South Shore - Playground parking area to Burkett Park - Short Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 10/26/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 6.40 Miles
Duration: 3 hours
Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Chaparral > Winding Snake > Burkett Park 3.0 miles
Leg 2 - Burkett Park > WS to LL Connector > Lankey Lackey > Nature Trail > Horny Toad > Playground parking area 3.4 miles
Temps started at 72, ended at 82. Sunny with some high overcast clouds, fairly steady SSW breeze of 5-10mph. Slightly humid.
Easy hike along damp to slightly muddy trails that were fairly easy to traverse. The park received almost three inches of rain earlier this week whcih was certainly welcome but we need a whole lot more. The trails were fairly easy to traverse and find places to step without becoming mired in mud. Of note was the fact that I saw a Killdeer for the first time this year! They are normally fairly common but these past few years, not so common. I aslo saw a Scissortail, a Loggerhead Shrike and surprisingly, a small ring collared snake. No photos taken.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station available at the Playground Parking Area.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets are available at Burkett Park.
North Shore - Bell's Trailhead to Cougar Overlook - Figure 8 Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 10/20/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 7.50 Miles
Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Leg 1 - Bell's Trailhead > Shady Trail > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Rocky Creek > Lower Big Hill > North Scenic Loop > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > North Slick Rock > Lower Ghost Camp > River Bend Campground> Lower Ghost Camp > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Cougar Overlook 3.6 miles
Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > Javelina Trail> River Bend Trail > Badlands > Upper Big Hill > Rocky Creek > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Bell's Trailhead 3.9 miles
Temps started at 52, ended at 86. Sunny with a very light (1-5 mph) wind.
A quiet, relaxing hike along recently groomed trails that are easy to see and traverse. The animal activity was limited to a few deer and later, to seeing the rear end of a feral hog as he grubbed along a river bank visible from Cougar Overlook (photo attached). Not many birds were out and the scenery was about the same as it was last month - no real difference and no color change even though Fall is officially here.
NOTES -
Info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Bell's Trailhead. Water and shade are available in the nearby campground.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at the River Bend Campground.
Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle repair station available at Cougar Overlook.
Park Mid-section - Burkett Park to 5 Points Junction - Figure 8
User:
MikeHikes - 10/12/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 8.30 Miles
Duration: 4 hours
Leg 1 - Burkett park > WS to LL Connector > Rollercoaster > West Potts Creek > Potts Creek (E) > Playground Trail > Bell's Point > Playground Trail (N) > Flintstone > 5 Points Junction 4.6 miles
Leg 2 - 5 Points Junction > Turkey Creek > Potts Creek (E) > Burkett Trail > Burkett Park 3.7 miles
Temp started at 68, ended at 78. Sunny with 15-20mph SSW wind with stronger gusts.
Easy hike along dry, easy to traverse trails. Very little animal activity and virtually no bird activity either. The Monarch butterflies are migrating and the strong winds kept them in place as I only saw a few fluttering close to the ground. Nonetheless, it was pleasant to hike, feel the sun and wind on my skin and hear the strong winds blow.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
Water, shade and info kiosk at Bell's Point.
Water, shade and info kiosk at 5 Points Junction.
South Shore - Playground to Burkett Park Loop + Roadrunner Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 9/27/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 10.10 Miles
Duration: 5 hours
Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Horny Toad Trailhead > Tasajilla Flats > Nature Trail > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park 3.9 miles
Leg 2 - Burkett Park > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Playground parking area 2.9 miles
Leg 3 - Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area 3.3 miles
Temp started at 68, ended at 89. Light, 1-5mph SW breeze. Sunny w/a few clouds.
Easy hike along dry to morning dew damp trails that were easy to see and traverse. Some vegetation growing on the trails but only in spots and not insurmountable.
Not much to see today except for a few Scissortails and some micro-birds that were so fast and low in the brush I couldn't identify them. A few lizards and a few deer were the only other creatures out and about. One good thing was seeing and smelling the bee bush small white flowers blooming after the recent rainfall. The vanilla scent of the tiny flowers is always very pleasant to enjoy while hiking!
