Running through the 65 acre Bonham State Park is an 11 mile trail designed for mountain biking and hiking. The trail will introduce interested parties to the flora and fauna of this state park.

The park is situated in the Blackland Prairie Region of Texas. The terrain is dominated by grassland interspersed by woodlands. More luxuriant woodlands occur along water courses and the lake's shoreline. Although the park's grasslands are no longer pristine, they are recovering nicely and have small areas dominated by little bluestem and bushy bluestem. The woodlands are composed of Texas Oak, eastern red cedar, bois d'arc, and eve's necklace, with sugarberry, cottonwood, black willow, and green ash becoming more common along the creeks and lake shore. Numerous wildflowers and flowering shrubs cover the gently rolling prairie in the spring, and stands of cedar and mixed hardwoods provide a panorama of multicolored leaves in the fall.

Wildlife is limited because of the relatively small size of the park. However, the lake shoreline provides habitats for beaver, raccoon, opossum, and a number of visiting songbirds. Although a few woodland birds are permanent residents, visitor and migrant species outnumber the residents.

Directions: From Bonham, TX, Travel1.5 miles southeast of on State Highway 78. Continue FM 271, then two miles southeast on FM 271. You enter on Park Road 24.

Elevation: 568 feet

Distance: 11 miles

Difficulty: Moderate/Strenuous

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