South Shore - Playground parking area to Burkett Park Loop
San Angelo State Park
- 9/16/2024
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 6.80 Miles
Duration: 3 hours, 20 minutes
Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Horny Toad Trailhead > Tasajilla Flats > Nature Trail > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park 3.7 miles
Leg 2 - Burkett Park > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Red Dam Loop > Chaparral > Playground parking area 3.1 miles
Temp started at 68, ended at 86. Sunny and light breeze from SW at 0-5 mph.
Easy hike along dew dampened trails. Not much damage from the rains of a few weeks ago. Bee bush is already blooming and it's vanilla scent was in the air. Saw a few more birds out including a Loggerhead Shrike. At the end of the hike, a pair of roadrunners chattered and made their presence known. One in particular watched me as I hiked (photo attached).
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 and Back Loop
San Angelo State Park
- 9/8/2024
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 9.60 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 > service road (NE) > Cougar Overlook 6.2 miles
Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > Javelina > connector (NE) > Lower Ghost Camp > River Bend Campground > Lower Ghost Camp > South Slick Rock > North Slick Rock > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Scenic Loop > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Shady Trail > Bell's Trailhead 3.4 miles
Temp started at 60, eneded at 82. Clear and sunny with a 0-5mph intermittent NE breeze.
We had some heavy rains last week that have made a mark on the park! O.C. Fisher was at .8% capacity (NOT a typo) and is now at 7.7% capacity almost 10 times the amount of water as before! The North Concho River is still flowing into the lake and the river basin is full of fish including a large amount of gar. Unfortunately, there are some rought spots where flood debris has made a mess of the trails but for the most part, the trails although muddy, are passable and in fairly good shape. Because the rain waters followed the trails, the trails have been eroded somewhat. Caution is advised if hiking!
NOTES -
Info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Bell's Trailhead. Water and shade available in the nearby campgrounds.
Water, shade and info kiosk available at the Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area.
Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Cougar Overlook.
Water, sahde, info kiosk and dry toilets available at River Bend Campground.
Park Mid-section - Burkett Park to Cougar Overlook to 5 Points Junction and Back
San Angelo State Park
- 8/30/2024
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 7.90 Miles
Duration: 4 hours
Leg 1 - Burkett Park > Burkett Trail > Trailhead to Trailhead > service road to Cougar Overlook > Cougar Overlook 3.2 miles
Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > Flintstone > 5 Points Junction 1.3 miles
Leg 3 - 5 Points Junction > Turkey Creek > service road to Armadillo Pavillion (NE) > Potts CReek (NE) > Burkett Trail > Burkett Park 3.4 miles
Temp started at 77, ended at 91. Sunny, slightly humid with a light 5-10mph SW breeze.
All trails were dry with a few patches of mud from a brief downpour received two days earlier. Deer, a fox, a couple of roadrunners and a tortoise (photo attached) were spotted today. I also saw a few Queen butterflies and the purple thistle is coming out in places - Fall is approaching although the current temperatures are not indicative of it.
Not many birds were out today but the park is having a spurt of "green" becauise of the recent rains. More rain is predicted and that is always a good thing in West Texas.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park
Shade, inof kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Cougar Overlook.
Water, shade and an info kiosk are available at 5 Points Junction.
South Shore - Burkett Park to Armadillo Ridge and Back
San Angelo State Park
- 8/22/2024
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 4.40 Miles
Duration: 2 hours
Leg 1 - Burkett Park > WS to LL Connector > Rollercoaster > West Potts Creek > Turkey Creek > Armadillo Pavillion service road (NE) > Playground by-pass (S) > Potts Creek Trail > Burkett Trail > Burkett Park 4.4 miles
Termp started at 80, ended at 102. Sunny and H-O-T with 10mph SW breeze.
A very short hike due to heat and a time crunch. All trails were dry, easy to see and traverse. Not much bird activity but I did get a photo of a Roadrunner getting a drink from a horse trough at Burkett Park after I finished my hike (photo attached). Cottontail rabbits, Jack Rabbits, deer and a few javelinas were spotted. Bird activity was minimal no doubt due to the heat.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
South Shore - Playground parking area to Burkett Park Loop + Roadrunner Loop
San Angelo State Park
- 8/16/2024
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 10.20 Miles
Duration: 5 hours
Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Horny Toad Trailhead > Tasajilla Flats > Nature Trail > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park 3.7 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 3.2 miles
Temp started at 79, ended at 92. Sunny w/steady SW 10-15mph breeze.
An easy hike along familiar trails. Does and fawns, Cottontails and Black Eared rabbits, birds and javelinas were spotted. The trails themselves were dry and easy to traverse. Rain is desperately needed but none is in sight for the forseeable future which is VERY bad - the lake is at .9% capacity and the mudflats are very visible even from a distance.
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, shade, info kiosk and toilets are available at three points along Roadrunner Loop with water and shade available at numerous campsites along the loop as well.