'Everybody should be able to come and feel safe:' Community rallies to ‘Take Back Our Trails’ at Turkey Mountain

People gathered at Turkey Mountain Tuesday night to send a clear message: that fear won't keep them away from area parks. It comes after attacks at three Tulsa parks over the last few months.

Tuesday's event was called Take Back Our Trails. People grouped up and hit the trails to show that Tulsans aren't ready to give up on Turkey Mountain.

Event draws crowds for safety

When Sean Lewis heard about the recent attacks at Turkey Mountain and other Tulsa parks, he decided to do something about it.

"Everybody should be able to come and feel safe," said Lewis.

He reached out to River Parks Authority about putting together an event that would bring people together with the shared goal of keeping parks safe.

"We were all rallying around the same cause, regardless of our differences, regardless of our different viewpoints; we can come together on common ground," he said.

Proceeds fund park security

Together they came up with Take Back Our Trails—an event filled with music, a raffle, T-shirts for sale, and burgers on the grill. All of the proceeds will go toward security upgrades at Turkey Mountain.

Then they split into groups and hit the trails—some walking, some running, and some on wheels.

Guided hikes all week long

Aaron Winner is part of a volunteer trail team that leads hikes and serves as a neighborhood watch at Turkey Mountain.

"We had Tulsa Crime Stoppers. We had the Riverside precinct for the Tulsa Police Department and River Park Authority all talked to us about what needs to be done," said Winner.

Winner says he wants people to know their team is committed to keeping Turkey Mountain safe—not just tonight, but for years to come.

"By showing everyone, hey, this is not just a small group of people out here, this is everyone trying to make sure that you feel safe and welcome, that really should bring people back to the mountain," he said.

The Turkey Trail Team is leading guided hikes every day for the next week. See the full schedule below.