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San Angelo State Park

Name: San Angelo State Park
Rating: 4.25

Type: Trail

Length: 50.00 Miles

Elevation Gain: N/A

Cost: $4.00

Rating:

(4.25)342

Difficulty: 1star

(1.09)

Solitude:

(4.61)

ADA Accessible: N/A

Bikes Allowed: Yes

Dogs Allowed: N/A

Interpretive Guide: N/A

City: San Angelo

County: Tom Green

More Information: More Info

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Photos

A shy scissortail was spotted today - I tried to get closer and he'd fly further away. I didn't want to disturb him any further, so after I took this picture, using a zoom lens, I departed. (Photo by MikeHikes)

Thick fog at the park to start the hike. Once the sun began to shine, the fog quickly burned off. (Photo by MikeHikes)

Red Dam Loop Trail is a good place to visualize what the park looked like when the reservoir was full. (Photo by MikeHikes)

When I smell the plant's fragrance, I think of mesquite smoke, honey and hot, dry sand. (Photo by MikeHikes)

Some of the park longhorns having breakfast on a cold but sunny morning. (Photo by MikeHikes)

An early start means you get to watch the sunrise at the park! (Photo by MikeHikes)

This young buck survived the recent hunts - perhaps his luck will continue for a few more years! (Photo by MikeHikes)

Not much water but enough for some of the migrating birds. The dam is eight miles long and being repaired by the Army Corps of Engineers. (Photo by MikeHikes)

After the hike, I waited for sunset and was rewarded with this. (Photo by MikeHikes)

The trail is designed for hikers only. It's pretty level with very modest inclines/declines and is mostly dirt with a few rocky places. O.C. Fisher reservoir (presently at 11% capacity) can be seen in the background. (Photo by MikeHikes)

Some years back, the old info kiosk was destroyed by high winds. This year the park has put new info kiosks at various locations in the park. There are really informative! (Photo by MikeHikes)

Took me a second to notice the buck is missing one of his points (above left ear) - does this make him an 8 or 7 point buck? He didn't mind losing a point as long as the hunters continue to lose sight of him. (Photo by MikeHikes)

Only showing last 12 photos. View All Photos

Log Entries

South Shore Playground Parking Area to Isabel Hart Loop
By MikeHikes on 3/27/2020
Rating:

Difficulty:

Solitude:

Distance: 5.30 Miles Duration: N/A

Route - Playground parking area > Tasajilla Flats > Horny Toad > Nature Loop > park road to Isabel Hart > Chaparral > Red Dam Loop > Chaparral > Playground parking area 5.3 miles

Temp started in mid-60's, ended in low 70's. Light fog at first then partly cloudy with a steady breeze.

Lesirely hike to stretch the legs and enjoy the scenery. This year's first Scissortail Flycatcher was spotted (photo attached). I saw, what I believe was, a Mississippi Kite but could not get a photo. Numerous small birds flying about and a couple of "V"s of geese were migrating back North. Deer and a few javalinas were spotted as well as a few wildflowers. All in all, a nice, peaceful hike!

NOTES

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

South Shore Playground Parking Area to Burkett Park and back
By MikeHikes on 3/24/2020
Rating:

Difficulty:

Solitude:

Distance: 6.80 Miles Duration: 3 hours, 10 minutes

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.

South Shore Burkett Park to Armadillo Ridge to Playground Parking Area and Back
By MikeHikes on 2/29/2020
Rating:

Difficulty:

Solitude:

Distance: 10.20 Miles Duration: 4 hours, 30 minutes

Leg 1 - Burkett Park > WS to LL Connector > Roller Coaster > West Potts Creek > Armadillo > East Potts Creek > Burkett Trail > Burkett Park 3.0 miles

Leg 2 - Burkett Park > Winding Snake > Chaparral > Red Dam Loop > Chaparral > Playground Parking Area 3.4 miles

Leg 3 - Playground Parking Area > Tasajilla Flats > Nature Loop > Lanky Lackey > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park 3.8 miles

Temp started at 47, ended at 71. Light overcast then sunny, steady 10-15 mph WSW wind.

