We stayed in Meridian for a night during our road trip, and were pleasantly surprised by this hidden gem! The park is very well maintained with plenty of parking. The lake was huge and has boat ramps. We saw some locals fishing on the lake. There are also plenty of trails available for hiking and mountain biking. We only had time to explore one of the trails in the woods and were lucky enough to see so many wild lives such as deer, armadillos and fireflies! I would be here daily if I live in Meridian. read more

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This park is a freaking gem and should be a state park based on how maintained and organized it is. There's a large reservoir with lights that is very family friendly. There are also miles of trails / mountain bike trails in the woods surrounding the water that is decently maintained and marked. The trails remind me of a Lone Star Trail or Huntsville State Park and are easy enough for a family to walk through but interesting enough to mountain bike or trail run through. It smells like the piney woods and still feels wild enough inside the forest to make it fun and interesting. We saw a bunch of wildlife; deer, armadillos, fireflies, etc on the hike and did not get to explore all of it. There's also boat launches and easy and free public parking. A great spot if you're ever in Meridian or if you live here, you better be here 5 times a week. read more

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Such a beautiful place to spend time with nature. There were 2 large lakes, picnic tables, bathrooms and wonderful trails to explore. We especially liked the hilly one that wound its way through the trees! I'm so glad something like this exists in Meridian! read more

Bonita Lakes Park - Lake - Parks Near Me - Meridian, Mississippi

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Before leaving Meridian, Mississippi on a brisk Sunday in mid November 2019 via Amtrak back to New Orleans, I stopped by the Bonita Lakes Park to enjoy. Bonita Lakes Park features 3 large lakes that is essentially a reservoir for the city of Meridian. It is very beautiful here. Not sure you can swim in it, but posted signs in the area prohibit swimming in it. Best to be safe than sorry is my motto. I arrived here around 11am and spent about an hour or so here before finding lunch then uber to the Meridian Amtrak train station for the way out back to New Orleans. I saw the miniature gazebo at the park, which is a nice touch and along with the painted horse that's missing it's other horse friends nearby. There's also a walking path, which seems to circle the large reservoir / lake. I was coming off from running a race the day before, but couldn't run it - especially with my luggage with me at the time. There's always next time for sure. My time here at the Bonita Lakes Park was limited, but it gave me time to reflect on my life and my crazy life traveling and running marathons and half marathons anywhere I wanted. Realizing that blessed didn't seem to cover it, staring into the lake helped me realized the fact that life is all we have and we need to make the best of it before it's too late. The lake helped me process some of these life's truths and it helped me smile to know that happiness stems from what you want to do, not what others tell you you should do, even if it's wrong. Following your own passion, the lake tells me, works while finding that peace of mind truly helps the human spirit soar to new heights. The overall experience here at The Bonita Lakes Park was quite nice, beautiful, and spiritually cleansing. It was almost the end of 2019 and had reached my 40th birthday in September. The Bonita Lake helped me sift through life's challenging decisions and made me help push on what life still throws at us on a daily basis. It was a definitely nice spot to contemplate life and totally recommend coming here to do some life sorting. Staring into the lake does have its benefits though. The ambiance was perfect and the weather hovered in the low 50's F that day. Bonita Lake Park stretches way beyond the lake front along the reservoir. The park itself only is designated by the jogging path overlooking the lake and the carousel horse. The Bonita Lakes Park is located off Bonita Lakes Drive in Meridian, Mississippi. Since it is a public community park, there is no admission fee charged. I'm sure there are rules about no overnight camping allowed and no illegal activity, but otherwise, it's a great place for families, individuals, and anyone who loves the outdoors. As for me though, it was quite a legendary experience for me, considering that I recently turned 40 and reflecting here at Bonita Lakes Park after running the 2019 Magnolia half marathon the day before said something. The lake itself is beautiful and so pristine. So immaculate and pure. Something out of a painting of some sort. There is a generous helping of parking spots for anyone who drives here. Not sure about public transportation options here in Meridian, Mississippi, but best bet would be to come here early, perhaps watching the sunrise or sunset, whichever you want. Or just hang out here after a day of traveling to the area. I thoroughly enjoyed coming here, even if it was for an hour. It was truly the best time ever. Consider coming here if you're around in the area, either locally or passing through. You might need a chair or something, since I didn't see any benches in the park area. Probably is if I walked the paved walking trail. With that said, do yourself a favor and come here if you have the time to do so. It helped me and maybe it'll be good for you too. Definitely worth the cost of admission, even there is none - financially speaking. Although there's a cost to physically travel here, it's worth it. Thank me later. 5.0 stars for the overall experience. Support local! A+ read more

As a mom with a young child this is the perfect place to bring them out to burn off unwanted energy. There are two playgrounds with a lake in the middle and lots of space for parents to sit. read more

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A beautiful walking and picnic area, with plenty of shade trees to protect from direct sunlight...and right off the highway. A nice handicap accessible pathway too. read more

Its overall a wonderful park. Its a great introduction to the flora and fauna of the region. It has great multi trails through the woods. The main straight walk through is a 5 mile hike. We would recommend to walk through the forest as quiet as possible to catch some of the more wonderful, yet skittish, wildlife such as deer and the like. A great place to get away and go for a quiet jog through the tree covered trails. It has many picnic areas. Its great for family. even has a few pavilions to have birthday parties and/or family gatherings. Fishing is allowed but the lakes do need to be restocked already, of which I doubt their doing unfortunately. It also has a play pen area for the younger ones to play in. The trails are outlined with work out stations for those that can hack the exercise! http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g43893-d7838453-r313325426-Bonita_Lakes_Park-Meridian_Mississippi.html# read more

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Nice park, however, the location on the google maps and Apple map is not actually where the park is located. If you drop a pin into the reservoir, it will put you in the right place. read more