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station available at Playground parking area.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
Water and shade available at campsites parallel to Roadrunner Loop and there are three areas with water, info kiosk and toilets along Roadrunner Loop.
North Shore - Bell's Trailhead to Cougar Overlook Big Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 9/20/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 9.50 Miles
Duration: 5 hours
Leg 1 - Bell's Trailhead > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Dinosaur Trail > Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area > Dinosaur Trail (S) > Upper Big Hill > Badlands > River Bend Trail > service road (ENE) > Cougar Overlook 6.3 miles
Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Lower Ghost Camp Trail > River Bend Campground > Lower Ghost Camp Trail (N) > South Slick Rock > North Slick Rock > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > North Scenic Loop > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Shady Trail > Bell's Trailhead 3.2 miles
Temps stared at 72, ended at 92. Sunny with steady 10-15mph SSW breeze.
Easy hike along dry to muddy in spots trails that were relatively easy to traverse. Vegetation has grown and in a few places, the vegetation is fairly high.
There were rains last week and it shows (photo attached)! The North Concho River has more water in it but it is NOT flowing so there are still dry patches between watering holes. The water near Shady Trail is definitely up from a few weeks ago and I watched a beaver glide along as well as numerous large fish and turtles. Other areas along the trails that had been dry now have watering holes and ponds. Unfortunately, they will probably dry up sooner than later as there is no rain predicted for the near future. Of note was the appearane of a VERY large feral hog soon after I started hiking on Dinosaur Trail. He saw me at a distance and took off running across the open field so although there was no danger to me, it was disheartening to see the hog in the first place.
NOTES -
Info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Bell's Trailhead. Water and shade available in the nearby campground.
Water, shade and an info kiosk are available at the Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area.
Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Cougar Overlook.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets are available at the River Bend Campground.
South Shore - Burkett Park to Armadillo Ridge and Isabel Harte Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 9/11/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 6.30 Miles
Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Leg 1 - Burkett park > Burkett Trail > Potts Creek > service road (S) > Burkett Trail > Burkett Park 2.9 miles
Leg 2 - Burkett Park > Winding Snake> Isabel Harte park road (W) > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park 3.4 miles
Temp started at 67, lightrain to downpour before lifitng, cloudy and temp rose to 80 at end.
A rain shorted hike along muddy then drier trails. At first, it was a sporadic, light drizzle but then on Armadillo Ridge, the rain became a steady downpour so I had to return to Burkett Park. Once I arrived at the park, the rains had stopped but the clouds remained. I decided to continue South and when I arrived at the Isabel Harte area, the clouds looked threatening again so I headed back to Burkett. Made it back safely and as I was driving out of the park, saw a small group of turkeys and a pair of Roadrunners. At the park exit, I spotted another Roadrunner! No photos taken on the hike.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
North Shore - Short Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 9/4/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 7.10 Miles
Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Leg 1 - Bell's Trailhead > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Dinosaur Trail > Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area > DInosaur Trail (S) > Upper Big Hill > Badlands > River Bend > service road 4.5 miles
Leg 2 - service road (NE) > Lower Ghost Camp > River Bend Campground > Lower Ghost Camp (N) > South Slick Rock > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > North Scenic Loop > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Shady Trail > Bell's Trailhead 2.6 miles
Temp started at 77, ended at 95. Sunny with steady 5-10mph SSW breeze.
Trails were dry, easy to see and traverse but there were a few areas on Dinosaur Trail that could use some grooming due to high vegetation.
I stopped at Shady Trail's watering hole before hiking and saw a porcupine (photo attached), a raccoon and a beaver. Also saw a gar which was the first time I saw one in this area. Rain has not fallen in a long time and I hope we get some to replenish the watering hole otherwise there will be a serious dying off of fish and turtles.
A few of the cattle tanks and horse troughs are still around so when I see one that needs water, I fill it if the water is still on. The drought continues!
NOTES -
Water and shade available at nearby campsites by Bell's Trailhead.
Info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Bell's Trailhead.
Water, shade and an info kiosk are available at the Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets are availabe at the River Bend Campground.
