South Shore - Playground parking area to Burkett Park + Roadrunner Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 8/3/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 10.40 Miles
Duration: 5 hours
Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Chaparral > Red Dam Loop > Chaparral > Winding Snake > Burkett Park 3.4 miles
Leg 2 - Burkett Park > WS to LL Connector > Lankey Lackey > Nature Trail > Tasajilla Flats > Playground parking area 3.8 miles
Leg 3 - Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area 3.2 miles
Temps started at 80, ended at 95. Sunny with light SW breeze.
A nice hike along recently groomed trails that were dry, easy to see and traverse. There wasn't much to see besides the "Blue Moon" setting (photo attached). Not many birds were out but I saw a female javelina and two smaller "reds" that were the size of a large football. All three of them took off like a shot once they knew I was on the trail. Otherwise, it was a nice leisurely hike.
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 and shade are available at campsites along the Roadrunner Loop. At three separate locations along the trail there are toilets and info kiosks.
North Shore - Bell's Trailhead to Ghost Camp Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 7/28/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 7.60 Miles
Duration: 4 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 > Lower Ghost Camp > UpperGhost Camp > River Bend Campground 5.9 miles
Leg 2 - River Bend Campground > Upper Ghost Camp (N) > North Slick Rock > North Scenic Loop > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Shady Trail > Bell's Trailhead 1.7 miles
Temps started at 74, ended at 94. Sunny with 1-5mph SW breeze.
All trails looked pretty good although there were a few places that could use a trim . I saw a mature and a juvenile beaver swimming at the watering hole by Shady Trail (photo attached). Unfortunately, they didn't swim close to one another so I could not get a good shot to show how different in size they were.
All else the same.
NOTES -
Info kiosk and a bicycle repair station is available at Bell's Trailhead. Water and shade available in nearby campsites.
Water, shade and info kioska available at the Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at the River Bend Camping Area.
Park Mid-section - Burkett Park to 5 Points Junction Big Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 7/22/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 7.90 Miles
Duration: 4 hours
Leg 1 - Burkett park > WS to LL Connector > Rollercoaster > West Potts Creek > Turkey Creek Trail > service road to Armadillo Pavillion > Playground Trail (N) > Bell's Point > Playground Trail (N) > Flintstone > 5 Points Junction 5.0 miles
Leg 2 - 5 Points Junction > Flintstone (N) > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Burkett Trail > Burkett Park 2.9 miles
Temp started at 76, ended at 92. Sunny to partly cloudy, fairly steady ENE breeze at 5mph.
Easy, leisurely hike along trails that were easy to see and traverse with a few spots in need of trimming. Animals spotted were Jack Rabbits, Cottontail Rabbits, and deer. A few vultures were perched in different places, lizards and grasshoppers were also spotted. Not many flowers are out except for sunflowers and a few othe kinds such as the skeleton flowers (photo attached). Not colorful but some color is better than none.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets availabvle at Burkett Park.
Shade and info kiosk available at Bell's Point.
***** IMPORTANT **** - at the time of this writing, there is NO WATER available at Bell's Point. Neither the water faucets for humans nor the nearby horse trough have water.
Water, shade and info kiosk is available at 5 Points Junction.
South Shore - Playground parking area to Armadillo Ridge Figure 8 Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 7/18/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 10.60 Miles
Duration: 5 hours, 15 minutes
Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Tasajilla Flats > Nature Trail > Lankey Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett park 3.8 miles
Leg 2 - Burkett park > WS to LL Connector > Rollercoaster > West Potts Creek > Potts Creek > Burkett Trail > Burkett park 3.9 miles
Leg 3 - Burkett park > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Playground parking area 2.9 miles
Temp started at 80, ended at 99. Sunny and hot with a steady 10mph SW breeze.
