Responses Received  The Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department is one step closer to reopening restaurants in some of Oklahoma’s most popular state parks OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department (OTRD) received multiple responses following the Request for Proposals (RFP) for restaurant services at six...