South Shore - Playground parking area to Burkett Loop + Roadrunner
User:
MikeHikes - 8/28/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 10.50 Miles
Duration: 5 hours, 15 minutes
Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Tasajilla Flats > Nature Trail > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park 3.8 miles
Leg 2 - Burkett Park > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Red Dam Loop > Chaparral > Playground parking area 3.4 miles
Leg 3 - Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area 3.3 miles
Temp started at 76, ended at 94. Sunny with light SE breeze at 1-5mph. Slightly humid.
Trails were slightly damp at first then dry, easy to see and traverse. All trails have been recently groomed. Lots of white tail deer were out with fawns. A few birds were spotted including a Loggerhead Shrike, Kingbirds and various Sparrows. Reptiles included a very small ring-collared snake that was maybe 5-6 inches in length (photo attached) as well as numerous lizards. I had the park to myself and only saw a single car parked next to mine. Not much to say other than it was a very relaxing hike.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station are available at the Playground parking area.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
Water and shade available at various campsites parallel to Roadrunner Loop and there are three toilet and info kiosk areas along the route.
Park Mid-section - Burkett Park to 5 Point Junction Figure 8 Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 8/24/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 8.30 Miles
Duration: 4 hours, 15 minutes
Leg 1 - Burkett Park > WS to LL Connector > Rollercoaster > West Potts Creek > Potts Creek > Playground Trail > Bells Point > Playground Trail (N) > Flintstone > 5 Points Junction 4.5 miles
Leg 2 - 5 Points Junction > Turkey Creek > Potts Creek (E) > Burkett Trail > Burkett Park 3.8 miles
Temp started at 73, ended at 92. Sunny with 0-5mph SW intermittent breeze. Slightly humid.
All trails were damp to dry, easy to see and traverse. Animals spotted were a pair of Jack Rabbits, a lone javelina, and a few deer. Reptiles were a ring-collared snake and a 3-4 foot long coachwhip. Not many birds were seen although I did see a hawk flying around looking for a meal. Nothing unusual or exciting, just a nice hike along very familiar trails.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
Water, shade and an info kiosk available at Bell's Point. IMPORTANT - the water is available now, a few weeks ago, it wasn't.
Water, shade and an info kiosk available at 5 Points Junction.
South Shore - Playground parking area to Burkett Park (Short Loop) + Roadrunner
User:
MikeHikes - 8/19/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 9.40 Miles
Duration: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Horny Toad > Nature Trail > Lanky Lackey> WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park 3.3 miles
Leg 2 - Burkett Park > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Playground parking area 2.9 miles
Leg 3 - Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area 3.2 miles
Temp started at 77, ended at 97. Sunny with fairly steady 5-10mph SW breeze.
Easy hike along dry, easy to see and traverse trails. Most of the trails have been recently groomed whch made hiking even easier. Unfortunately, there wasn't much to photograph besides the small Horned Lizard (photo attached). No animals were observed and the bird life was extremely scarce as well. The unrelenting heat and drought continues and I'm sure that is the major reason why the park residents are remaining as still as possible. For me, there were a larger than normal amount of other park visitors today (Saturday) but is was relatively nice out when I was there so I understand why it happened.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station are available at the Playground parking area.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets are available at Burkett Park.
Water and shade are available at campsites along Roadrunner Loop and there are three toilet and info kiosks available at various points.
North Shore - Bell's Trailhead to Cougar Overlook Figure 8 Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 8/12/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 7.50 Miles
Duration: 4 hours
Leg 1 - Bell's Trailhead > Shady Trail > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Rocky Creek > Lower Big Hill > North Slick Rock > Lower Ghost Camp > River Bend Campground > lower Ghost Camp (S) > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Cougar Overlook 3.5 miles
Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > Javelina Trail > service road (W) > River Bend (N) > Badlands > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Bell's Trailhead 4.0 miles
Temp started at 83, ended at 96. Sunny, slightly humid with 10-20mph southerly wind.
