The Great Outdoors
San Angelo State Park
The San Angelo State Park features 7,563 acres of recreational and leisure activities. Located at O.C. Fisher Reservoir along the western boundary of the city, the park has abundant camping facilities and RV hookups. Log cabins are also available for rental. For park information call 325-949-4757 or 325-947-2687.
San Angelo State Park is astride the junction of four ecological
zones: the High Plains to the north, the Texas Hill Country
to the south, the Rolling Plains to the east and the arid
Trans-Pecos desert to the west. Consequently, plant and animal
life is highly diversified, including some 300 species of
birds and 50 animal species. Look especially for the horned
lizards that inhabit the park. The park now has its own herd
of Texas Longhorns and Bison for viewing.
Recreational facilities and tour activities at the park include:
- Boat ramps, high and low water, are available.
- Fishing from shore or boat for catfish, crappie, bass.
- Swimming and wading is permitted.
- Hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding is available on more than 50 miles of multi-use trails. Another 28 miles are under development.
- Wildlife viewing includes wonderful birding (more than 300 species) with eastern and western species both occurring, as well as mammal viewing (50 species).
- Hunting permits are available in specified areas, with a six-month small game season and special draw hunts for deer and turkey. Call 325-947-4757 for information.
- Interpretive guided tours are scheduled year-round on paleontology and archaeology found in the park. Call 325-949-4757 for current schedules.
- A petroglyph tour takes visitors by the site of a prehistoric Indian village to see Indian rock art.
- Stargazing parties are scheduled for interesting celestial events.
- Frequent trail rides are offered. Call 325-949-4757 for schedule.
- A dinosaur walk takes hikers back in time to tracks left by Permian period vertebrates. Three-mile total hike.
- Macey's Ridge, site of an early pioneer’s final resting place.
In addition to offering many varied
opportunities for nature tourism, the San Angelo State Park
holds great historic significance to the Concho Valley.
Native Americans occupied the area for more than 15,000
years. Evidence of early inhabitants starts with the Paleo-American
hunters of the giant Ice Age mammals (see the bones from
a kill site on display at park headquarters) and extends
to the more modern American Indian sites in the park. Recent
discoveries include evidence of Permian period tracks more
than 200 million years old from the predecessors of the
dinosaurs. This track site is the most extensive one of
its kind. For information about the San Angelo State Park
or to make tour reservations, call 325-949-4757 or 325-947-2687.
