Leg 1 - Burkett Park > Burkett Trail > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > park service road (NE) > Cougar Overlook 4.5 miles
Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > short road to Trailhead > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Burkett Trail > Burkett Park 3.5 miles
Temp started at 62, ended at 74. Overcast and hazy w/slight 5-8mph East breeze.
Easy hike along damp to wet to muddy trails. Because of the recent rains, the "normal" trails were too muddy so I decided to hike along more established, harder packed trails, i.e., the Trailhead to Trailhead trail which is mostly ob older park roads that are no lonegr used. Some portions are old asphalt, others, rock a few dirt but in all cases, the trail was much easier to traverse than the other named trails.
Animals spotted were deer, cottontail rabbits and a Jack Rabbit. Birds were out mostly dove and quail although I saw a Killdeer at two locations making sure I saw him as he ran along the ground squawking and drawing me away from his nest. Another bird of interest were two turkeys near the old cattle pens. Turkey are park residents but you normally don't see them so this was nice.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park. SPECIAL NOTE - a new water and bottle filling station has been installed but the water to it, has not yet been turned on. The horse trough is also dry but water is available at the older, water spigot.
Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle reapir station are available at Cougar Overlook. SPECIAL NOTE - as of this writing (5/25/26) the air hose at the bicycle repair station is missing a piece on the air hose head which means you cannot use it to inflate tires. Notification of the issue has been made to the park.