Easy hike along dry trails. Not much animal activity although I saw a beaver at Shady Trail and a little later, saw three multi-point bucks on the opposite side of the river and quite far away. A few birds were spotted as well. More and more of the prickly pear tunas have turned red and some of the ripe fruit has fallen to the ground (photo attached).
Nothing else of interest happened.
NOTES -
Info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Bell's Trailhead. Water and shade available in the nearby campgrounds.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at River Bend Campground.
Info kiosk, shade and a bicycle repair station available at Cougar Overlook.
Park Mid-section - Burkett Park to 5 Points Junction and Beyond Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 8/7/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 8.10 Miles
Duration: 4 hours
Leg 1 - Burkett park > WS to LL Connector > Rollercoaster > West Potts Creek > Armadillo Ridge > Playground By-Pass > service road to FM2288 > Turkey Creek (N) > 5 Points Junction 4.5 miles
Leg 2 - 5 Points Junction > River Bend (N) > Trailhead to Trailhead trail (S) > Burkett Trail > Burkett park 3.6 miles
Temp started at 82, ended at 96. Sunny with a sporadic then steady, 10mph Southerly breeze.
Easy hike along trails that were dry, easy to see and traverse. Due to the on-going drought and the higher than normal heat, some of the mostly rocky trails have loose soil so caution is advised when you traverse them. Wildlife was only spotted when I entered the park - three does and four fawns (photo attached) and a little later, a pair of Jack Rabbits. Otherwise, the birds and even lizards were scarce - the drought and high temperatures have done a real number on the park inhabitants. Regardless of that, walking the trails was peaceful and made the trip to the park worthwhile.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
Water, shade and info kiosk available at 5 Points Junction.
South Shore - Playground parking area to Burkett Park + Roadrunner Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 8/3/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 10.40 Miles
Duration: 5 hours
Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Chaparral > Red Dam Loop > Chaparral > Winding Snake > Burkett Park 3.4 miles
Leg 2 - Burkett Park > WS to LL Connector > Lankey Lackey > Nature Trail > Tasajilla Flats > Playground parking area 3.8 miles
Leg 3 - Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area 3.2 miles
Temps started at 80, ended at 95. Sunny with light SW breeze.
A nice hike along recently groomed trails that were dry, easy to see and traverse. There wasn't much to see besides the "Blue Moon" setting (photo attached). Not many birds were out but I saw a female javelina and two smaller "reds" that were the size of a large football. All three of them took off like a shot once they knew I was on the trail. Otherwise, it was a nice leisurely hike.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station are available at Playground parking area.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
Water and shade are available at campsites along the Roadrunner Loop. At three separate locations along the trail there are toilets and info kiosks.
North Shore - Bell's Trailhead to Ghost Camp Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 7/28/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 7.60 Miles
Duration: 4 hours
Leg 1 - Bell's Trailhead > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Dinosaur Trail > Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area > Dinosaur Trail (S) > Upper Big Hill > Badlands > River Bend > Lower Ghost Camp > UpperGhost Camp > River Bend Campground 5.9 miles
Leg 2 - River Bend Campground > Upper Ghost Camp (N) > North Slick Rock > North Scenic Loop > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Shady Trail > Bell's Trailhead 1.7 miles
Temps started at 74, ended at 94. Sunny with 1-5mph SW breeze.
All trails looked pretty good although there were a few places that could use a trim . I saw a mature and a juvenile beaver swimming at the watering hole by Shady Trail (photo attached). Unfortunately, they didn't swim close to one another so I could not get a good shot to show how different in size they were.
All else the same.
NOTES -
Info kiosk and a bicycle repair station is available at Bell's Trailhead. Water and shade available in nearby campsites.
Water, shade and info kioska available at the Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at the River Bend Camping Area.
Park Mid-section - Burkett Park to 5 Points Junction Big Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 7/22/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 7.90 Miles
Duration: 4 hours
Leg 1 - Burkett park > WS to LL Connector > Rollercoaster > West Potts Creek > Turkey Creek Trail > service road to Armadillo Pavillion > Playground Trail (N) > Bell's Point > Playground Trail (N) > Flintstone > 5 Points Junction 5.0 miles
Leg 2 - 5 Points Junction > Flintstone (N) > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Burkett Trail > Burkett Park 2.9 miles
Temp started at 76, ended at 92. Sunny to partly cloudy, fairly steady ENE breeze at 5mph.