All trails were dry, easy to see and relatively easy to traverse. Some had been recently groomed and others have not. The heat seemed to have kept most wildlife still because I only saw a couple of deer and a few birds. Insects were out as were a few lizards but otherwise, not much was moving in the heat. Bee bush is almost ready for another round sof vanilla scented flowers and there are still some patches of wildflowers the bees and other bugs visit. Not much else went on.
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 Short Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 7/12/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 7.60 Miles
Duration: 4 hours
Leg 1 - Bell's trailhead > Shady Trail > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > North Scenic Loop > North Slick Rock > South Slick Rock > River Bend Campground > Lower Ghost Camp > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Cougar Overlook 3.7 miles
Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > Javelina Trail > River Bend (N) > Badlands (N) > Upper Big Hill > Rocky Creek Trail > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Bell's Trailhead 3.9 miles
Temp started at 80, ended at 92. Sunny with steady 10-20mph SW breeze.
A leisurely hike along dry, easy to see and traverse trails - much improved from my last visit. Not many birds or animals out but there were a lot of grasshoppers and gnats buzzing about. Wildflowers were not as visible as in the past with the exception of sunflowers which can be found at various places throughout the park. Unfortunately with the continued dry and hot weather, some of the temporary watering holes have dried out but the ones maintained by the park are still there and I am sure used by the wildlife.
NOTES -
Info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Bell's Trailhead. Water and shade are available at the nearby campground.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at River Bend Campground.
Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle repair station available at Cougar Overlook.
South Shore - Playground parking area to Burkett Park Loop + Roadrunner Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 7/8/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 9.60 Miles
Duration: 4 hours, 45 minutes
Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Chaparral > Winding Snake > Burkett park 2.9 miles
Leg 2 - Burkett Park > WS to LL Connector > Lankey Lackey > Nature Trail > Horny Toad > Talley Valley > Chaparral > Playground parking area 3.4 miles
Leg 3 - Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area 3.3 miles
Temp started at 76, ended at 88. Overcast at first gradually clearing to mostly sunny. Fairly stead 10-15mph SW breeze.
All trails were dry, easy to see and traverse although portions of some trails had vegetation covering them. Rocky trails were very rocky and in some cases, recent rains have cause severe erosion so I had to straddle the actual trail or walk alongside it. Most of the wildflowers have disappeared although sunflowers are fairly abundant and another round of blossoming bee bush flowers are present. Prickly pear tunas are still very green but are growing. Reptiles such as a Ring Collared snake, lizards and a small toad the size of my thumbnail were seen as were numerous grasshoppers and other flying insects.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station are available at Playground parking area.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets are available at Burkett Park.
Water and shade are available at various campsites along Roadrunner Loop and there are three toilet and info kiosk available at various points along the trail.
Park Mid-section - Burkett Park to Cougar Overlook Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 7/4/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 9.30 Miles
Duration: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Leg 1 - Burkett park > WS to LL Connector > Rollercoaster > West Potts > Turkey Creek > 5 Points Junction > River Bend > Trailhead to trailhead (N) > service road (NNE) > Cougar Overlook 5.7 miles
Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > service road (SW) > Trailhead to trailhead (S) > Burkett Trail > Burkett park 3.6 miles
Temp started at 71, ended at 93. Fairly constant 1-5mph SW breeze. Humid at first but dried out as the hike progressed.
A few days earlier there was a one hour torrential rain and the trails reflected it! On the rocky trails they were rockier and bare of any topsoil. On the dirt trails, they were slightly damp to muddy and slick. Otherwise the trails were easy to see and didn't have much debris on them. Not many animals were out although I saw a jack rabbit and a few cottontails at the beginning of the hike. Birds were heard but not in large numbers. Millipeeds and tiny red bugs were out as were grasshoppers, gnats and flies. At the end of the hike, I saw a Horned Lizard trying to stay cool in the 90+ degree heat (photo attached).
Prolife Tip - when you have the foresight to bring TP, napkins and feminine "sanitary products" with you, please carry them in a couple of ziploc bags. The bags will keep the paper clean and if you use the products, you can put the used paper back in one of the ziplocs and dispose of it properly - it's very disheartening to find wads of TP or used sanitary products left alongside the trail; and yes, I've found these things in the open, right next to the trails - - it's just N-A-S-T-Y!
