Gloss Mountain State Park — Attraction in Fairview

They say the rocks glisten at Gloss Mountain because of the selenite crystals—but the old-timers know better.

Back in the 1930s, when the area was mostly untouched, a geologist named Amos Tillman came out to study the strange glittering soil. He set up camp near Cathedral Mountain, kept to himself, and scribbled in notebooks until one night he just… disappeared. All they ever found was a boot, crusted in red dirt, with claw marks torn through the leather.

Since then, strange things have happened on the mountain trails. Hikers have reported the sound of dry scales scraping against stone. Others claim they’ve seen a figure—tall, thin, with mottled greenish skin and sunken yellow eyes—perched silently on the edge of the cliffs at dusk, watching. It never chases. It just watches.

Locals call him the Lizard Man.

A park ranger once found deep claw marks etched into a picnic table up by the north overlook. No animals native to the park could’ve done that. And the gypsum around the marks? Melted smooth, as if burned.

Some say it’s Amos, cursed by the land he tried to study. Others believe it’s something older—a guardian of the mountain, awakened by the sound of boots on stone and flashlights cutting through the dark.

So if you go hiking in Gloss Mountain State Park and the wind dies down a little too suddenly… and the rocks start to shimmer even when there’s no sun… maybe turn back.

Because the Lizard Man doesn’t like to...

Absolutely gorgeous especially when the sun reflects on the gypsum. Really enjoyed hiking here. Bring your Oklahoma State Park passport. They’ve got stickers here (near the parking area, though, it’s an unsupervised post, so they may be out when you visit).

Wear good hiking shoes / boots. Climbing is involved in this hike and can be slippery at times. This hike is not for everyone. If you’ve got small children and/or small dogs, bring them on a leash and a carrier backpack in case they cannot make the climb. There are stairs for most of the climb (though climbing boulders is required in a smaller portion of the hike). It’s not a long hike, but can be very dangerous. Keep your phones away while climbing. You don’t want to drop them, as you will not be able to retrieve them. I recommend a fanny pack, a backpack, or an around the neck phone holder. There are resting areas with benches to rest. There’s even a picnic table about halfway up with a great view for a small party to eat lunch.

Bring lots of water and sunscreen. Have fun and...

Gloss Mountain State Park is a beautiful uprising of mesas out of the Oklahoma plain. The drive from the Oklahoma City area takes you through mile after mile of flat farmland and oilfields. When you finally get close enough to see them, it's a surprise rising above the horizon. The hike to the top of Cathedral Mountain is strenuous but short enough and then you have the top of the message to explore. Keep an eye on kids and pets, you are on top of a mesa with cliffs on all sides. It is possible to fall off. The view from all sides of the message are definitely worth the visit. If you plan 2 hours here, you will have plenty of time to hike up, walk the perimeter at the top, and get back to the car having...