San Angelo State Park

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Leg 1 -  Playground parking area > Chaparral > Winding Snake > Burkett Park    3.0 miles

Leg 2 -  Burkett Park > WS to LL Connector > Lanky Lackey > Nature Loop > Tasajilla Flats > Playground parking area    4.1 miles

Leg 3 -  Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area   3.1 miles

Temp started at 44, ended at 59.  Overcast then sunny.  Steady 10-15 mph SW wind.

First hike of 2019 and first hike in new Columbia hiking boots.  Beginning mileage = 2324.5 miles with 295 logged entries.

An overcast, windy, cold day on wet and muddy trails.  The weather conditions kept the wildlife hidden with the exception of a few birds.  Most stayed low to the ground but there were two American Kestrels and two Logerhead Shrikes hunting.  All the other birds stayed in place or made short flights, low to the ground. 

Trails are easy to see and traverse and the park personnel have groomed the Roadrunner Loop again.  It has been leveled and widened making it an easy hike for anyone.  A bag of trash was picked up but nothing else to report. 

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 toilets available at the mid-point of Roadrunner Loop.

Water and shade available at various campsites along the edges of Roadrunner Loop.

IMPORTANT - trail maps have been updated BUT the maps in the info kiosks have not.  Trust the paper trail map you get at the park entrance.

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Route   Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area

Temp in the mid-50's, overcast then partly cloudy, light wind.

A short hike around the Loop.  The trail had been leveled/graded fairly recently so the ground was relatively soft but rocks of various sizes were laying on the trail - very easy to twist an ankle if you aren't careful!

Some birds were out but nothing unusual.  Just a short hike with friends on Christmas!

NOTES

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

Water, shade and toilets at a few spots alongside the trail.

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Out      Playground parking area > Tasajila Flats > Park Entrance and return > Tasajilla Flats > Nature Loop > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park       5.5 miles

Return  Burkett Park > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Red Dam Loop (.25 mile and return) > Chaparral > Playground Parking Area      3.4 miles

Temp started at 51 and ended at 59.  Overcast and gloomy with a steady 10 mph westerly wind.

Trails were very damp or wet and in the case of Red Dam Loop, too wet to traverse.  Vegetation has died off so the trails were easy to see.  Lots of White Crowned Sparrows and other small ground hugging birds were out.  I also saw four American Kestrels and some type of hawk looking for a meal.  I watched one Kestrel almost catch a small bird as I was returning on the Chaparral Trail.  The bird made a quick turn and the Kestrel missed his grab and went hungry a little longer.

My first detour involved hiking along the park entrance and picking up trash.  Since I didn't bring my camera, I decided to collect trash; paper, plastic bags, fast food wrappers and a half dozen empty beer cans had been tossed along the road leading to the park - very unsightly!  Hopefully, it will stay clean but I have my doubts.

The second detour was at Red Dam Loop.   I started along the trail heading East and was able to hike about a quarter mile before I came to a fairly wide and ankle deep, stream. Based on knowledge of the trail and past experiences, I assumed there would be at least two more areas of deep water on Red Dam Loop and figured I'd spend lots of time cleaning my boots by continuing.  I decided to retrace my steps back to Chaparral and continue to Playground which I did.  I'd advise anyone reading this to avoid Red Dam Loop for the foreseeable future.

NOTES

Water, shade, info kiosk, toilets and a bicycle repair station available at Playground Parking Area.

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

IMPORTANT - The trail maps have been updated HOWEVER the trail maps at the info kiosk have not.  Trust the paper trail maps.

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Leg 1 -   Playground parking area > Tasajilla Flats > Nature Loop > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park     4.0 miles

Leg 2 -   Burkett Park > Burkett Trail > East Potts Creek > Armadillo Trail (W) > West Potts Creek > Roller Coaster > Lanky Lackey (20 m) > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park    3.9 miles

Leg 3 -   Burkett Park > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Playground Parking Area     3.3 miles

Temp started at 43, ended at 70.  Overcast at first but cleared to sunny with high clouds.  Light then steady breeze.

Due to park closure for hunting and Thanksgiving events, I hadn't been to the park for some time.  Today there were quite a few people out hiking, biking and jogging on the trails, perhaps trying to exercise away that second, or third, piece of pie they had a few days ago.

Trails were for the most part, dry and easy to traverse.  One notable exception was the northern end of West Potts Creek trail.  Since Potts Creek has water in it and the trail crosses the creek bed, the trail itself has a section that is very muddy.  Adding to the mud, today's weather was warm so the mosquitoes were out - I have a dozen bites already swelling up. 

The other exception was on Roller Coaster trail.  There are significant portions of the southern section of the trail with standing water and mud - VERY surprising since we've had no rain yet the water trickles down from the hill above.  No idea where the source is but this is West Texas and all water is welcome.

I saw a Kestrel and a couple of Eastern Bluebirds which is unusual; especially seeing the Bluebird.  The last Bluebird I saw was at the North Shore portion of the park; to the best of my recollection, this is the first time I've seen this bird in the South Shore section (photo attached).  There were some butterflies still fluttering around and quite a few low flying/ground hugging birds that would pop up, fly about five or six feet, then disappear in the scrub.  A temperature drop is expected tonight that will last for three days then a gradual warm up before turning cold once again.  I hope all the park residents have a place to stay lined up for this changing weather.

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 park trails map has been updated but the maps in the info kiosk have not.  Trust the park map EXCEPT in regard to Armadillo Trail; the new park map does NOT include it.  You will see trail markers (poles) with "Armadillo" painted on them at the junctions of Armadillo and East Potts Creek and at Armadillo and West Potts Creek. 

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Out     Playground parking area > Tasajilla Flats > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park     4.2 miles

Return Burkett Park > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Playground parkign area                       3.2 miles

Temp started in low 50's, ended in low 70's.  Sunny with clouds, light breeze.

Leisurely hike along wet and muddy trails.  It rained two days ago and the saturated ground is still very wet.  LOTS of butterflies out today.  Bee brush is blooming as are some wild flowers.  Quite a few birds out as well although nothing unusual.  A very pleasant hike!

NOTES

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

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

IMPORTANT - Park trail maps have been updated and do NOT match the map in the info kiosks - trust the park map.