Out      Bell's Trailhead > service road (S) > Dinosaur > Badlands > River Bend > service road (E) > Cougar Lookout       5.6 miles

Return  Cougar Lookout > Javalina > Lower Ghost Camp > North Slick Rock > service road (N) > Bell's Trailhead        3.5 miles

Temps in the mid-70's, very humid, cloudy, rain.

The trails had been mowed but were wet and mud due to recent rains. As I was hiking the rains started and continued for some time.  Shelter was obtained at Cougar Lookout as I waited until the rains abated.  On the return hike, the trails were even wetter and muddier than before, in one case a stream was gushing down a portion of a trail (photo attached).  On the return leg, I had to use the service roads that had been recently scraped.  On numerous sections, I was walking through ankle to calf deep water.

Prior to the rains I saw a rattlesnake lying by the trail as I rounded a bend - startled me as well as the snake but he slid sideways into the brush watching me all the time with a few rattles given.  Also saw a Horned Toad and a few birds.  The sagebrush and beebrush were blooming as well.

NOTES

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

Water, shade and info kiosk available at Dinosaur Tracks viewing area.

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

WATER AVAILABILITY AT THE RIVER BEND GHOST CAMP IS FAIRLY RECENT.  There had been water but about 2-3 years ago, it was shut off, now it is back on.  This is significant because it is one of two water spots in the North Shore area.

Out      Burkett park> Burkett > East Potts Creek > Armadillo (E) > Playground > Bell's Point      2.5 miles

Return  Bell's Point > Playground (N) > service road (NE) > service road (SW) > Burkett > Burkett park  2.1 miles

Temp about 103, mostly sunny, light wind, HOT!

Fitness hike with friends.  Saw a Great Horned Owl near Bell's Point and heard (twice) sounds of a cat but we couldn't see it.  Don't know if it was a feral cat or a bobcat kitten.

NOTES

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

Water and shade available at Bell's Point.

CAUTION  - shaded areas have active wasp/hornet nests in the corners - be careful.

Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area    3 miles

Leg 2 - Playground parking area > Tasajillo Flats > service road (E) > Nature Loop > Lanky Lackey > Suzanne's Trail > Burkett park     3.7 miles

Burkett park > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Playground parking area  2.8 miles

Temps in the upper 70's to upper 80's, sunny, some clouds, steady low breeze.

Two separate hikes connected by the Playground parking area.  Roadrunner Loop is a 3 miles route that is a flat dirt trail with some shade.  Saw quite a few birds including a Painted Bunting and a hummingbird.  An easy way to stretch the legs.

The second hike is over very familiar terrain and is somewhat more difficult with rocky trails and slight hills.  Park personnel have been working to clean the overgrown parts BUT there is a major blockage, to the point of it being immpassable, on the final portion of Tasajilla Flats trail (i.e., the northernmost portion that connects to Nature Loop).  Recommend you do what I did - when you come to the final portion entrance, take the service road East and connect with the southern point of the Nature Loop trail.  By doing so, you'll avoid all the overgrown area and not lose much mileage.

Saw quite a few birds including the juvenile Scissortail Flycatcher (photo attached).  All in all the trails have been worked on but are not quite up to the level they have been in the past.

NOTES
Water, shade, info kiosk and toilets available at Playground parking area.

Water, shade and toilets available at the half way point on Roadrunner Loop.

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

Out       Burkett park > Suzanne's Trail > Rollercoaster > West Potts Creek > Armadillo > Turkey Creek > 5 Points Junction       4.1 miles

Return   5 Points Junction > Flintstone (S) > Playground > Bell's Point > Playground > Armadillo > East Potts Creek > Burkett > Burkett park      3.5 miles

Temps in the 80's to start and mid 90's at end.  Sunny and a steady light breeze from the South.

An easy hike today with absolutely no one else on the trails.  I spotted some birds, a few lizards and two shed snake skins but no snakes - one discarded skin was almost 6 feet long. The bee brush is still blooming and putting out a fragrant scent but there were few wildflowers still in bloom. It is evident park personnel have mowed some of the trails but not all of them as there are more than a couple of sections which are VERY overgrown. 

NOTES

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

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

Water and shade available at Bell's Point.

CAUTION - Wasp/hornet nests are under all of the covered, i.e., "shade" areas.  Be cautious when resting in the shade!

