The park is open year-round. Summers in southern Oklahoma are hot — daytime highs regularly above 35°C in July and August — and the swimming holes on Travertine Creek are the obvious attraction in those months. Weekends from Memorial Day through Labor Day are the busiest stretch by a wide margin.
Spring (April and May) and autumn (October) are the most comfortable seasons. Wildflowers cover the open hillsides in spring; oak foliage colours in autumn. Winters are mild and quiet, and the trails are at their emptiest in January and February — a worthwhile time to come if you want the park to yourself, though some facilities run reduced hours.