Always remember if you bring it in, you should pack it out!
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets are available at Burkett Park.
Water. shade and info kiosk available at 5 Points Junction.
Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle repair station available at Cougar Overlook.
North Shore - Bell's Trailhead to Cougar Overlook Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 6/29/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 9.70 Miles
Duration: 5 hours
Leg 1 - Bell's trailhead > Dinosaur Trail > Dinosaur Tracking Viewing Area > Dinosaur Trail (S) > Lower Big Hill > North Scenic Loop > Badlands > River Bend > service road (NE) > Cougar Overlook 6.7 miles
Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Lower Ghost Camp Trail > River Bend Camping Area > Lower Ghost Camp Trail (N) > South Slick Rock > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Bell's Trailhead 3.0 miles
Temp started at 77, ended at 93. Sunny, hot with a light SSW breeze of 5-10mph.
What a difference a few weeks makes! The park had a significant wind event and the majority of all the trails had numerous tree branches of various sizes across them - I was constantly clearing sections of the trails of the debris I could remove and reported the ones I couldn't move, to the rangers. The vegetation is growing and there were a few places that, unless you knew where you were going, you wouldn't see the trail.
There were hardly any animals out and about and the birds were pretty quiet as well. Not an especially good hike and at this point in time I would recommend that unless you are familiar with the trails, avoid the North Shore for a little while until they can get the debris off the trails.
NOTES -
Info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Bell's Trailhead. Water and shade available at the near by campgrounds.
Water, shade, and info kiosk available at DInosaur Tracks Viewing Area.
Info kiosk, shade and a bicycle repair station available at Cougar Overlook.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at River Bend Campground.
South Shore - Playground parking area to Burkett Park + Roadrunner Loop & More
User:
MikeHikes - 6/23/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 10.10 Miles
Duration: 5 hours
Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Tasajilla Flats > Hory Toad > Nature Trail > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park 3.3 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 3.5 miles
Tem stared at 76, ended at 96. Sunny with steady 5-10mph ESE breeze.
All trails were dry, easy to see and traverse although there were a few areas with high vegetation. Not many animals or birds were out in the heat but there were a few such as Scissortails and a lone hawk spotted. Not as many wildflowers were visible as in the past few weeks but more sunflowers were seen along areas that had water. When I was on Roadrunner Loop, I added a little distance by hiking along a small parallel trail named Strawberry Trail which was nothing special to be honest. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the solitude and quiet!
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 and shade are available at campsites along Roadrunner Loop and there are three toilet and info kiosks alongside the trail at various points.
Park Mid-section - Burkett Park to Cougar Overlook Short Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 6/14/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 8.30 Miles
Duration: 4 hours, 15 minutes
Leg 1 - Burkett park > Burkett Trail > Potts Creek > Playground Trail > Bells Point > Playground (N) > Flintstone > 5 Points Junction > Flintstone (N) > Cougar Overlook 5.3 miles
Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > service road (W) > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Burkett Trail > Burkett Park 3.0 miles
Temps started at 73, ended at 92. Sunny and VERY humid with little to no breeze.
A somewhat enjoyable hike along easy to see dry to damp trails. Some vegetation covered various parts of the trails but it was still easy to traverse. Not much to see besides wildflowers, a few birds and a group of javelinas near Burkett Park. There were quite a few gnats out as well as butterflies and bees visiting the wildflowers. There are no cactus blossoms around but there are lots of green prickly pears growing on numerous cactus. There is still water visible in numerous watering holes as well as in the North Concho River but I don't believe it is flowing water so who knows how long it will last.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
Water, shade and info kiosk available at Bell's Point.
Water, shade and info kiosk available at 5 Points Junction.
Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle repair station available at Cougar Overlook.