LOTS of other users on the dry and easy to traverse trails today! I saw two white tail deer; no other animals. Lots of smaller, ground hugging birds, especially the White Crowned Sparrows were spotted. There was nothing really unusual to report except for the large number of other trail users.

NOTES

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

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

North Shore Bell's Trailhead to Cougar Overlook
By MikeHikes on 2/24/2020
Rating:

Difficulty:

Solitude:

Distance: 10.00 Miles Duration: 4 hours, 15 minutes

Out - Bell's Trailhead > Shady Trail > service road (S) > Scenic Loop > service road (S) > North Slick Rock > Lower Ghost Camp > River Bend Campground > Lower Ghost Camp > Trailhead to Trailhead (service road S) > Cougar Overlook 4 miles

Return - Cougar Overlook > service road (WSW) > River Bend (NW) > Badlands > service road (NW) > Upper Big Hill > Dinosaur Trail > Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area > Dinosaur Trail > service road (W) > Bell's Trailhead 6 miles

Temp started at 48, ended at 70. Light SW wind, partly cloudy.

Trails were dry to slightly damp with a few patches of mud in spots. Only animals spotted were a pair of white tail deer. Numerous birds out including a fairly large hawk right at the beginning of the hike. The biggest surprise was smelling the just beginning to bloom agarita (photo attached). Small birds were flitting about and there were a few air battles over territory as Spring is just around the corner.

NOTES

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

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

Shade, info kiosk and bicycle repair station available at Cougar Overlook.

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

Park Mid-Section Burkett Park to Bell's Point and back
By MikeHikes on 2/1/2020
Rating:

Difficulty:

Solitude:

Distance: 5.30 Miles Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Out - Burkett Park > Burkett Trail > East Potts Creek > Armadillo > Playground Trail > Bell's Point > Playground Trail > service road 3.5 miles

Return - Service Road (NNE) > Trailhead to Trailhead (S on a service road) > Burkett Trail > Burkett Park 1.8 miles

Temp started at 33, ended at 58. Sunny with a light WNW breeze.

Easy hike along dry trails and roads. Longhorns were present (photo attached) but no other animals were seen. I saw a hawk right at the start of the hike and later a Kestrel as well as a few birds here and there. Near the end of the outbound leg, I watched a Cactus Wren busily stuff materials into an existing hole - kind of early to build a nest IMO, but he obviously knows something I don't.

A few other trail users were out, otherwise it was just a relaxing, early morning hike.

NOTES

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

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

Park Mid-Section Burkett Park to 5 Points Junction Loop
By MikeHikes on 1/25/2020
Rating:

Difficulty:

Solitude:

Distance: 6.30 Miles Duration: 3 hours

Out - Burkett Park > WS to LL Connector > Roller Coaster > West Potts Creek > Turkey Creek > 5 Point Junction 4.2 miles

Return - 5 Points Junction > Flintstone (S) > service road (NE) > Trailhead to Trailhead (SSW service road) > Burkett Trail > Burkett Park 2.1 miles

Temp started at 42, ended at 56. Overcast, light wind then steady, 10-15 mph SSW wind.

Easy hike along damp trails. Few birds out at first but then more appeared as the morning progressed. I saw a pair of adult javalinas at 5 Points Junction as I was departing. Not much else going on. Although there is water available at the 5 Points Junction, the water trough for horses is dry.

NOTES

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

Water, shade and info kiosk available at 5 Points Junction.

South Shore Playground parking area to Isabel Harte and the Roadrunner Loop
By MikeHikes on 1/20/2020
Rating:

Difficulty:

Solitude:

Distance: 8.00 Miles Duration: 3 hours, 20 minutes

Leg 1 - Playground parking area > Tasajilla Flats > Nature Loop > park road (NNE) to Isabel Harte > Chaparral Trailhead 3.0 miles

Leg 2 - Chaparral Trail > Red Dam Loop > Chaparral Trail > Playground parking area 2.0 miles

Leg 3 - Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area 3.0 miles

Temp started at 37, ended at 50. Partly cloudy then sunny. Little to no wind.

Trails on legs 1 & 2 were damp but easy to hike on. Numerous deer were out in small and large groups - in one herd, I counted 12 deer. There were few birds out and the ones that were, stayed fairly low to the ground or in the brush. When I hiked on Roadrunner Loop, the trail was much wetter; numerous times, I stopped to knock off clumps of mud that stuck to my hiking boots. On this part of the hike, there was no animal or bird activity.

