San Angelo State Park

Leg 1 -  Playground parking area > Horny Toad > Nature Trail > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park       3.4 miles

Leg 2 -  Burkett Park > Burkett Trail > Potts Creek Trail > West Potts Creek > Roller Coaster > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park    3.8 miles

Leg 3 -  Burkett Park > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Playground parking area   2.8 miles

Temps in the low 70's to mid 80's.  Overcast then mostly sunny with a slight intermittent breeze.

A pleasant but somewhat crowded hike at the park.  "Crowded" because there were numerous bikers and hikers, a few trail runners, couples with children, couples with dogs, couples by themselves.  Everyone without exception, was pleasant and civil to one another so I had no issue with anyone BUT I'm used to seeing maybe one other person, if that, on the trails as I hiked. I won't complain too loudly though because even with the numerous individuals on the trails,  there were still many miles where I didn't see or hear anyone.

I logged my first sighting for the year of a living snake (I saw a few dead ones on earlier hikes).  The snake was a Northern Ring Necked Snake that was about eight inches long and as thin as a piece of paracord. It was on the Lanky Lackey trail and as I approached, it slithered away too quickly for me to get a photo but, nonetheless, I could identify it.  I saw lots of birds, a family of five javalinas, numerous deer and a couple of cottontail rabbits as well as one Jack Rabbit.

A very pleasant day!

NOTES

All trails names are in accordance with the new signage.  Two important changes  -

    (1)  "Horny Toad" has absorbed the first 100 yards or so of Tasajilla Flats so Horny Toad now starts near Playground Parking Area and Tasajilla Flats starts where it connects to Horny Toad. 

    (2)  "Potts Creek Trail" (formerly listed as East Potts Creek) and "Playground Trail" have absorbed what used to be listed as "Armadillo Trail".

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.

Leg 1 -  Playground parking area > Chaparral > Talley Valley > Horny Toad > Nature Trail > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park    3.4 miles

Leg 2 -  Burkett park > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Playground parking area    3.0 miles

Temps started at 75, ended at 82.  Cloudy, gloomy and HUMID with sporadic sunlight until the end of the hike when the sun came out.  Light wind.

Uneventful hike along mostly groomed trails - about half of Winding Snake needs to be mowed!  Birds were singing but not out and about as I had hoped.  No animals were seen with the exception of a cottontail rabbit and a Mexican ground squirrel. I saw a solitary lizard near the end of the hike.  There are more wildflowers in bloom as well as a sizeable number of cactus blossoms.  Not much else to report.

NOTES

NEW Trail signage is up so I'll use the trail names that are on the sign.  Example - "Nature Loop" is now known as "Nature Trail".

Water, shade, info kiosk, bicycle repair station and toilets available at Playground parking area.

Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.

Leg 1 -  Playground parking area > Tasajilla Flats > Nature Loop > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park    3.9 miles

Leg 2 -  Burkett Park > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Red Dam Loop > Chaparral > Playground parking area                    3.4 miles

Leg 3 -  Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area           3.2 miles

Temps started at 65, ended at 85.  Sunny with a steady 10-20 mph wind from the South then shifting from the West.

Hiked along dry, easy to see and traverse trails; some have been recently groomed.  Numerous birds were heard but rarely seen - the high winds kept most birds stationary and when they did fly, it was low and for short distances.  No animals spotted.  Wildflowers are increasing with more yellow and white flowers but the Indian Blankets are making their appearance in scattered clusters along the trails.

I saw numerous lizards (photo attached) while on Roadrunner Loop.  These were the first lizards spotted this year and I have no idea why they all congregated on Roadrunner Loop.

There were two other cars at the park but I didn't see a single person on the trails the entire time I was out. 

NOTES

Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station available at Playground parking area. TOILETS ARE CLOSED DUE TO THE VIRUS AND THE WATER IS INSIDE THE RESTROOMS. Water is available at the nearby campsites.

Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett Park.  TOILETS ARE CLOSED DUE TO THE VIRUS.

Water and shade are available at various campsites along Roadrunner Loop.

Info Kiosk, water, and toilets available at the mid-way point on Roadrunner Loop.  TOILETS ARE CLOSED DUE TO THE VIRUS.

Out     -   Burkett park > Burkett Trail > East Potts Creek > Armadillo > Playground > Bell's Point       2.9 miles

Return -  Bell's Point > Playground (NW) > service road (NNE) > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Burkett Trail > Burkett park   2.3 miles

Temps in the mid-60's, cloudy then rainy with a light wind.

Easy hike along damp then slightly muddy trails.  Birds were out as well as a few deer and javalinas.  Sporadic rain until we neared Bell's Point when the rain became a light, but steady, downpour so we stayed under the covering at Bell's Point until the rains stopped.  Trails were now full of sticky mud so came back on service roads.  Saw a few bikers and one hiker otherwise, the trails were empty of people.

NOTES.

Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at Burkett park.  IMPORTANT - toilets are closed, water still available.

Water, shade and info kiosk available at Bell's Point.

Out -       Playground parking area > Chaparral > Winding Snake > Burkett Park       3.0 miles

Return -  Burkett Park > WS to LL Connector > Lanky Lackey > Nature Loop > Tasajilla Flats > Playground parking area    3.8 miles

Temp started at 53, ended at 70.  CLoudy then sunny with steady WNW wind at 10 mph.

A foggy start to a hike along wet, and somewhat muddy, trails.  Recent rains have "green-ed up" the park. I only saw a few small yellow flowers and expect to see more wildflowers in bloom shortly.  There were lots of whitetail deer out, a solitary javalina and numerous birds. 

There really wasn't much else going on so I'll 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.

IMPORTANT NOTE ---  The dry toilets at Burkett Park are closed, no reason listed.