Easy, leisurely hike along trails that were easy to see and traverse with a few spots in need of trimming. Animals spotted were Jack Rabbits, Cottontail Rabbits, and deer. A few vultures were perched in different places, lizards and grasshoppers were also spotted. Not many flowers are out except for sunflowers and a few othe kinds such as the skeleton flowers (photo attached). Not colorful but some color is better than none.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets availabvle at Burkett Park.
Shade and info kiosk available at Bell's Point.
***** IMPORTANT **** - at the time of this writing, there is NO WATER available at Bell's Point. Neither the water faucets for humans nor the nearby horse trough have water.
Water, shade and info kiosk is available at 5 Points Junction.
South Shore - Playground parking area to Armadillo Ridge Figure 8 Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 7/18/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 10.60 Miles
Duration: 5 hours, 15 minutes
Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Tasajilla Flats > Nature Trail > Lankey Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett park 3.8 miles
Leg 2 - Burkett park > WS to LL Connector > Rollercoaster > West Potts Creek > Potts Creek > Burkett Trail > Burkett park 3.9 miles
Leg 3 - Burkett park > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Playground parking area 2.9 miles
Temp started at 80, ended at 99. Sunny and hot with a steady 10mph SW breeze.
All trails were dry, easy to see and relatively easy to traverse. Some had been recently groomed and others have not. The heat seemed to have kept most wildlife still because I only saw a couple of deer and a few birds. Insects were out as were a few lizards but otherwise, not much was moving in the heat. Bee bush is almost ready for another round sof vanilla scented flowers and there are still some patches of wildflowers the bees and other bugs visit. Not much else went on.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station are available at Playground parking area.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
North Shore - Bell's Trailhead to Cougar Overlook Short Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 7/12/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 7.60 Miles
Duration: 4 hours
Leg 1 - Bell's trailhead > Shady Trail > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > North Scenic Loop > North Slick Rock > South Slick Rock > River Bend Campground > Lower Ghost Camp > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Cougar Overlook 3.7 miles
Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > Javelina Trail > River Bend (N) > Badlands (N) > Upper Big Hill > Rocky Creek Trail > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Bell's Trailhead 3.9 miles
Temp started at 80, ended at 92. Sunny with steady 10-20mph SW breeze.
A leisurely hike along dry, easy to see and traverse trails - much improved from my last visit. Not many birds or animals out but there were a lot of grasshoppers and gnats buzzing about. Wildflowers were not as visible as in the past with the exception of sunflowers which can be found at various places throughout the park. Unfortunately with the continued dry and hot weather, some of the temporary watering holes have dried out but the ones maintained by the park are still there and I am sure used by the wildlife.
NOTES -
Info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Bell's Trailhead. Water and shade are available at the nearby campground.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at River Bend Campground.
Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle repair station available at Cougar Overlook.
South Shore - Playground parking area to Burkett Park Loop + Roadrunner Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 7/8/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 9.60 Miles
Duration: 4 hours, 45 minutes
Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Chaparral > Winding Snake > Burkett park 2.9 miles
Leg 2 - Burkett Park > WS to LL Connector > Lankey Lackey > Nature Trail > Horny Toad > Talley Valley > Chaparral > Playground parking area 3.4 miles
Leg 3 - Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area 3.3 miles
Temp started at 76, ended at 88. Overcast at first gradually clearing to mostly sunny. Fairly stead 10-15mph SW breeze.
All trails were dry, easy to see and traverse although portions of some trails had vegetation covering them. Rocky trails were very rocky and in some cases, recent rains have cause severe erosion so I had to straddle the actual trail or walk alongside it. Most of the wildflowers have disappeared although sunflowers are fairly abundant and another round of blossoming bee bush flowers are present. Prickly pear tunas are still very green but are growing. Reptiles such as a Ring Collared snake, lizards and a small toad the size of my thumbnail were seen as were numerous grasshoppers and other flying insects.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station are available at Playground parking area.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets are available at Burkett Park.
