South Shore - Playground parking area to Burkett Park + Roadrunner Loop

A Few Agarita are already in Bloom!
The near-Spring warm weather has prompted a few agarita bushes to produce flowers. A little early but very pleasant to look at.
User: MikeHikes - 2/8/2025

Location: San Angelo State Park

Rating: 4stars
Difficulty: halfstar  Solitude: 3point5stars
Miles Hiked: 9.40 Miles  Elapsed Time: 4 hours, 30 minutes

Comments:

Leg 1 -  Playground parking area > Chaparral > Talley Valley > Horny Toad (N) > Nature Trail > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park    3.2 miles

Leg 2 -  Burkett Park > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Red Dam Loop > Chaparral > Playground parking area    3.1 miles

Leg 3 -  Playground parking area > Roadruner Loop > Playground parking area    3.1 miles

Temp started at 63, ended at 83.  Sunny with a fairly constant 5-10mph Westerly breeze. 

Easy hike along dry and easy to traverse trails.  Many more birds were spotted - a Loggerhead Shrike, Kestrel and a hawk were the raptors.  Mockers, Phylluxia and numerous sparrows were also seen.  Numerous deer, in herds of 6 to 20 as well as individual deer were also seen.  What surprised me the most though was seeing two different agarita bushes with flowers (photo attached).  The weather has been unseasonable warm but tonight another cold front will move through so I don't know if that will kill or merely stunt the growth.  More folks using the trails which was expected with the warm, almost Spring-like weather.

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.  THE WATER IS WORKING AGAIN FOR BOTH HUMANS AND EQUESTRIANS.

Water and shade are available at various campsites along Roadrunner Loop and there are three places with toilets and info kiosks along the trail.



Log Photos
A Few Agarita are already in Bloom!
Area around San Angelo State Park