Out      Playground parking area > Tasajilla Flats > Horny Toad > Nature Loop > Lanky Lackey > Suzanne's Trail > Burkett park      2.7 miles

Return  Burkett park > Winding Snaker > Chaparral > Red Dam Loop > Chaparral > Playground parking area       3.3 miles

Temps in the low 80's, a few clouds and a steady breeze.

A nice hike today along familiar trails.  Some portions of the trails could use another trimming but for the most part, they are passable.  Saw an interesting bird nest (photo attached).  The back story - whenever I hike I pick up trash so I always carry a bag with me.  On some occassions, I've picked up too much trash and run out of space in my bag so when I find more trash, I stage it along the trail where I'll see it next time and gather it.  A month or so ago, I staged a can and a broken bottle in the tree trunk just off a trail with the intent of gathering it when I came by next time.  I waited too long as can be seen in the photo!  A Mourning Dove decided the trunk was the perfect place to build a nest so, I'll give her a month or more before I return to clean out the trunk.

NOTES

Water, shade, info kiosk and toilets available at Playground parking area.

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

Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area      3.1 miles

Leg 2 - Playground parking area > Tasajilla Flats > Nature Loop > Lanky Lackey > Suzanne's Trail > Burkett park > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Red Dam Loop > Chaparral > Playground parking area   6.7 miles

Temps in the low 80's, sunny w/clouds, steady light breeze.

We've had much needed and welcome, rain off and on for the past week so the trails are damp and slick for the most part - vegetation has gone WILD!  In addition, when I hiked through portions of the trails that blocked the wind, the gnats were thick and FEROCIOUS!

There are sections of Tasajilla Flats and Roadrunner Loop that are extremely difficult to hike through - some of the brush is chest high and the trail was hidden.  I talked to a ranger about closing some of the trails due to the thick vegetation, he told me the park personnel planned to begin trail maintenance this coming week.

Saw lots of birds today including a Blue Grosbeak, Painted Bunting, Yellow Billed Cuckoo, two Roadrunners and lots of Black-throated Sparrows.

I also saw a Mexican Ground Squirrel which is not common for the park (photo atttached).

NOTES

Water, shade, info kiosk and toilets available at Playground parking area.

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

Out     Burkett park > Burkett > East Potts Creek > Armadillo > Playground > Bell's Point > Playground > Flintstone > 5 Points Junction     3.4 miles

Return 5 Points Junction > Turkey Creek > Armadillo  (E) > East Potts Creek > Burkett > Burkett park     3.4 miles

Temps in the mid 80's, humid, cloudy and light wind.

Very humid and hot but a nice hike.  There really wasn't much going on today; saw lots of lizards, some birds and one small horned toad.  I watched a hawk being chased off by two smaller birds (photo attached) which looked like a pair of Kingbirds.

NOTES

Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets at Burkett park.

Water and shade available at Bell's Point.

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

Out     Playground parking area > Tasajilla Flats > Nature Loop > Lanky Lackey > Suzanne's Trail > Burkett park > Suzanne's Trail > Roller Coaster > West Potts Creek > Armadillo > Turkey Creek > 5 Points Junction   8.2 miles

Return 5 Points Junction > Flintstone (S) > Playground Trail >Armadillo (W) > East Potts Creek > Burkett Trail > Burkett park > Winding Snake > Chaparral> Playground parking area   6.5 miles

Temps in low 70's to start and upper 80's at end.  Sunny and windy.

Lesiurely hike today. Major portions of the Tasajilla Flats trail is overgrown with vegetation - be careful and make sure you don't step on a snake!  I saw lots of lizards, lots of birds including Black Throated sparrows, a Yellow Billed Cuckoo, a couple of Night Hawks, a Great Horned Owl and numerous Mockingbirds.  There are many wildflowers out and the prickly pear cactus are starting to bloom as well.  The scent of vanilla from the Bee Brush shrubs is very strong!

Found a dead Worm Snake that was about 4 inches long and as thick as a piece of heavy twine - there were no marks on him so I have no idea why he died. Further on, I found a dead lizard with no visible marks on him either.

I saw a mountain biker when I started and two mountain bikers near the end of the hike; otherwise, the trails were mine!  A great hike overall!

NOTES

Water, shade, info kiosk and toilets available at Playground parking area.

Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett park (visit on way out and back).

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

Water and shade available at Bell's Point - 1/2 miles South from the northern end of Playground Trail.

