Fall is the perfect season to head for Oklahoma's lakes, sit in the shade, watch the kids fish, and see some of the local sites. Where better to enjoy the sites and some Watonga cheese than in and around Roman Nose State Park?

Getting there
Watonga/Roman Nose is only about an hour and a half away, but take your time and travel the back roads. From Highway 74 (Portland Avenue), go west at the Highway 33 junction. This two-lane road provides a charming view of rural Oklahoma, and on the other side of Kingfisher, you can see oil wells with pumps and storage units.

Roman Nose State Park
Roman Nose Resort is one of Oklahoma's most casual. Set in a rugged, old-west terrain complete with yucca plants and Indian paintbrush, its small size (47 guest rooms) and small number of cabins (10 cottages that sleep four) give this state park an old time summer camp feel. If you want to camp, try the tepees located near the lake. These canvas structures sleep four comfortably. Roman Nose has two small campgrounds for tent and RV camping and, although the number of sites is limited, they are large and clean.

Roman Nose Resort is set on Lake Boecher and Lake Watonga both small lakes. Most families fish from the bank or in canoes. Cool off after a long morning of fishing in the resorts pool. Have lunch at Cato's General Store and Cafe where burger baskets cost less than $6. You can also stock up on live bait or grab a bag of ice. Cato's runs a boat dock with paddle boats or canoe rentals ($5 per person).

Next to Cato's is the start point of the Roman Nose hiking trails offering short walks, long, rugged hikes, and trails for mountain bikers and equestrians. If you'd rather get off your feet, bring your own horse or rent one at Roman Nose Riding Stables (877-623-4121 or 580-623-4121, www.romannoseridingstables.com). For refreshment, groups of ten or more can take a watermelon or dinner hayride—call 800-892-8690 for details and to make reservations.

Golfing, Roman Nose Style
If your family enjoys golf, Roman Nose has an unusual 18-hole golf course that makes use of the areas hilly terrain. The sloping fairway and a golf cart trail looks like a roller coaster track. Roman Nose offers golf packages starting at $47 per person for one nights lodging (based on double occupancy) and 18 holes of golf with golf cart rental.

In Watonga
While at the park, be sure to visit Watonga. Call ahead to tour the cheese factory (888-270-5915), or just stop by and taste the samples. This small factory produces 1,500 pounds of cheese every week, and kids love to see the process in action. Bring an ice chest for a supply of the factorys medium longhorn, bacon cheddar, onion cheddar, or jalapeno cheddar. My kids loved the colorful, shaped and wrapped cheeses. One son chose a brown tractor, another chose a drum, and my daughter opted for a red barn. I picked up a couple of Oklahoma shapes to serve at a party.

If you like to shop, don't miss Ice House Antiques, Temptations, or any of the smaller antique stores on Main Street. I toured the T.B. Ferguson House without my husband or the kids and learned a lot about the early history of the region while enjoying the beautifully-restored 1907 home.

Also in the Area
If your family likes to hike, take the short drive to the Glass or Gloss Mountains. This area is just starting to be developed by the parks department, so its facilities are primitive. Originally called the Glass Mountains because of the sparkling selinite crystals embedded in the red clay, a typographical error recorded the mountains as the Gloss Mountains. There is a challenging hiking trail that involves stairs up the side of the first peak, so this trip is for the physically fit. Be sure to take a small, empty container so children can bring home some small chunks of crystal.

On the Calendar
I'm planning to go back in early October for the Watonga Cheese Festival where the fun includes a cheese tasting, a cheese food contest, a made-in-Oklahoma shopping tent, classic car show and carnival, and "The Great Rat Race." The Rat Race is a 5k and 1-mile fun run.

Pam is the Associate Dean, College of Liberal Arts at the University of Central Oklahoma. She and her husband Mike have been married for six years and have traveled Oklahoma with their blended family of five children.