Overall, the hike was uneventful but relaxing.

NOTES

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

Water and shade are available at various campsites parallel to Roadrunner Loop. Toilets available at two locations alongside the the trail as well.

South Shore Burkett Park to Roadrunner Loop and back
By MikeHikes on 1/9/2020
Rating:

Difficulty:

Solitude:

Distance: 8.90 Miles Duration: 3 hours, 40 minutes

Leg 1 - Burkett Park > WS to LL Connector > Lanky Lackey > Nature Loop > Tasajilla Flats > Roadrunner Loop (by park entrance) > Playground parking area 6.0 miles

Leg 2 - Playground parking area > Chaparral > Winding Snake > Burkett Park 2.9 miles

Temps in low 70's, sunny with a steady 10 mph Westerly wind.

First hike of 2020! Starting mileage is 2665.4 miles with 335 logged entries.

Late start for the hike - started at 1300 - but it was good nonetheless. The animals and birds were not visible until near the end of the hike when I saw a couple of deer as well as a few birds. It wasn't until I was driving back home that I saw 11 javalinas crossing the park road in front of me.

Trash was picked up along the trail, I got to stretch my legs and enjoy the sunshine and warm temperatures so it was a good hike.

NOTES -

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

Water, shade and bathrooms available at various points at the campsites parallel to Roadrunner Loop.

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

Park Mid-Section Burkett Park to Cougar Overlook and back
By MikeHikes on 12/31/2019
Rating:

Difficulty:

Solitude:

Distance: 8.40 Miles Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes

Out - Burkett Park > Burkett Trail > service road (ENE Trailhead to Trailhead Trail) > Cougar Overlook 3.0 miles

Return - Cougar Overlook > service road (SSW) > River Bend (S) > 5 Points Junction > Turkey Creek > Armadillo (W) > West Potts Creek > Roller Coaster > WS to LL Connector > Burkett Park 5.4 miles

Temps started at 64, ended at 54. Sunny with high wispy clouds, light wind.

Last hike for 2019! The route out was very easy since the majority of it was on the service road. I watched two fairly large hawks chase after birds - the birds escaped and the hawks went hungry. The return leg was almost as easy, the trails were dry except for a few places where there was mud from rains we had a few days ago. Longhorns were out wandering in groups of six or less; some of the groups had young calves with them.

All in all, it was a nice, quiet hike and a good way to end the year.

STATS - Mileage at beginning of the year - 2324.5 Mileage at the end of the year - 2665.4 Total miles hiked - 340.9 Number of hikes this year - 40

NOTES

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

Shade, info kiosk and bicycle repair station at Cougar Overlook.

Water, shade, info kiosk available at 5 Points Junction.

South Shore Roadrunner Loop and a Trash Pick-up
By MikeHikes on 12/27/2019
Rating:

Difficulty:

Solitude:

Distance: 5.80 Miles Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes

Leg 1 - Park road to park entrance and back. 2.8 miles

Leg 2 - Playground parking area > Roadrunner Loop > Playground parking area 3.0 miles

Temp was 64, heavy overcast and 10-15 mph wind.

As I drove along the park road to the entrance, I was saddened by the amount of trash lying along, and near, the road so I resolved to spend the first portion of today's hike picking it up. I walked both sides of the road and filled a large black trash bag with empty beer bottles and cans, lots of fast food wrappers, a few Starbucks and AllSup's cups, plastic straws, innumerable cigarette butts (the Marlboro Man continues to ride!) and quite a bit of loose paper. I'm sure in a day or so, there will be some trash to replace what was picked up but at least for the time I was there, the entire road to the park entrance was trash-free.

The hike along Roadrunner was good - the trail had been groomed and leveled in the recent past (photo attached). I saw about a dozen white tail deer at various places on the trail, no bucks though. A few birds were out but it was pretty quiet.

Not much else to report!

NOTES

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

Water and shade are available at various campsites along Roadrunner Loop and there are two shower houses/toilets along the route.

Only showing last 10 log entries. View All Log Entries