Park Mid-section - Burkett Park to Cougar Overlook Loop
San Angelo State Park
- 11/15/2024
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 8.00 Miles
Duration: 4 hours
Leg 1 - Burkett Park > Burkett Trail > Trailhead to Trailhead (Long) > Cougar Overlook 3.0 miles
Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > Flintstone > 5 Points Junction > Turkey Creek > Potts Creek (NNE) > Burkett Trail > Burkett Park 5.0 miles
Temp started at 44, ended at 68. Sunny, infrequent 0-5mph SW breeze.
Easy hike along damp to muddy trails. Trails are easy to see and traverse but there are spots where, due to the recent heavy rains, the topsoil is gone and the trail is very rocky. Yet in other spots, the trail is smooth with the additional topsoil was on top of the rocks! Just be aware that the same trail can have different characteristics.
Not many animals spotted although I was surprised to see this very young javelina (photo attached). He came out of the underbrush and did not hesitate to walk towards me. I had no desire to meet his parent so I made noise and the javelina ran into the brush and disappeared. Hopefully he had merely wandered away from his parent and was not an orphan.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park. Horse trough is still dry.
Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Cougar Overlook.
Water, shade, and info kiosk are available at 5 Points Junction.
South Shore - Playground to Burkett Park + Roadrunner Loop
San Angelo State Park
- 11/6/2024
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 9.90 Miles
Duration: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Horny Toad Trailhead > Tasajilla Flats> Nature Trail > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park 3.8 miles
Leg 2 - Burkett park > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Playground parking area 2.9 miles
Leg 3 - Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area 3.2 miles
Temps started at 44, ended at 77. Sunny with 0-5mph SW breeze.
Easy hike along familiar trails. Hunting was on-going from Burkett Park North so those trails were closed. Deer, javelinas and numerous birds were spotted. There were no other people on the trails so it was anice and relaxing hike.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair staion available at Playground Parking Arera.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park. NOTE - on this day the water trough was empty and looked ready to be cleaned.
Water and shade available at numerous campsites along Roadrunner Loop. Three places have toilets, water and info kiosks.
South Shore - Roadrunner Loop
San Angelo State Park
- 10/16/2024
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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
Temp started at 57, ended at 64. Sunny with a steady ENE wind at 10-15mph.
A simple, easy exercise hike along Roadrunner Trail Loop. Nothing of import to report, just had to get out and stretch my legs. No photos for this trip.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station are available at Playground parking area.
Water and shade available at campsites along Roadrunner Loop. There are three stations along the trail that provide water, shade, info kiosk and toilets.
North Shore - Bell's Trailhead to Cougar Overlook - Short Lazy 8 Route
San Angelo State Park
- 10/2/2024
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 6.40 Miles
Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Leg 1 - Bell's Trailhead > Shady Trail > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > North Scenic Loop > Lower Slick Rock > Lower Ghost Camp > River Bend Campground > Lower Ghost Camp > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Cougar Overlook 3.2 miles
Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > Javelina > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Ghost Camp Shortcut > Lower Ghost Camp > Upper Ghost Camp > River Bend Campground > North Slick Rock > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > dirt road parallel to Lower Big Hill > Rocky Creek Trail > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Bell's Trailhead 3.2 miles
Temps started at 58, ended at 80. Sunny with intermittent 0-5mph breeze.
The Monarchs are migrating! The park is on their migration path and as the temperatures warmed up, the Monarchs were very visible as they rested on the pecan trees and fed on the gayfeather flowers that are in bloom. The river still has water in it but the water is no longer flowing into the reservoir. Hopefully, we will get more rain and get the water flowing again.
Near Cougar Overlook on the return leg, I encountered three good sized feral hogs (photo attached). They began to walk toward me on Javelina Trail but when I made a noise they immediately broke contact and went back into the bush.
Not many birds were out but I spotted Curved Billed Thrashers, Scissortails, Cardinals and a few others.
All in all, an easy and very pleasant hike.
NOTES -
Info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Bell's Trailhead. Water and shade available at nearby campsites.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at River Bend Campground.
Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Cougar Overlook.
South Shore - Playground parking area to Burkett Park + Roadrunner Loop
San Angelo State Park
- 9/27/2024
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 9.30 Miles
Duration: 4 hours
Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Horny Toad Trailhead > Horny Toad > Nature Trail > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park 3.2 miles
Leg 2 - Burkett park > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Playground parking area 2.9 miles
Leg 3 - Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area 3.2 miles
Temps started at 59, ended at 85. Sunny with 0-5mph SW breeze.
Easy hike along dry or dew dampened trails. A female javelina and two little ones were spotted along Winding Snake Trail, bird activity was all the usual suspects - Mockers, Sparrows, turkey vultures and Loggerhead Shrikes. A single tiny toad was almost stepped on along Horny Toad Trail.
A note to dog owners who bring their dogs to the park - it's great that you pick up your dog's scat so other animals or trail users do not get into it BUT after bagging your pet's scat TAKE THE GREEN PLASTIC BAG CONTAINING YOUR DOG'S SHIT AND PUT IT IN A TRASH CAN - ESPECIALLY IF THE BURKETT PARK TRAILHEAD TRASH CAN IS LESS THAN 50 YARDS FROM WHERE YOU LEFT SAID BAG OF SHIT ON THE WINDING SNAKE TRAIL.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station are available at the Playground parking area.
Water, shade, info kiosk, dry toilets and TRASH CANS are available at Burkett Park.
Water, shade, info kiosk and toilets are available at three locations along Roadrunner Loop. Water and shade available at numerous campsites along the same trail.