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San Angelo State Park

Name: San Angelo State Park
Rating: 4.19

Type: Trail

Length: 50.00 Miles

Elevation Gain: N/A

Cost: $4.00

Rating:

(4.19)566

Difficulty: halfstar

(0.90)

Solitude:

(4.63)

ADA Accessible: N/A

Bikes Allowed: Yes

Dogs Allowed: N/A

Interpretive Guide: N/A

City: San Angelo

County: Tom Green

More Information: More Info

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Photos

These three feral hogs didn't see me on the trail until I deliberately made noise. Once they saw me, they trotted back into the bush. (Photo by MikeHikes)

An early morning view from the high point of Horny Toad Trail. The reservoir is less than 8% full but some water is a lot better than no water. (Photo by MikeHikes)

This is one of the numerous tiny toads encountered today. Note the ant by him for a good size comparison. I saw at least 30-40 hopping along the trail this morning. (Photo by MikeHikes)

This Roadrunner chattered to his partner and then stopped to look my way as if to ask what I was doing and how may he help me. A few quick snaps and he departed. (Photo by MikeHikes)

Recent rains helped the cactus produce a bumper crop of tunas. Park animals, birds and insects will be well fed! (Photo by MikeHikes)

This box tortoise is only the third or fourth I've spotted at the park. He was very nonchalant as I took his photo and when I finished, continued his slow walk to a place unknown to me. (Photo by MikeHikes)

Numerous wasps and bees were already at the water trough when this Roadrunner decided to get a drink as well. (Photo by MikeHikes)

Not many photos taken except for this colorful West Texas sunrise. (Photo by MikeHikes)

The park is not scenic but has numerous trails to hike or mountain bike. There are always lots of prickly pear cactus and mesquite trees present as well. (Photo by MikeHikes)

He was more interested in getting to his resting place for a nap than me being a threat. (Photo by MikeHikes)

He showed absolutely no fear of me as he walked in front of me to reach his napping area. (Photo by MikeHikes)

This Kingbird swooped down to inspect me as I hiked along Burkett Trail. (Photo by MikeHikes)

Only showing last 12 photos. View All Photos

Log Entries

North Shore - Bell's Trailhead to Cougar Overlook - Short Lazy 8 Route
By MikeHikes on 10/2/2024
Rating:

Difficulty:

Solitude:

Distance: 6.40 Miles Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes

Leg 1 - Bell's Trailhead > Shady Trail > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > North Scenic Loop > Lower Slick Rock > Lower Ghost Camp > River Bend Campground > Lower Ghost Camp > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Cougar Overlook 3.2 miles

Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > Javelina > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Ghost Camp Shortcut > Lower Ghost Camp > Upper Ghost Camp > River Bend Campground > North Slick Rock > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > dirt road parallel to Lower Big Hill > Rocky Creek Trail > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Bell's Trailhead 3.2 miles

Temps started at 58, ended at 80. Sunny with intermittent 0-5mph breeze.

The Monarchs are migrating! The park is on their migration path and as the temperatures warmed up, the Monarchs were very visible as they rested on the pecan trees and fed on the gayfeather flowers that are in bloom. The river still has water in it but the water is no longer flowing into the reservoir. Hopefully, we will get more rain and get the water flowing again.

Near Cougar Overlook on the return leg, I encountered three good sized feral hogs (photo attached). They began to walk toward me on Javelina Trail but when I made a noise they immediately broke contact and went back into the bush.

Not many birds were out but I spotted Curved Billed Thrashers, Scissortails, Cardinals and a few others.

All in all, an easy and very pleasant hike.

NOTES -

Info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Bell's Trailhead. Water and shade available at nearby campsites.

Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at River Bend Campground.

Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Cougar Overlook.

South Shore - Playground parking area to Burkett Park + Roadrunner Loop
By MikeHikes on 9/27/2024
Rating:

Difficulty:

Solitude:

Distance: 9.30 Miles Duration: 4 hours

Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Horny Toad Trailhead > Horny Toad > Nature Trail > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park 3.2 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

Temps started at 59, ended at 85. Sunny with 0-5mph SW breeze.

Easy hike along dry or dew dampened trails. A female javelina and two little ones were spotted along Winding Snake Trail, bird activity was all the usual suspects - Mockers, Sparrows, turkey vultures and Loggerhead Shrikes. A single tiny toad was almost stepped on along Horny Toad Trail.