South Shore - Playground parking area to Burkett park Loop + Roadrunner Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 6/7/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 10.20 Miles
Duration: 5 hours, 15 minutes
Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Chaparral > Winding Snake > Burkett park 3.1 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 > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area 3.2 miles
Temps started at 65, eneded at 82. High overcast clouds, slight to light SE breeze.
An easy hike along easy to see trails that were dry to slightly damp with morning dew. Last few times we've had rain, it has come down torrentially rather than a slow and steady soaker. Consequently, the rainwater washed off quite a bit of the topsoil that was on the trails making them even rockier than they were and since the rock is loose, a little more hazardous to traverse.
I saw two turkey hens with about 6-10 chicks out foraging on Winding Snake. Numerous good sized lizards were also seen at various places and birds were out but nothing unusual. LOTS of wildflowers are still out but I saw no cactus blooms during the hike. Overall a good hike!
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station available at Playground parking area.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
Water and shade available at campsites along the Roadrunner Loop and there are three toilets and info kiosks at various points as well.
North Shore - Bell's Trailhead to Cougar Overlook.
User:
MikeHikes - 5/30/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 9.70 Miles
Duration: 5 hours
Leg 1 - Bell's trailhead > Dinosaur Trail > Badlands> River Bend Trail > service road (NNE) > Cougar Overlook 6.2 miles
Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > Javelina > Lower Ghost Camp > River Bend Campground > Lower Ghost Camp > South Slick Rock > Trailhead to Trailhead > Bell's Trailhead 3.5 miles
Temp started at 64, eneded at 82. Sunny with no clouds, steady SSW breeze at 5-10mph.
All trails were dry to slightly damp , easy to see and traverse. Lots of wildflowers out but the cactus flowers are very scattered and scarce. Bee bush is in bloom at spots so the scent of vanilla is easy to detect. After last weeks rain, there were numerous places that, a few weeks ago were bone dry, now held water.
NOTES -
Info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Bell's Trailhead. Water and shade available at nearby campsites.
Water, shade and info kiosk are available at the Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area.
Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Cougar Overlook.
Water, shade, info kiosk and ry toilets availabe at River Bend Campground.
Park Mid-section - Burkett Park Storm Shortened Hike
User:
MikeHikes - 5/25/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 2.30 Miles
Duration: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Route - Burkett park > WS to LL Connector > Rollercoaster Trail > Old park road (NNE) > Burkett Trail > Burkett Park 2.3 miles
Temp was at 67, heavy overcast, light wind then picked up. Storm coming in from the North.
Trails were dry to slightly damp and easy to traverse. The trails were cleared of topsoil from the rains we had last week which left the trails clearly visible but extremely rocky and in a few spots, somewhat muddy and slick.
I initially planned to hike to Cougar Overlook which would have been about 10 miles round trip but the overcast clouds fairly quickly changed into storm clouds with thunder and lightning while I was on Rollercoaster Trail so I had to shorten my route and return much earlier than expected. On a positive note I saw my first for the year horned lizard as I returned to the trailhead. On the drive home, the skies opened up and heavy, heavy rain fell for quite awhile which would have made the trails untenable if I had stayed, sought shelter and continued to hike.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
South Shore - Playground parking area to Burkett Park Long Loop + Roadrunner
User:
MikeHikes - 5/18/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 10.40 Miles
Duration: 5 hours
Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Tasajilla Flats Trail > Nature Trail > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park 3.9 miles
Leg 2 - Burkett Park > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Red Dam Loop > Chaparral > Playground parking area 3.2 miles
Leg 3 - Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area 3.3 miles
Temp started at 69, ended at 88. Sunny with some clouds, light SSW breeze 0-5mph.
All trails were dry to damp, easy to see and traverse BUT there are a few areas on Winding Snake that could do with a trim.
