Highlights:
- Spring fed creek flowing year-round
- Maintained as a nature, bird, and butterfly sanctuary
Trail Length: ~.5 mi.
The Location
This city park is managed and maintained by the city of Lampasas and funded largely by private donations. The primary goal of this 23 acre park is to be a sanctuary to wildlife within the city, which is apparent when walking the trails. The park perimeter is designated by a high rise fence designed to keep deer out, which helps preserve the wildflowers and native plants sowed from scattered seeds.
This park provides easy access to a healthy group of large hardwood trees which grow along the creek. Public access to riparian habitat in Lampasas County is limited, and therefore valuable to birders.
Birding Recommendations
Because this park is fenced, you must enter through the gate on Hackberry Street. The area near the gate is mostly tall grass and wildflowers with some trees, while the more distant side of the park is mostly wooded with Burleson Creek flowing through. This park isn’t very large so feel free to take the outer trail loop, which basically follows the perimeter of the park.
You’ll likely find more with your ears than your eyes in this park. The trees are dense enough in most spots to initially hide birds from view.
Wood Ducks can be found along the creek. Downy Woodpecker is a possibility and a good bird for Lampasas County, although somewhat uncommon since this is nearing the western edge of its range in Texas. This location could make a great spot to check in early May for migrating neotropics like warblers, vireos, and flycatchers.