A note to dog owners who bring their dogs to the park - it's great that you pick up your dog's scat so other animals or trail users do not get into it BUT after bagging your pet's scat TAKE THE GREEN PLASTIC BAG CONTAINING YOUR DOG'S SHIT AND PUT IT IN A TRASH CAN - ESPECIALLY IF THE BURKETT PARK TRAILHEAD TRASH CAN IS LESS THAN 50 YARDS FROM WHERE YOU LEFT SAID BAG OF SHIT ON THE WINDING SNAKE TRAIL.

NOTES -

Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station are available at the Playground parking area.

Water, shade, info kiosk, dry toilets and TRASH CANS are available at Burkett Park.

Water, shade, info kiosk and toilets are available at three locations along Roadrunner Loop. Water and shade available at numerous campsites along the same trail.

Park Mid-section - Burkett Park to 5 Points Junction Loop
By MikeHikes on 9/20/2024
Rating:

Difficulty:

Solitude:

Distance: 8.10 Miles Duration: 4 hours

Leg 1 - Burkett Park > WS to LL Connector > Rollercoaster > West Potts Creek > Turkey Creek > 5 Points Junction 4.3 miles

Leg 2 - 5 Points Junction > Flintstone > Playground > Bell's Point > Playground (S) > Potts Creek > Burkett Trail > Burkett Park 3.8 miles

Temps started at 74, ended at 86. Overcast for Leg 1, sunny for Leg 2. SSW breeze at 0-5mph.

Easy hike along dry trails. Nothing of note except the large number of toads on the West Potts Creek Trail! I saw about 30-40 of them and have attached a photo to show the size - they are tiny! I assume the recent rains caused the toad eggs to hatch at the same time but it's possible the large group of tiny toads I saw in the same area are siblings. In either case, they need to hop away from the trail or they will be crushed by shoes or tires.

NOTES -

Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.

Water, shade, and info kiosk available at 5 Points Junction.

Water, shade and info kiosk available at Bell's Point.

South Shore - Playground parking area to Burkett Park Loop
By MikeHikes on 9/16/2024
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
By MikeHikes on 9/8/2024
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
By MikeHikes on 8/30/2024
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
By MikeHikes on 8/22/2024
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
By MikeHikes on 8/16/2024
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.

South Shore - Burkett Park to Armadillo Ridge then Isabel Harte Short Figure 8
By MikeHikes on 8/12/2024
Rating:

Difficulty:

Solitude:

Distance: 7.30 Miles Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes

Leg 1 - Burkett Park > WA to LL Connector > Rollercoaster > West Potts Creek > Armadillo Ridge > Potts Creek (East) > Burkett Trail > Burkett Park 4.0 miles

Leg 2 - Burkett Park > Winding Snake > Park road to Isabel Harte (WEST) > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park 3.3 miles

Temp started at 78, ended at 89. Sunny with a steady 10-15mph SW breeze.

Easy hike along dry, easy to see and traverse trails. Not much went on other than watching a 20 javelina stroing column cross my path about 20 yards in front of me. Also saw numerous cottontail rabbits as wll as does and fawns. Not much bird activity.

It was an easy, peaceful hike.

NOTES -

Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.

South Shore - Burkett Park to Armadillo Ridge to Playground Figure 8
By MikeHikes on 7/29/2024
Rating:

Difficulty:

Solitude:

Distance: 10.70 Miles Duration: 5 hours, 20 minutes

Leg 1 - Burkett Park > Burkett Trail > Potts Creek > West Potts Creek > Roller Coaster > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park 3.9 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 > Chaparral > Winding Snake > Burkett Park 2.9 miles

Temp started at 77, ended at 92. Mostly sunny w/clouds. Humid w/fairly steady 10-20mph SSW breeze.

A nice hike along dry, easy to see and traverse trails. LOTS of animals spotted today - fawns, cottontail rabbits, jack rabbits, a skunk, a VERY large javelina and a lone fox (photo attached). The fox was interesting because he saw me and stopped by a large prickly pear cactus bunch. I stopped and waited to see what he would do. When he saw I was only taking photos he very nonchalantly walked across my path about 15 feet away and climbed a hill. I watched as he went up a little then found a spot and laid down to nap. When I moved he opened his eyes but didn't move and as I looked back, he had already laid down again. Very trusting.

NOTES -

Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.

Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station available at the Playground parking area.

Only showing last 10 log entries. View All Log Entries