Water and shade are available at various campsites along Roadrunner Loop and there are three toilet and info kiosk available at various points along the trail.
Park Mid-section - Burkett Park to Cougar Overlook Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 7/4/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 9.30 Miles
Duration: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Leg 1 - Burkett park > WS to LL Connector > Rollercoaster > West Potts > Turkey Creek > 5 Points Junction > River Bend > Trailhead to trailhead (N) > service road (NNE) > Cougar Overlook 5.7 miles
Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > service road (SW) > Trailhead to trailhead (S) > Burkett Trail > Burkett park 3.6 miles
Temp started at 71, ended at 93. Fairly constant 1-5mph SW breeze. Humid at first but dried out as the hike progressed.
A few days earlier there was a one hour torrential rain and the trails reflected it! On the rocky trails they were rockier and bare of any topsoil. On the dirt trails, they were slightly damp to muddy and slick. Otherwise the trails were easy to see and didn't have much debris on them. Not many animals were out although I saw a jack rabbit and a few cottontails at the beginning of the hike. Birds were heard but not in large numbers. Millipeeds and tiny red bugs were out as were grasshoppers, gnats and flies. At the end of the hike, I saw a Horned Lizard trying to stay cool in the 90+ degree heat (photo attached).
Prolife Tip - when you have the foresight to bring TP, napkins and feminine "sanitary products" with you, please carry them in a couple of ziploc bags. The bags will keep the paper clean and if you use the products, you can put the used paper back in one of the ziplocs and dispose of it properly - it's very disheartening to find wads of TP or used sanitary products left alongside the trail; and yes, I've found these things in the open, right next to the trails - - it's just N-A-S-T-Y!
Always remember if you bring it in, you should pack it out!
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets are available at Burkett Park.
Water. shade and info kiosk available at 5 Points Junction.
Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle repair station available at Cougar Overlook.
North Shore - Bell's Trailhead to Cougar Overlook Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 6/29/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 9.70 Miles
Duration: 5 hours
Leg 1 - Bell's trailhead > Dinosaur Trail > Dinosaur Tracking Viewing Area > Dinosaur Trail (S) > Lower Big Hill > North Scenic Loop > Badlands > River Bend > service road (NE) > Cougar Overlook 6.7 miles
Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Lower Ghost Camp Trail > River Bend Camping Area > Lower Ghost Camp Trail (N) > South Slick Rock > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Bell's Trailhead 3.0 miles
Temp started at 77, ended at 93. Sunny, hot with a light SSW breeze of 5-10mph.
What a difference a few weeks makes! The park had a significant wind event and the majority of all the trails had numerous tree branches of various sizes across them - I was constantly clearing sections of the trails of the debris I could remove and reported the ones I couldn't move, to the rangers. The vegetation is growing and there were a few places that, unless you knew where you were going, you wouldn't see the trail.
There were hardly any animals out and about and the birds were pretty quiet as well. Not an especially good hike and at this point in time I would recommend that unless you are familiar with the trails, avoid the North Shore for a little while until they can get the debris off the trails.
NOTES -
Info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Bell's Trailhead. Water and shade available at the near by campgrounds.
Water, shade, and info kiosk available at DInosaur Tracks Viewing Area.
Info kiosk, shade and a bicycle repair station available at Cougar Overlook.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at River Bend Campground.
South Shore - Playground parking area to Burkett Park + Roadrunner Loop & More
User:
MikeHikes - 6/23/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 10.10 Miles
Duration: 5 hours
Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Tasajilla Flats > Hory Toad > Nature Trail > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park 3.3 miles
Leg 2 - Burkett park > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Red Dam Loop > Chaparral > Playground parking area 3.3 miles
Leg 3 - Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area 3.5 miles
Tem stared at 76, ended at 96. Sunny with steady 5-10mph ESE breeze.
