Sometimes, you need to get out of town without going too far away. When you have an RV or camping gear, it’s pretty simple to throw everything together and hit the road on the spur of the moment. Usually when we do this, we look for someplace nearby so we can have the enjoyment of camping and getting away, without a long drive. There are many state parks within a few hours of DFW and if you live in North Dallas or Collin County, Bonham State Park is only 1-2 hours away.
We considered going to Bonham State Park a few times during the summer but it is frequently full, so it’s best to save it for spur of the moment trips after school starts or get a reservation. There are 14 water and electric RV sites ($18) and 7 water and electric tent sites ($15). With only 21 campsites available, the park stays relatively quiet in the evening. The daytime is hit or miss – there are lots of picnicking areas and a nice lake for swimming so there are a lot of day visitors to the park. By Sunday afternoon it’s pretty quiet, so if you can go for a Sunday night, or during the week in the fall you might have the place to yourself.
Our favorite moment at the park? After wanting to go swimming most of the day, but staying away because of the many families and screaming kids that were there, we got our chance as the sun was setting. The water was surprisingly warm, due to the small size of the lake, and we had the beach to ourselves. It’s hard to resist the romantic notion of a sunset swim with your sweetie.
There were flocks of ducks and geese to watch and photograph while we were there, all relatively tame and not afraid when we got close to them. You can also take a hike all the way around the lake or on some of the other trails.
Bonham is not a park with a big visitors center, nature center or lots of activities but it is a great place to sneak away for a few days, relax and just enjoy some time together.