Out     Burkett park > Burkett > East Potts Creek > Armadillo (E) > Playground > Bell's Point          2.7 miles

Return  Bell's Point > Playground (N) > service road (ENE) > service road (SW) > Burkett > Burkett park   2.0 miles

Temps in the low 80's, sunny and steady wind.

Nice hike with friends. Saw a Coachwhip snake, a mating pair of Horned Toads, a porcupine and a roadrunner with a mouse in it's beak.  Some trash on the trails as well but it wasn't much.

Only one low spot on the trail was muddy so I won't complain.  All in all, a nice hike.

First Hike -

Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area     3.1 miles

Second Hike -

Out      Burkett park > Suzanne's Trail > Roller Coaster > West Potts Creek > Armadillo > Turkey Creek > 5 Points Junction      4 miles

Return  5 Points Junction > Flintstone (S) > Playground > Bell's Point > Playground > Armadillo > East Potts Creek > Burkett Trail > Burkett park     3.6 miles

Temps in the mid 60's to start and upper 70's at end, sunny and steady, breeezy wind.

Wanted to do two hikes today and did.  On the first hike, I saw three Vermillion Flycatchers which is very unusual because in all the years visiting this park, this is the first year I've seen ANY of these birds and now they're all over!

Second hike was just as interesting as I saw my first Black Chinned Hummingbird of the year as well as my first rattler.  Also saw many other birds and a feral cat running on the trail.  The vegetation continues to grow and the trails are looking shaggier all the time. 

The scent of just blooming Bee Brush was carried on the steady winds as well as the scent of other flowers - very pleasant indeed!

NOTES

Water, shade, info kiosk and toilets available at Playground parking area.

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

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

Water and shade available at Bell's Point (near the North end of Playground Trail).

Out      Burkett Park > Suzanne's Trail > Rollercoaster> West Potts Creek > Armadillo > Turkey Creek > 5 Points Junction > River Bend > Badlands> Dinosaur Trail > service road (N) > Bell's Trailhead       10.3 miles

Return  Bell's Trailhead > Shady Trail > service road (WSW) > South Slick Rock > Lower Ghost Camp > service road (S) > Cougar Overlook > service road (WSW) > Burkett Trail (S) > Burkett park                             5.9 miles

Temps started at 52 and ended at 67, sunny and a pretty steady Northerly wind.

A long hike I wanted to do while the weather was cooler.  Note to self - don't wear wool socks!  I had holes on both socks at the same place - the ball of each foot now has a sizeable blister, no fun.

The hike otherwise was enjoyable.  I saw lots of birds including Turkeys (photo attached), quail, different sparrows, a Vermillion Flycatcher (second I've seen at the park), Ash Throated Flycatchers and a Myrtles Warbler (second at the park).  Later by the river, large alligator turtles were floating and I spooked a Great Blue Heron.  Near Cougar Overlook there were a few longhorns with their calves so I gave them a wide berth.

The trails are dry and decent although with Spring finally here, some of the trails North of 5 Points Junction, have spots that are "shaggy" with vegetation but I was able to go through it.

No snakes or other reptiles and no animals, today was Bird Day.

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 availabe at the Dinosaur Tracks Viewing area along Dinosaur Trail.

Water, shade and info kiosk available at Bell's Trailhead.  You have to look for the water receptacle North of the dumpster in the park.

Shade and info kiosk available at Cougar Overlook.

Temps in the low 60's, sunny and light wind.

Route is easy to follow - you go in the gate, follow the path/dirt road for approx 3 miles.  When you come to the barbed wire fence turn around and go back the same route.

Although the land itself isn't too scenic, you can walk among desiduous trees, along the river, observe quite a few cattle, and view some birds - this was a good hike.  I saw for the first time a White Faced Ibis and for the first time at this park, a pair of Vermillion Flycatchers. (photo attached)

The first part of the path is overgrown but once you come to the power lines, the path widens into a dirt road and is pretty good.  Only issues you may have are the longhorns; a few were standing their ground on the road so we gave them a wide berth and made a detour. 

The North Concho River has water flowing and that is always good.  Still lots of debris from last year's floods along the banks and where the water was high.  Quite a few ducks and turtles as well.

NOTES

Recommend you check in at the North Shore gatehouse and park by the bathhouse.  You will cross the road (FM2288) and the swinging gate is there. 

Water, shade and toilets available at the North Shore bathhouse - there are no facilities available on the West side of FM2288.