San Angelo State Park receives around 20.5 inches of rain in an average year. That’s just enough to keep the desert plants alive.
On the western edge of the town of San Angelo, the park borders O.C. Fisher Lake, but the landscape is all Trans-Pecos desert. It’s a unique ecosystem that supports a variety of critters, but not a lot of trees. This is a park that is at its best during the cooler months of the year.
Opened in 1995, the park has multiple campgrounds along the lakeshore. The six cabins are tiny, but adequate with their own view of the lake. With more than 60 miles of multi-use trails, this is a popular destination for mountain bikers, equestrians, and hikers. The paths wind through the arroyos and desert flats of prickly pear cactus and mesquite trees.
The park’s nearly 8,000 acres are home to a wide range of animals besides portions of the state bison and longhorn herds. Two bird blinds offer a chance to see the hundreds of species of avian visitors to the park.
San Angelo State Park is outside of San Angelo – about a four-hour drive from Austin. The park offers a wide range of recreational opportunities, plus a scenic overlook of the Concho River Valley and the buttes along the horizon. For more info, call 325/949-4757 or see www.tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/san-angelo.
1,276th in a series. Collect them all. Day Trips, Vol. 2, a book of “Day Trips,” is available for $8.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling, and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, PO Box 40312, South Austin, TX 78704.
This article appears in January 8 • 2016.
