Out Playground parking area > Chaparral > Winding Snake > Burkett park 3.3 miles
Return Burkett park > Winding Snake (15 meters) > WS to LL Connector > Lanky Lackey > Nature Loop > Horny Toad > Talley Valley > Chaparral > Playground parking area 3.8 miles
Temp started in mid-70's, ended in upper 80's. Partly sunny with fairly steady, strong breeze.
Nice hike today along trails easy to see and traverse. Park personnel have groomed more of the trails and cleaned up a "trouble spot" on Nature Loop. Only negative was picking up a number of GU and BLOX packets left from last weeks trail race. Oh well, not the park's fault.
There were few birds spotted except for Turkey Vultures however, this area has been innunated by small brown butterflies - at the park as well as in town. Saw some of them resting/eating on the plants that will become tumbleweeds. On the same plants, the caterpillars are also eating the small leaves. Spotted a few Monarchs, as well as a few other butterflies, eating the remaining bee brush, gayfeathers and other flowers still blooming.
One unusual sighting - saw a turtle, about the size of my fist, at the beginning of the hike. This is the second turtle I've spotted since I started hiking at this park 18 years ago so this was definitely a noteworthy sight!
NOTES
Water, shade, info kiosk and toilets available at Playground parking area.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
IMPORTANT - The new park trail maps are accurate with regard to all of today's trails. The maps located in the info kiosks are not.