South Shore Playground parking area to 5 Point Junction

Out      Playground parking area > Tasajilla Flats > Nature Loop > Lanky Lackey > Roller Coaster > West Potts Creek > Armadillo > Turkey Creek > 5 Points Junction        7.3 miles

Return  5 Points Junction > Flintstone (South) > Playground > Armadillo > East Potts Creek > Burkett Trail > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Playground parking area   6.4 miles

Temps in the upper 70's to start and mid-80's at end.  Partly cloudy and stead southerly breeze at 10 mph.

A good hike today - the wind kept the majority of the bugs off me as I wandered the trails.  Most of the trails are still overgrown although park personnel have mowed some sections of them. 

Bee brush is blooming once again and the vanilla scent was pretty heady.  I saw four horned toads today (photo attached) at various points on the route as well as numerous lizards.  The reptile population seems to have exploded with all the wet weather, dense vegetation and large bug population!

Cicadas were THICK - at times, there were swarms of cicadas flying towards me and smacking into my hat or body.  Of course, their chirping noise was very L-O-U-D as well. 

No rattlers spotted today!

NOTES

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

Water, shade and info kiosk available at 5 Points Junction (where Turkey Creek, River Bend and Flintstone trails converge).

Water and shade available at Bell's Point (On the return leg near the northern end of Playground trail).

Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park (at the southern end of Burkett trail and the northern end of Winding Snake trail).