The Blue Hole Park LLC
Salina, Oklahoma · on Saline Creek
Verified · 2 independent sources
- WATER
- creek
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $10
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About The Blue Hole Park LLC
The Blue Hole Park LLC is a privately operated, fee-based swimming park on Saline Creek about seven miles east of Salina, Oklahoma, near Kenwood in the Cherokee/Mayes county area. A long-running local destination, this swimming hole is known for spring-fed, very cold, exceptionally clear water, with camping and a concession stand on site.
The park sits along Saline Creek in the rolling, wooded hill country of northeastern Oklahoma near the Cherokee/Mayes county line, close to the Grand Lake/Illinois River corridor. Visitor accounts describe a rocky creek bottom, slate outcrops with visible old mining grooves, and tree roots grown into hillside rock along the banks (unearththevoyage.com).
Swimming at The Blue Hole Park LLC
Swimming takes place directly in Saline Creek, which is spring-fed and stays notably cold (accounts range from roughly 40°F to a constant 50-60°F) and unusually clear compared to typical Oklahoma creeks. The main hole has both shallow water suited to young swimmers and a deeper section reported at about 17 feet, with rock cliffs along the hole that visitors use for jumping in.
How to get to this swimming hole
Located about seven miles east of Salina, Oklahoma, off Kenwood Road near the Cherokee/Mayes county line; sources give the street address as either 84 S 447 or 158 S 447, Salina, OK 74365 (unearththevoyage.com; secondary source).
Parking: On-site vehicle parking is included with the per-vehicle day-use fee; no separate parking area or lot capacity was documented in sources found.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up, fee-gated creek park; on-site parking sits directly adjacent to the swimming area and no trail or hike is required to reach the water. The exact walk time from a parked car to the creek's edge is not documented in any source found.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Shallow water near the entrance and a separate shallow creek section are described as calm and safe for small kids and toddlers to splash in (unearththevoyage.com), but the main hole reaches roughly 17 feet deep with rock cliffs used for jumping, the creek bottom is rocky/uneven (water shoes recommended over flip-flops), and no lifeguards are mentioned in any source. One first-hand account also notes the current can be strong enough to sweep away loose footwear.
Parking
Paid, $10-$15 per vehicle
Standard on-site parking area near the park entrance; the per-vehicle day-use fee (reported as $10 by adventuresinok.com and $15 by unearththevoyage.com/travelok.com) covers both entry and parking. Visitors can also drive across the stream to reach the camping areas (unearththevoyage.com). No separate walk time from car to water's edge is documented.
Restrooms
Yes
On-site restrooms are provided, but one first-hand account notes there are no sinks at the bathrooms, so visitors are advised to bring their own water for washing up (unearththevoyage.com).
Water clarity
Clear
Multiple independent first-hand accounts describe the spring-fed creek water as exceptionally clear, visible straight to the rocky bottom even on the hottest summer days and staying clean through peak season; regulars call it one of Oklahoma's cleanest and clearest swimming holes. One recent visitor separately confirmed clear water in most areas of the hole.
Hours
Seasonal, Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. travelok.com lists 9am-8pm daily during that window, while unearththevoyage.com reports the park is only open Friday-Monday, 9am-8pm, seasonally -- sources conflict on which days of the week it's open.
On the water
Restrictions: No source documents kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, or motorboats being used or permitted here; given this is a single confined creek swimming hole (not open water), larger watercraft appear impractical and are not part of the documented visitor experience.
The park itself offers on-site inflation of floats/tubes for a small fee, described as 'a surprisingly useful service that saves a lot of lung power' (unearththevoyage.com), indicating tube floating is a normal, accommodated activity. No dedicated on-site or third-party watercraft rental service (kayak/canoe/paddleboard/boat) is documented for this location.
What regulars say
Visitors report the water as clear in most areas, with rock cliffs available for jumping into the deeper hole. One recent visitor advises arriving early because the park fills up and gets crowded during peak summer season, and warns that the current along the rocky creek bed can be strong enough to sweep away loose footwear like flip-flops, reinforcing the water-shoes recommendation.
Backstory
A visitor account notes slate rock formations near the creek showing visible grooves from past mining activity, and tree root systems grown directly into the hillside stone; no formal historical designation or documented origin story was found (unearththevoyage.com).
The Blue Hole Park LLC: FAQ
Does The Blue Hole Park LLC charge a fee?
Paid day-use entry per vehicle, reported as roughly $10-$15 depending on the source and season; additional camping fees apply (RV site with 30-amp hookup around $30; cabins at higher rates). The park is reported as cash-only with no on-site ATM (adventuresinok.com, unearththevoyage.com).
Is The Blue Hole Park LLC kid friendly?
Shallow water near the entrance and a separate shallow creek section are described as calm and safe for small kids and toddlers to splash in (unearththevoyage.com), but the main hole reaches roughly 17 feet deep with rock cliffs used for jumping, the creek bottom is rocky/uneven (water shoes recommended over flip-flops), and no lifeguards are mentioned in any source. One first-hand account also notes the current can be strong enough to sweep away loose footwear.
Do I need to hike to reach The Blue Hole Park LLC?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for The Blue Hole Park LLC?
Standard on-site parking area near the park entrance; the per-vehicle day-use fee (reported as $10 by adventuresinok.com and $15 by unearththevoyage.com/travelok.com) covers both entry and parking. Visitors can also drive across the stream to reach the camping areas (unearththevoyage.com). No separate walk time from car to water's edge is documented.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to The Blue Hole Park LLC?
The park itself offers on-site inflation of floats/tubes for a small fee, described as 'a surprisingly useful service that saves a lot of lung power' (unearththevoyage.com), indicating tube floating is a normal, accommodated activity. No dedicated on-site or third-party watercraft rental service (kayak/canoe/paddleboard/boat) is documented for this location.
When is the best time to visit The Blue Hole Park LLC?
Summer; one source reports the park operates Friday-Monday, 9am-8pm, seasonally, closing around Labor Day (unearththevoyage.com).
What are the rules at The Blue Hole Park LLC?
No alcohol permitted on the premises; leashed dogs are allowed; operation is cash-only. Water shoes are recommended over flip-flops due to the rocky creek bottom (adventuresinok.com, unearththevoyage.com).
What water body is The Blue Hole Park LLC on?
The Blue Hole Park LLC is on Saline Creek, a natural creek verified in USGS hydrography data.