Numerous Common Nighthawks were out in pairs or groups of four. Other birds were also spotted and I saw a few juveniles as well. Most of the cacti blooms were gone but there are still plenty of thistle and other wildflowers out for the bugs to feast on. Last week I saw two large brown cicadas and this week I found two small (inch long) green cicadas that liked the blue shirt I was wearing. I was able to remove them unharmed and they flew away. I saw more insects and lizards out but the most pleasant surprise was seeing the Hummingbird Moth (photo attached) sipping from the purple thistle.
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 and shade are available at various campsites along Roadrunner Loop as well as three toilets and info kiosks at various locations alongside the trail.
Park Mid-section - Burkett Park to Cougar Overlook Short Route
User:
MikeHikes - 5/12/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 8.30 Miles
Duration: 4 hours
Leg 1 - Burkett Park > Burkett Trail > Potts Creek > Playground Trail > Bell's Point > Playground Trail (N) > Flintstone > 5 Points Junction > River Bend Trail > service road (ENE) > Cougar Overlook 4.8 miles
Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > service road (SSW) > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Burkett Trail > Burkett park 3.5 miles
Temp started at 76, ended at 88. Humid, overcast then mostly cloudy with light wind and a few gusts.
Trails were dry, easy to see and traverse. There are a few overgrown areas on Playground near the junction with Flintstone but if you move slowly and watch for snakes, there are no issues.
A few javelinas were spotted and a few deer otherwise birds and lizards (photo attached) were the most common creatures sighted. There are still lots of cacti blooming BUT it appears the Lace Cactus have bloomed and are finished for this year. I saw the shriveled stubs of numerous blooms but no blooms themselves. There are also lots of wildflowers in bloom and the Mexican Hats are the most colorful.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
Water, shade and an info kiosk available at Bell's Point.
Water, shade, and an info kiosk available at 5 Points Junction.
Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle repair station available at Cougar Overlook.
North Shore - Bell's Trailhead to Cougar Overlook Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 5/4/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 9.30 Miles
Duration: 4 hours
Leg 1 - Bell's Trailhead > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Dinosaur Trail > Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area > Dinosaur Trail (S) > Upper Big Hill > Badlands > park road (NNE) > Upper Ghost Camp (S) > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Cougar Overlook 5.6 miles
Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > Javelina > park service road (NNE) > Lower Ghost Camp > Upper Ghost Camp > River Bend Campground > North Slick Rock > Trailhea dto Trailhead (N) > North Scenic Loop > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Bell's Trailhead 3.7 miles
Temp started at 70, ended at 80. Overcast with peeks of sunlight, not much wind and not constant. A few raindrops fell but no real rain.
All trails were dry, easy to see and traverse - there were a few spots with vegetation overgrown but not severely so.
Saw the first fox for the year (photo attached) as well as the first snake for the year (a Ring collared Snake). Many cacti have bloosoms and there are still quite a few wildflowers in bloom as well. Birds were out singing but not too many were seen. Overall, it was a peaceful, relaxing hike.
NOTES -
Info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Bell's Trailhead. Water and shade available at nearby campsites.
Water, shade and an info kiosk are available at the DInosaur Tracks Viewing Area.
Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Cougar Overlook.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at River Bend Campground.
South Shore - Playground parking area to Burkett Park Long Loop + Roadrunner Loo
User:
MikeHikes - 4/27/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 10.20 Miles
Duration: 4 hours, 45 minutes
Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Tasajilla Flats > Nature Trail > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park 3.7 miles
Leg 2 - Burkett Park > Winding Snale > Chaparral > Red Dam Loop > Chaparral > Playground parking area 3.4 miles
Leg 3 - Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area 3.1 miles
Temp started at 51, ended at 70. Sunny with 5-15mph NNW wind.
All trails easy to see and traverse althoug the vegetation is growing and beginning to cover portions of some trails. Numerous birds out singing and hunting. Only animals spotted were two Tom Turkeys on Winding Snake as well as a single whittail doe. Wildflowers are numerous and some cactus have blossoms but the vast majority had the unopened buds.
