Entry No. 20 — the Oklahoma City file — filed under: offbeat nature

Will Rogers Gardens Gnome Houses & Fairy Doors

Tucked along the pathways of the historic Will Rogers botanical gardens are tiny handcrafted gnome houses and fairy doors, built starting in 2020 by a city parks worker from fallen timber. New ones keep appearing, so the count is never the same twice.

The move: Turn a stroll through the rose and arboretum paths into a slow scavenger hunt for hidden fairy doors. Bring a coffee, keep score of who spots the most, and meander into the cactus conservatory.

📍 Before you go The gardens sit inside Will Rogers Park at NW 36th and Portland, with free parking and free entry; look for the horticultural-gardens area rather than the ballfields. The little doors and houses aren't mapped or signed — they're tucked low along the rose garden, the Margaret Annis Boys Arboretum, and shaded path edges, so walk slowly and scan tree bases and beds. Spring through fall is prettiest, with the roses peaking in late spring; mild mornings beat summer afternoons. These are handmade and easily damaged, so look but don't touch or pocket them. Pair your hunt with the Ed Lycan Conservatory's cactus and succulent collection, though the glasshouse tends to keep shorter weekday-only hours than the outdoor paths.

• 📍 Will Rogers Park / NW 36th & Portland
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Low-key
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: 3400 NW 36th St, Oklahoma City, OK 73112

Hours: Gardens open during daylight park hours; doors are scattered along the paths, so allow time to wander.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: Only In Your State · metrofamilymagazine.com

last checked: 2026-06-06