Clear Bay Trail

The Clear Bay Recreation Area Trail System, located on the south side of Lake Thunderbird in Norman, offers 18.5 miles of hiking trails for hikers and mountain bikers of all skill levels. Each of the five trails is interconnecting, and they can also be hiked on their own as a loop. Beginners are best suited to the 1.5 mile Green Loop and the 1 mile Yellow Loop, while intermediate hikers will be comfortable on the 1.25 mile Red Loop and 4.75 mile Blue Loop. The Gold Loop, which consists of 10 miles of switchbacks, should be left to expert-level hikers only. From Highway 9, turn into the Clear Bay area and immediately turn right. Park here and enter the trail on the Green Loop. This trail is well-marked by green posts and can be hiked in a counterclockwise direction or combined with the adjoining Yellow Loop to create a 2.5 mile trek. Outdoor adventurers looking to reach the red or blue hiking trails should begin at the trailhead and follow the green trail until it meets up with the yellow trail. Turn right onto the Yellow Loop and continue north for less than half a mile to the Red Loop. Visitors hiking the Red Loop can complete it in 1.25 miles or remain on it just long enough to meet up with the Blue Loop. Expert level hikers looking for a challenge on the Gold Loop should enter from Thunderbird Dam Road, just one mile northeast of the Clear Bay entrance on Highway 9. The trailhead for the Gold Loop is located on the left side of the road. This trail is especially tricky and includes several bypasses, a bridge, a rock drop and dozens of switchbacks.