North Shore Bell's Trailhead to Cougar Overlook and back
San Angelo State Park
- 11/23/2020
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 10.10 Miles
Duration: 4 hours, 50 minutes
Out - Bell's Trailhead > Dinosaur Trail > Dinosaur Viewing Area > Dinosaur Trail > Upper Big Hill > Badlands > River Bend > service road (NNE) > Cougar Overlook 6.3 miles
Return - Cougar Overlook > Javalina Trail > River Bend > Lower Ghost Camp > River Bend Campground > Lower Ghost Camp > South Slick Rock > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > North Scenic Loop > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Shady Trail > Bell's Trailhead 3.7 miles
Temp started at 45, ended at 64. Overcast until the last 2 miles then partly cloudy. Cool, southerly wind at 10 mph.
A great hike today! I saw two Bobcats on the North Concho River at Shady Trail, quite a few deer as well as numerous birds including a Belted Kingfisher (photo attached) that I'd spotted on my last hike. The Bobcats were on the opposite shore from me and were just starting to get a drink when there was a loud SNAP!; they both ran up the embankment like bullets and were gone. The noise was created by the longhorns who came down to get their morning drink as well.
The Kingfisher was near the River Bend Campground and seems to have staked that part of the river as his territory. I saw him a few weeks back but couldn't get a photo. This time I was better prepared and got a few good pictures. He was very spooky and wouldn't let me get close so what I got was the best I could get.
Trails were dry and easy to traverse. There were quite a few equestrians camped at the north shore campground but I didn't see anyone else on the trails.
NOTES
Info kiosk and a bicycle repair station at Bell's Trailhead. Water and shade available in the local campground.
Water, shade, and info kiosk available at the Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area.
Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle repair station available at Cougar Overlook.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at the River Bend Campground area.
Park Mid-section Burkett Park to Cougar Overlook
San Angelo State Park
- 11/19/2020
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 8.80 Miles
Duration: 4 hours
Out -- Burkett park > WS to LL Connector > Roller Coaster > West Potts Creek > Potts Creek > Turkey Creek > 5 Points Junction > River Bend > service road (NNE) > Cougar Overlook 5.7 miles
Return - Cougar Overlook > Flintstone > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Burkett Trail > Burkett park 3.1 miles
Temp started at 60, ended at 70. Overcast with fairly consistent, 15-20 mph South wind.
Peaceful hike along easy to see, dry trails. Only animals spotted were a javalina and a whitetail deer. Some birds were out and stayed pretty low to the ground. One notable bird sighting was a group of Meadowlarks - the first sighting of this bird at the park this Fall. I passed two other hikers during the four hours I was out on the trails so it was not crowded; all in all, the hike was a very quiet and peaceful walk in Nature.
NOTES
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
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 Parking Area to Burkett Park Loop
San Angelo State Park
- 11/8/2020
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 7.50 Miles
Duration: 3 hours
Out - Playground parking area > Chaparral > Red Dam Loop > Chaparral > Winding Snake > Burkett Park 3.5 miles
Return - Burkett park > WS to LL Connector > Lanky Lackey > Nature Trail > Tasajilla Flats > Horny Toad > Playground parking area 4.0 miles
Temp started at 60, ended at 65. Overcast with steadily rising wind from the South.
Uneventful hike along dry and mostly groomed trails. A few places on different trails need to have some vegetation cut but the trail is easily visible. I saw six deer at the beginning of the hike and no other animals. The few birds that were out, stayed very low to the ground except for the Mockingbirds. Being Sunday, there were quite a few people using the trails and perhaps thats why the animals and birds stayed hidden for the majority of the time I hiked.
NOTES
Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station available at the Playground parking area.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett park.
North Shore Bell's Trailhead to Cougar Overlook Loop
San Angelo State Park
- 11/2/2020
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 10.20 Miles
Duration: 4 hours, 40 minutes
Out - Bell's Trailhead > Shady Trail > service road (SW) > Rocky Creek Trail > service road (S) > North Scenic Loop > service road (S) > Badlands > River Bend Trail > service road (ENE) > Cougar Overlook 4.9 miles
Return - Cougar Overlook > Javalina > River Bend (NW) > Lower Ghost Camp > River Bend Campground > Lower Ghost Camp > South Slick Rock > Upper Big Hill > Dinosaur Trail > Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area > Dinosaur Trail > service road (NE) > Bell's Trailhead 5.3 miles
Temp started at 38, ended at 68. Sunny, very light breeze.
Easy hike along dry, easy to see and traverse trails. Some deer out at the beginning of the hike but they disappeared quickly and no other animals seen until the end of the hike when I saw a grey fox on the Big Hill. Bird activity was not too busy although I saw a Rufous Sided Towhee as well as a Loggerhead Shrike and a Kingfisher.
A good hike but nothing exciting happened.
NOTES
Info kiosk and a bicycle repair station at Bell's Trailhead. Water and shade available at campsites nearby.
Shade, info kiosk and a bicycle repair station available at Cougar Overlook.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at River Bend Campground.
Water, shade, info kiosk available at the Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area.
South Shore Roadrunner Loop then Playground to Burkett Loop
San Angelo State Park
- 10/20/2020
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 10.50 Miles
Duration: 4 hours
Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area 3.5 miles
Leg 2 - Playground parking area > Horny Toad > Tasajilla Flats > Nature Trail > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park 3.8 miles
Leg 3 - Burkett park > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Playground parking area 3.2 miles
Temp started at 60, ended at 75. Overcast until Leg 3, then partly cloudy. Liittle to no wind for the entire hike.
An easy hike along dry trails. I started early hoping to see more wildlife but I was disappointed - there were lots of whitetail deer but that was it. The few birds that were out kept to the low scrub for most of the hike. There were a few Monarchs but it looks like the majority have left the area. Not much went on so will stop here.
NOTES
Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station available at Playground parking area.
Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.
Water, shade and a few toilets available along Roadrunner Loop in the campsites and bathhouses.