The salt flats are believed to be the remains of a prehistoric sea. Completed in 1941, the Great Salt Plains Dam created a lake about half as salty as the ocean. The average depth is four feet and the lake has a 41-mile shoreline. A wildlife refuge adjacent to the park is home to golden and bald eagles. In all, close to 250 species of birds pass through this area.
Visitors can watch birds, hike, fish, swim and explore nature trails.
The Tonkawa Interpretive Trail in the River Road area is accessible to wheelchairs. The park's fishing pier is also wheelchair-accessible. Fishermen can catch channel and blue catfish, striped bass and walleyes. There are primitive tent sites and RV sites at three campgrounds within the park. The selenite digging area near Cherokee.