MikeHikes's Logbook

Stats
Total Log Entries: 542 (Rank: 2nd)  [List Them]  [Map Them]
Total Distance: 4,350.90 Miles (Rank: 2nd)
Average Distance: 8.03 Miles

Average Rating: 4stars (4.20)
Average Difficulty: halfstar (0.95)
Average Solitude: 4point5stars (4.63)

Earliest Log Entry: 1/7/2014
Latest Log Entry: 3/14/2024

Average ratings are based on the published values and not the values entered in your own log entries.

Photos
Red Eyed Turtle

First time I've seen one of these in the park. After getting some pics, he wandered away. [San Angelo State Park]
Log Entries
Park Mid-Section - Burkett Park to 5 Point Junction Loop
San Angelo State Park - 3/14/2024  [View Log Page]
Rating: 4stars Difficulty: halfstar Solitude: 5stars
Distance: 8.70 Miles Duration: 4 hours, 15 minutes

Leg 1 -  Burkett park > WS to LL Connector > Rolelrcoaster > West Potts Creek > Potts Creek (NE) > Playground Trail > Bell's Point > Playground Trail (N) > Flintstone > 5 Points Junction       4.0 miles

Leg 2 - 5 Points Junction > Turkey Creek > Potts Creek (NE) > Burkett Trail > Burkett Park    4.7 miles

Temp started at 60, ended at 76.  Sunny with very light SW 0-5mph breeze.

Easy peaceful hike along dry, easy to see and traverse trails.  Some birds have become more active now that Spring is in the air.  Saw a couple of large flocks of birds heading North.  Few animals were out though.  More yellow flowers are blooming and some yuccas (?) as well with a center stalk of flowers (photo attached).  All in all it was a very nice hike along familiar trails.

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.

South Shore - Playground parking area to Burkett Park Loop
San Angelo State Park - 3/6/2024  [View Log Page]
Rating: 4stars Difficulty: halfstar Solitude: 5stars
Distance: 8.10 Miles Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes

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

Leg 2 -  Burkett Park > WS to LL Connector > Lanky Lackey > Nature Trail > Tasajilla Flats > park service road (N) > Horny Toad > Talley Valley > Chaparral > Playground parking area    4.2 miles

Temp started at 44, ended at 58.  Light N wind at 0-5mph.  Cloudy.

An eventful hike.  On my first leg I picked up a bag of trash and when I arrived at Burkett Park, discovered a folding knife I had attached to my belt, had come off.  Decided to re-trace my steps and hopefully find the knife.  I did so always watching both sides of the trail and found more trash AND found my knife lying in the middle of the trail about 2/3 of the way back.  Great!

It must have been ordained that I would lose and later find, my knife because near the dropped knife was a previously unseen number of broken bottles and old cans which I picked up. A little later, the trail gods thanked me for my diligence because near the end of one trail segment, lying right in the middle of the dirt trail, was a small stone arrowhead! 

Agaritas are in bloom and the air was fairly heavy with their scent of honey, mesquite wood smoke and dust - VERY pleasant.

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.

South Shore - Roadrunner Loop
San Angelo State Park - 2/17/2024  [View Log Page]
Rating: 4stars Difficulty: halfstar Solitude: 5stars
Distance: 3.10 Miles Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Playground parking area - Roadrunner Loop - Playground parking area   3.1 miles

Temp started at 30, ended at 30.  Overcast, strong N to NNE wind 20-30mph

An abbreviated hike today as my original planned hike in the park's mid-section was thwarted by the Road Lizards having a run along the trails.  It was a VERY cold and windy day with the arrival of a temporary cold front.  Unfortunately, some of the agarita bushes have started to bloom so the flowers will be short lived. 

No photos taken, just picked up trash along the trail.

NOTES -

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

Info kiosk and toilets available at three points along Roadrunner.  Water and shade available at numerous campsites along the loop.

 

South Shore - Playground parking area to Burkett Park Loop + Roadrunner Loop
San Angelo State Park - 2/9/2024  [View Log Page]
Rating: 4stars Difficulty: halfstar Solitude: 5stars
Distance: 9.70 Miles Duration: 4 hours, 45 minutes

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

Leg 3 -  Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area   3.3 miles

Temp started at 45, ended at 65.  Overcast, little to no wind.

A quiet, easy hike along dry trails.  Nothing of interest happened although I saw a Red Shafted Flicker, a hawk and some deer - no photographs taken.

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.

Toilets and info kiosks available at three locations along Roadrunner Loop.  Water and shade available at campsites along the Loop.

North Shore - Bell's Trailhead to Ghost Camp Loop
San Angelo State Park - 2/5/2024  [View Log Page]
Rating: 4stars Difficulty: halfstar Solitude: 5stars
Distance: 7.60 Miles Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes

Leg 1 -  Bell's Trailhead > Dinosaur Trail > Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area > Dinosaur Trail (S) > Upper Big Hill > Badlands > River Bend > Ghost Camp Trail    5.0 miles

Leg 2 -  Ghost Camp Trail > Lower Ghost Camp > River Bend Campground > Lower Ghost Camp (N) > South Slick Rock > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > North Scenic Loop > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Shady Trail > Bell's Trailhead     2.6 miles

Temp started at 45, ended at 55.  Patly to mostly cloudy.  NW wind at 10mph. 

Easy hike along dry, easy to see and traverse trails.  Not much wildlife once I hit the trail.   Driving to the parking area, I saw two "herds" of deer - each group had at least 15-20 deer per group!  I also saw the largest porcupine ever slowly crossing the park road - unfortunately there was not enough  light for a photo.  I was surprised how many watering holes along the riverbed still had water in them, also saw water in the creek by the Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area. 

Hike was uneventful but peaceful!

NOTES -

Info kiosk and a bicycle repair station available at Bell's Trailhead.  Water and shade available at nearby campground.

Water, shade,  and info kiosk available at the Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area.

Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at River Bend Campground.