Nothing else to report.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station available at Playground parking area.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
Water and shad available at numerous campsites along Roadrunner Loop. Also three toilets and info kiosks are available at three different locations along Roadrunner Loop.
North Shore - Bell's Trailhead to River Bend Campground Figure 8
User:
MikeHikes - 4/17/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 4.60 Miles
Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Leg 1 - Bell's Trailhead > Shady Trail > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > North Scenic Loop > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Badlands > park road (NE) > River Bend Campground 2.6 miles
Leg 2 - River Bend Campground > Lower Ghost Camp (N) > North Slick Rock > Upper Big Hill > Rocky Creek Trail > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Bell's Trailhead 2.0 miles
Temp started at 62, ended at 70. CLoudy with periods of light rain, heavy south winds with strong gusts.
A short but enjoyable hike along familiar trails that were dry and easy to traverse. Rain started when we were at the River Bend Campground so shelter was easy to obtain. While there, the season's first Scissortail Flycatchers were spotted as were the season's first Black Chinned Hummingbird AND a single yellow prickly pear cactus blossom.
NOTES -
Info kiosk and a bicycle repair sstation are available at Bell's Trailhead. Water and shade available at the nearby campground.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at River Bend Campground.
South Shore - Playground Parking Area to Roadrunner Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 4/16/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 3.10 Miles
Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Leg 1 - Playground Parking Area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground Parking Area
Today was a very easy fitness hike. Notable events were seeing a large number of lizards, a couple of Kingbirds and the first of the year Lace Cactus with a bloom!
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station at Playground parking area.
Water and toilets available at two other locations along the loop. Water and shade available at various camping sites along the trail.
Park Mid-section - Burkett Park to 5 Points Junction Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 4/5/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 7.80 Miles
Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Leg 1 - Burkett park > Burkett Trail > Potts Creek Trail > Playground Trail > Bell's Point > Playground Trail (N) > Flintstone > 5 Points Junction 3.6 miles
Leg 2 - 5 Points Junction > Turkey Creek Trail > Potts Creek Trail (W) > West Potts Creek Trail > Rollercoaster Trail > WS to LL Connector > Burkett park 4.2 miles
Temp started at 47, ended at 60. Sunny with North wind at 10-15mph, gusts to 20mph.
A cold start to a pleasant hike along dry and easy to traverse trails. I saw about a dozen whitetail deer, a single female turkey and a few birds. Wildflowers are more apparent especially the low to the ground purple and yellow flowers. A few Lace cactus are showing buds so in a few weeks they will display their bloom as well. Not many birds were out although I saw a single Robin on Rollercoaster which is always a good sign. I had the trails to myself and when I finished, my car was the only one in the parking lot.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett park.
Water, shade and info kiosk available at Bell's Point.
Water, shade and info kiosk available at 5 Points Junction.
South Shore - Playground Parking Area to Burkett Park Loop + Roadrunner Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 3/29/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 9.40 Miles
Duration: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Chaparral Trailhead > Talley Valley > Horny Toad (N) > Nature Trail > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett park 3.4 miles
Leg 2 - Burkett Park > Winding Snake > Chaparral Trail > Playground parking area 2.9 miles
Leg 3 - Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area 3.1 miles
Temp started at 49, ended at 60. Overcast and gloomy with steady SSW cold breeze 5-20mph.
Trails were damp to muddy due to a rainstorm two days earlier. There weren't many animals out besides the lone cottontail rabbit and a total of six whitetail deer. Birds were also scarce although I did see three Loggerhead Shrikes looking for a meal and at least five male Cardinals who were all singing for mates. Near the end of the hike, a few more birds appeared including this Cactus Wren (photo attached).
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station are available at the Playground parking area.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets are available at Burkett Park.
Water and shade are available at numerous campsites along Roadrunner Loop. There are toilets and info kiosks at three different points on Roadrunner as well.