All trails were dry, easy to see and traverse although there were a few areas with high vegetation. Not many animals or birds were out in the heat but there were a few such as Scissortails and a lone hawk spotted. Not as many wildflowers were visible as in the past few weeks but more sunflowers were seen along areas that had water. When I was on Roadrunner Loop, I added a little distance by hiking along a small parallel trail named Strawberry Trail which was nothing special to be honest. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the solitude and quiet!
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk , toilets and a bicycle repair station are available at Playground parking area.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
Water and shade are available at campsites along Roadrunner Loop and there are three toilet and info kiosks alongside the trail at various points.
Park Mid-section - Burkett Park to Cougar Overlook Short Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 6/14/2023
[View Log Page]
Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 8.30 Miles
Duration: 4 hours, 15 minutes
Leg 1 - Burkett park > Burkett Trail > Potts Creek > Playground Trail > Bells Point > Playground (N) > Flintstone > 5 Points Junction > Flintstone (N) > Cougar Overlook 5.3 miles
Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > service road (W) > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Burkett Trail > Burkett Park 3.0 miles
Temps started at 73, ended at 92. Sunny and VERY humid with little to no breeze.
A somewhat enjoyable hike along easy to see dry to damp trails. Some vegetation covered various parts of the trails but it was still easy to traverse. Not much to see besides wildflowers, a few birds and a group of javelinas near Burkett Park. There were quite a few gnats out as well as butterflies and bees visiting the wildflowers. There are no cactus blossoms around but there are lots of green prickly pears growing on numerous cactus. There is still water visible in numerous watering holes as well as in the North Concho River but I don't believe it is flowing water so who knows how long it will last.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
Water, shade and info kiosk available at Bell's Point.
Water, shade and info kiosk available at 5 Points Junction.
Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle repair station available at Cougar Overlook.
South Shore - Playground parking area to Burkett park Loop + Roadrunner Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 6/7/2023
[View Log Page]
Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 10.20 Miles
Duration: 5 hours, 15 minutes
Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Chaparral > Winding Snake > Burkett park 3.1 miles
Leg 2 - Burkett park > WS to LL Connector > Lanky Lackey > Nature Trail > Tasajilla Flats > Playground parking area 3.9 miles
Leg 3 - Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area 3.2 miles
Temps started at 65, eneded at 82. High overcast clouds, slight to light SE breeze.
An easy hike along easy to see trails that were dry to slightly damp with morning dew. Last few times we've had rain, it has come down torrentially rather than a slow and steady soaker. Consequently, the rainwater washed off quite a bit of the topsoil that was on the trails making them even rockier than they were and since the rock is loose, a little more hazardous to traverse.
I saw two turkey hens with about 6-10 chicks out foraging on Winding Snake. Numerous good sized lizards were also seen at various places and birds were out but nothing unusual. LOTS of wildflowers are still out but I saw no cactus blooms during the hike. Overall a good hike!
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station available at Playground parking area.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
Water and shade available at campsites along the Roadrunner Loop and there are three toilets and info kiosks at various points as well.
North Shore - Bell's Trailhead to Cougar Overlook.
User:
MikeHikes - 5/30/2023
[View Log Page]
Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 9.70 Miles
Duration: 5 hours
Leg 1 - Bell's trailhead > Dinosaur Trail > Badlands> River Bend Trail > service road (NNE) > Cougar Overlook 6.2 miles
Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > Javelina > Lower Ghost Camp > River Bend Campground > Lower Ghost Camp > South Slick Rock > Trailhead to Trailhead > Bell's Trailhead 3.5 miles
Temp started at 64, eneded at 82. Sunny with no clouds, steady SSW breeze at 5-10mph.
All trails were dry to slightly damp , easy to see and traverse. Lots of wildflowers out but the cactus flowers are very scattered and scarce. Bee bush is in bloom at spots so the scent of vanilla is easy to detect. After last weeks rain, there were numerous places that, a few weeks ago were bone dry, now held water.
NOTES -
Info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Bell's Trailhead. Water and shade available at nearby campsites.
Water, shade and info kiosk are available at the Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area.
Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Cougar Overlook.
Water, shade, info kiosk and ry toilets availabe at River Bend Campground.