Bonita Lakes Park - Meridian, MS
Bonita Lakes Park – Dog-Friendly Park in Meridian, Mississippi
Bonita Lakes Park in Meridian, MS is a beautiful natural escape perfect for outdoor enthusiasts and pet owners. The park features scenic views with multiple lakes, extensive walking and hiking trails (including paved paths around the lakes), and plenty of open green space. While it is a popular destination for families with its picnic areas, playground, and exercise zones, dog owners will appreciate the accessible pet-welcoming trails throughout the park. Please note that, based on recent visitor experiences, dogs are not permitted on the main paved lake path but are welcome in grassy and trail areas.
This Meridian dog park location is ideal for those seeking pet-friendly hiking, fresh air, and a peaceful retreat close to the city. Amenities include wheelchair accessible entrances and parking, picnic tables, barbecue grills, gazebos, public restrooms, and reservable pavilions. The area is well-maintained with benches and seating along paths, making it comfortable for both pet owners and their furry friends. However, there is no dedicated fenced dog area or off-leash zone—leash use is required throughout the park. Visitors should be aware of local wildlife such as ticks, especially when venturing off paved paths into the wooded trails.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are dogs allowed off-leash at this park? No, dogs must remain on a leash at all times while visiting Bonita Lakes Park.
- What are the park’s leash requirements? Leashes are required for all dogs in the park.
- Is there a fenced area for dogs? No, there is not a designated fenced dog area in this park.
- Are there benches or seating areas for owners? Yes, benches and seating are provided along the paved trails and picnic areas.
- Is there a playground or activities for kids nearby? Yes, there is a playground and additional amenities like slides and swings for children.
- Are restrooms available for owners? Yes, public restrooms are available within the park.
- Is the park wheelchair accessible? Yes, Bonita Lakes Park features wheelchair accessible entrances and parking.
- Are picnics or BBQs allowed? Yes, the park provides picnic tables and barbecue grills throughout the area.
- Are ticks or other pests common in the area? Ticks can be present in wooded or grassy trail sections—use caution and check pets after your visit.
- Are there walking or hiking trails connected to the park? Yes, there are several paved and unpaved hiking and walking trails available in Bonita Lakes Park.
- Is there parking available? Yes, there is on-site parking at the park.
Reviews
Bonita Lakes Park is a hidden gem!
The paved walking trail around the lake is well-maintained and offers beautiful views of the lake and surrounding nature. It’s peaceful and scenic, perfect for a 1.2 mile walk. There are also hiking trails if you’re looking for something a little more strenuous.
There are benches along the path as well as picnic areas and a playground for the kiddos.
If you’re looking for a nice spot to walk, Bonita Lakes Park is a fantastic choice!
Was in town for work and was looking for a place to run in the afternoon. This location was great. If you wanted to stay on pavement, you could, although you’d be doing multiple loops around the lower portion of the lake depending on the distance. If you want to venture into the woods, there’s a trail that circumnavigates the reservoir. It’s pretty well groomed and not too rutted or rocky. There are other single track trails that are not as well defined that you can also venture onto. Keep in mind the trail that goes around the lake can be extremely hilly! Some of the climbs are pretty steep and based on my running app, I climbed over 1000 feet in elevation. I had to do a lap and add additional backtracking to get in 9 miles total but if you’re willing, you could do two complete laps and get in a challenging work out! This is a great amenity for the community and wish I had something like this near my house! I didn’t use any of the facilities so I can’t comment on those. I guess this review is geared mainly towards those looking for a good place for a trail run or a hike. Saw a lot of people out there being active, which is a huge plus.
2025.05.30 After checking-in the motel for my 1-night stay in Meridian MS, i went to Bonita Lakes Park for a walk. It was mostly ‘flat’ .. some ups_&_downs in the woods (Horse Trails, Bike Trails). At end of walk, found 3x Ticks on me 😅
The surprise is there’s more than one lake. It’s a wonderful place to visit and if you’re there, try to get out and walk every day.!!!
I stopped by Bonita Lakes Park on a roadtrip from AL to AZ, and I was overall pleasantly surprised with the park! The view was really beautiful — hard to capture in pictures.
There is a huge lake, which is encircled by a paved walking path. Along the way, there are picnic areas, an exercise/calisthenics arena, gazebos, reservable pavilions, and a public restroom (which I did not use, so I can’t comment on).
My only disappointment was that dogs are not allowed to walk on the paved walking path, which I truly don’t understand, especially considering it’s a pedestrian-only path, where no biking, rollerblading, skateboarding, etc. is allowed.
Being on such a long roadtrip, my doggie and I were hoping to stretch our legs and enjoy the path, but we had to settle for winding between the parking lot and the outer rim of grass. Unfortunately, it had also rained recently, so there was muck and fire ant beds that we had to try and dodge.
We ended up crossing the paved path to eat at a central gazebo, which had a lovely view.
Overall, this park would have been excellent, had we been able to enjoy the very under-crowded walking area. Forcing pup owners to walk where the cars go is dangerous and non-sensical.