Out Burkett park > Winding Snake (20 yds) > Suzanne's Trail > Roller Coaster > West Potts Creek > Armadillo (ENE) > Playground > Bell's Point > Playground > Flintstone > 5 Points Junction > Flintstone (NE) > Cougar Lookout 6.0 miles
Return Cougar Lookout > service road (WSW) > River Bend (SW) > 5 Points Junction > Turkey Creek > Armadillo (ENE) > East Potts Creek > Burkett trail > Burkett park 4.7 miles
Temps - 82 at start and 100 at end, sunny with intermittent light winds.
First hike in the park's mid-section since the severe wind storm of a month ago. Nothing on the trails now but easy to see where branches had fallen and were moved off. Trails are dry and easy to traverse. The North Concho River seen from Cougar Lookout still has water but the rocks in the river are easier to see which means the water level has dropped - not a good thing.
Saw two fawns at the start of the hike but no other animals; not many birds out either. Saw a few mountain bikers but that was it.
Not too long ago I found my first tick on my sock. Today I found my first tick stuck to my leg. I scrapped her off (checked and it was a female Lone Star tick), saw she still had her head so I terminated her. Squeezed blood out of the bite wound and cleaned it best I could. Will keep an eye on the wound but I'm not too concerned about infections right now. In all my years of hiking, I've been lucky in never having a tick bite but this year, my string of good luck regarding ticks has been broken.
NOTES
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets at Burkett park.
Water and shade available at Bell's Point.
Water, shade and info kiosk at 5 Points Junction.
Shade, info kiosk and bicycle repair station available at Cougar Lookout.