North Shore - Bell's Trailhead to Cougar Overlook Figure 8
User:
MikeHikes - 3/16/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 10.10 Miles
Duration: 5 hours, 15 minutes
Leg 1 - Bell's Trailhead > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Dinosaur Trail > Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area > Dinosaur (S) > Lower Big Hill > North Scenic Loop > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > service road (W) > Badlands > River Bend Trail > service road (NE) > Cougar Overlook 6.0 miles
Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > Javelina Trail > River Bend (NW) > service road (NE) > Lower Ghost Camp > River Bend Campground > Lower Ghost Camp (N) > North SLick Rock > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Bell's Trailhead 4.1 miles
Temp started at 66, ended at 84. STRONG and steady SW wind 15-20mph w/gusts even stronger. Sunny with a few clouds.
Trails looked good and were easy to traverse. Today was another leisurely hike but there were only a few deer spotted at the beginning of the hike and few birds (photo attached) were spotted once the winds picked up. Branches had fallen and were cleared, trash had blown in and was picked up so it was an uneventful hike with one exception - when I first, started I checked out the watering hole on Shady Trail and saw a male Axis Deer on the other side of the river hiding in the trees. No chance for a picture but I could tell it was an Axis buck by the shape and size of his antlers - LARGE!
NOTES -
Info kiosk and a bicycle repair station available at Bell's Trailhead. Water and shade available in teh nearby campground.
Water, shade and info kiosk available at the Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area.
Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle repair station available at Cougar Overlook.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at the River Bend Campground.
South Shore - Playground parking are to Burkett Park Loop + Roadrunner Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 3/11/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 10.40 Miles
Duration: 5 hours, 15 minutes
Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Chaparral > Red Dam Loop > Chaparral > Winding Snake > Burkett Park 3.6 miles
Leg 2 - Burkett Park > WS to LL Connector > Lanky Lackey > Nature Trail > Tasajilla Flats > Horny Toad Trailhead > Playground parking area 3.7 miles
Leg 3 - Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area 3.1 miles
Temp started at 60, ended at 89. Stong, constant 10-15mph SW winds. Sunny with few clouds.
A leisurely hike along well defined and easy to traverse trails. The scent of blooming agaritas were ever presant and enjoyable! There are a few low to the ground purple, yellow and orange flowers in bloom and the butterflies and moths are more visible. Birds were singing for mates and a male Golden Fronted Woodpecker (photo attached) went from tree to tree looking for bugs. More than the usual number of folks were on the trails which didn't surprise me since this is the first day of Spring Break and it is Saturday.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station are available at the Playground parking area.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets are available at Burkett Park.
Water and shade are available at various campsites along Roadrunner Loop. Toilets and info kiosks are available at three locations along Roadrunner Loop as well.
Park Mid-section - Burkett Park to Cougar Overlook Long Loop
User:
MikeHikes - 3/6/2023
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 10.20 Miles
Duration: 5 hours
Leg 1 - Burkett park > WS to LL Connector > Rollercoaster > West Potts Creek > Turkey Creek > 5 Points Junction 4.2 miles
Leg 2 - 5 Points Junction > Flintstone (N) > Cougar Overlook > service road (WSW) > River Bend (S) > 5 Points Junction 2.6 miles
Leg 3 - 5 Points Junction > Flintstone (S) > Playground Trail > Bell's Point > Playground Trail (S) > Potts Creek > Burkett Trail > Burkett park 3.4 miles
Temp started at 60, ended at 80. Sunny with high hazy clouds, light but steady SW wind at 5-10mph w/gust to 15mph.
All trails were easy to see and traverse. I saw a gropupd of about 20 javelinas as I drove in otherwise no animals. The birds were heard but rarely seen although as I was leaving the park, I encountered the first for this year Roadrunner (photo attached). For the past two years the agaritas have not bloomed in large numbers but this year is different. Agaritas all over the park are in bloom and the perfume they put out is very prevalent.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
Water, shade, and info kiosk available at 5 Points Junction.
Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Cougar Overlook.
Water, shade and info kiosk are available at Bell's Point.