Park Mid-section - Burkett Park to Cougar Overlook Loop

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.