South Shore - Playground Parking Area to Armadillo Ridge Figure 8
San Angelo State Park
- 3/26/2025
[View Log Page]
Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 9.70 Miles
Duration: 5 hours
Leg1 - Playground Parking Area > Chaparral > Tally Valley > Horny Toad (N) > Nature Trail > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park 3.3 miles
Leg 2 - Burkett Park > Burkett Trail > Potts Creek > West Potts Creek > Roller Coaster > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park 3.6 miles
Leg 3 - Burkett Park > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Playground Parking Area 2.8 miles
Temp started at 66, ended at 80. Heavy then lighter overcast. Wind from West at 5-10mph.
Easy hike along dry easy to traverse trails. Saw a couple of deer families and one cottontail rabbit. Birds were more numerous, singing for mates. I spotted this year's first Vermillion Flycatcher at a distance (photo attached). Not much was going on today, the hike was enjoyable though!
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station are available at Playground Parking Area.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets are available at Burkett Park.
Park Mid-section - Burkett Park to Armadillo to Cougar Overlook Figure 8
San Angelo State Park
- 3/22/2025
[View Log Page]
Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 10.50 Miles
Duration: 5 hours, 15 minutes
Leg 1 - Burkett Park > WS to LL Connector > Roller Coaster > West Potts Creek > Potts Creek (E) > Playground Trail > Bell's Point > Playground Trail (N) > Flintstone > 5 Points Junction 4.5 miles
Leg 2 - 5 Points Junction > Flintstone Trail (N) > Cougar Overlook > service road (W) > River Bend (S) > 5 Points Junction 2.6 miles
Leg 3 - 5 Points Junction > Turkey Creek > Potts Creek (E) > Burkett Trail > Burkett Park 3.4 miles
Temp started at 47, ended at 80. Sunny w/light 0-5mph SW breeze changing to 10-15mph West and NW winds.
Easy hike along dry, easy to see and traverse trails. One white tail deer was spotted and some birds. LOTS of people on the trails today as it was a Saturday and nice weather, once it warmed up. Birds were singing for mates, a few were photographed but nothing spectacular (photo attached). Flowers are appearing, particularly small yellow flowers and small bunches of purple-ish flowers. The agaritas are still blooming as well. Overall a pleasant hike.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
Water, shade and info kiosk available at Bell's Point.
Water, shade and info kiosk available at 5 Points Junction.
Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle repair station available at Cougar Overlook.
South Shore - Playground to Burkett Park + Roadrunner Loop
San Angelo State Park
- 3/12/2025
[View Log Page]
Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 9.50 Miles
Duration: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Leg 1 - Playground parking Area > Tasajilla Flats > Nature Trail > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park 3.6 miles
Leg 2 - Burkett Park > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Playground parking Area 2.9 miles
Leg 3 - Playground Parking Area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground Parking Area 3.0 miles
Temp started at 51 and ended at 81. Mostly sunny with haze then partly cloudy. Steady 10-15mph West wind increasing to 20-25mph while on Leg 3.
East hike on dry trails. Only animals spotted were a few deer in a few places. The birds are singing for mates and the agarita bushes are covered with yellow flowers releasing a heady scent. A few people were on the trails but it was not crowded by any stretch of the imagination.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station are available at Playround Parking Area.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
Water and shade available at various campsites around Roadrunner Loop and there are three stations where water, toilets and info kiosks can be found.
Park Mid-section - Burkett Park to Cougar Overlook Figure 8
San Angelo State Park
- 3/7/2025
[View Log Page]
Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 10.30 Miles
Duration: 5 hours, 15 minutes
Leg 1 - Burkett park > Burkett Trail > Potts Creek Trail > Playground Trail > Bell's Point > Playground Trail > Flintstone> 5 Points Junction > River Bend Trail > service road (NW) > Cougar Overlook 4.6 miles
Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > Flintstone (S) > 5 Points Junction > Turkey Creek > Potts Creek (W) > West Potts Creek > Rollercoaster > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park 5.7 miles
Temps started at 60, ended at 80. Fairly steady 5-10mph NW breeze. Sunny skies
Easy hike along dry easy to traverse trails. Only animnals seen were some deer at the park entrance. Birds - not many but I saw a Northern Flicker at some distance (photo attached) away and then he took off. Haven't seen flickers for a few years so seeing one was nice. One good thing is that the agarita bushes are blooming in more places and with the steady wind the scent of the blooms was more noticeable than before. A very heady aroma!
There are still spots of water here and there for the birds and animals but the ground is otherwise dry as we are in a severe drought with no relief in sight. This brings up something to consider if you hike the park - with the prolonged dryness the soil on the trails is, and will continue to be, dry and loose which means a twisted ankle if you are not careful. There are many places where the topsoil is thin to non-existent and depending on the trail, it is easy for your foot to slip on the loose soil.
NOTES -
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
Water, shade and info kiosk available at Bell's Point.
Water, shade and info kiosk available at 5 Points Junction.
Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle repair station available at Cougar Overlook.
North Shore - Bell's Trailhead to Cougar Overlook Loop
San Angelo State Park
- 2/25/2025
[View Log Page]
Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 9.40 Miles
Duration: 5 hours
Leg 1 - Bell's Trailhead > Dinosaur Trail > Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area > DInosaur Trail (S) > Lower Big Hill > North Scenic Loop > service road (W) > Badlands > park road (N) > Upper Ghost Camp Trail > service road (W) > River Bend (S) > service road (NE) > Cougar Overlook 6.2 miles
Leg 2 - Cougar Overlook > Javelina > service road (N) > Lower Ghost Camp Trail > River Bend Campground > South Slick Rock > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Bell's Trailhead 3.2 miles
Temp started at 50 and damp, ended at 80 and dry. Sunny with a steady 5-10mph SSW wind.
Nice hike along trails that were easy to see and traverse. A few "rare" birds were seen - a Caracara (photo attached) last spotted 10-15 years ago, a pair of Killdeer which have been absent for a few years, a Kingfisher and others. Only animals spotted were some deer as I drove in.
NOTES -
Info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Bell's Trailhead. Water and shade available in nearby campground.
Water, shade, and an info kiosk are available at Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area.
Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle repair station are available at Cougar Overlook.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at the River Bend Campground.