South Shore Burkett Park to Cougar Outlook via Service Roads

Out       Burkett Park > Burkett Trail > Dirt\Gravel\Asphalt old service road > Flintstone Trail > Cougar Outlook     2.9 miles
Return  Dirt\Asphalt\Gravel Road > Burkett Trail > Burkett Park     2.7 miles

This route begins and ends, at Burkett Park, accessible from the South Shore Gatehouse.  You take Burkett Trail North and wander along a mesquite grove and lots of red earth.  Stay on the trail and at one point it will go either to the right or straight - the right branch has you cross a bridge over a dried creek, the straight thru option, has you go down into the dried creek and back up the other embankment. 

Both branches connect  to the same trail a short distance later.  If you take the right branch, when you cross the bridge, you'll see a trail on the right - don't take it, stay on the trail ahead of you. The trail will end at a dirt road and the signpost for Potts Creek is across the road.  You will turn right onto the dirt road and this is what you will be on for the majority of this hike.

The road is dirt and easy to travel.  When you come to a junction, turn right and the road becomes gravel.  Eventually the road surface becomes asphalt - Mother Nature is hard at work reclaiming it. The road will go ENE and you will eventually come to a gate.  When you cross the gate, you are now in an area where the longhorns like to hang out and graze (at the time of this writing).  Make sure the gate has closed behind you!!

Take the old asphalt road directly ahead of you, not the left hand dirt road going through the ghost camp.  Follow the road until you come to where it branches right or hard left (there is a shot up Yield sign on the right).  Go left and follow the road until you are outside the ghost camp area.

Just ahead, you'll see a trail entrance on the left - that is Flintstone Trail heading West - you want to head East, so take the eastern portion of the FlintstoneTrail on your right.  It is a narrow, dirt trail that is easy to see and hike. Shade, prickly pear cactus and solitude as you follow the trail which changes into a rocky trail with some slight inclines.  

The trail ends on a cleared area with a covered pavillion and info kiosk.  You are at Cougar Outlook  which gives you a good view of the North Concho River which has varying amounts of water.

When you depart, look West and you will see a bike rack - there is a dirt road going to the left or right - take the left branch and follow it until the road "T's" into another asphalt road.  Turn left and continue.  A short distance away, you will come to the point where you accessed Flintstone Trail.  From here, you stay on the asphat road and retrace your steps back to Burkett Trail and Burkett Park.

NOTES -

Water is NOT available except at Burkett Park - the starting and ending point of the hike.  There is an area where the cattle graze that has water tanks BUT I do not know if the water is potable to humans - I wouldn't chance it myself.
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