Tawakoni Loop
More Information:
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Greenville COC
(903) 455-1510
https://www.ci.greenville.tx.us/910/Visit -
Lake Tawakoni Area Regional COC
(903) 447-3020
www.laketawakonichamber.org -
City of Wills Point
(903) 873-2578
willspointtx.org
Clymer Meadow
PPWE 072
From the intersection of US 380 and US 69 in Greenville, go north on US 69 for 15 miles to FM 1562 in Celeste. Turn left (south) on FM 1562 and follow 3.1 miles to CR 1140. Turn right (north) on CR 1140 and site is located on both sides of the road for the next 1.3 miles. Viewing is limited to the CR 1140 right-of-way or by appointment.
Wildflowers and tall grasses fill one of the few remaining expanses of native Blackland Prairie habitat in northeast Texas. Management strategies for the 1,200 acres of prairie and riparian habitat include controlled burns and grazing by bison. Visitors can view the prairie from the county road or call for access by appointment.
Dominant wildflowers include rough-leafed rosinweed, purple Indian paintbrush, prairie clover and American basketflower. Native grasses mixed in with these wildflowers include big bluestem, eastern gamagrass, little bluestem, meadow dropseed, sideoats grama and Canadian wildrye.
The open prairie supports various grassland birds including Dickcissel, Eastern Meadowlark, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and Red-tailed and Cooper's Hawks. During the winter months look for Short-eared Owl, various dabbler ducks on the pond and various sparrows on the prairie.
Fluttering creatures attracted by the milkweeds include Monarch and Queen butterflies. Other butterflies include Black Swallowtail, Orange Sulfur, Dogface and Hackberry Emperor. Look for dragonflies such as Comet Darner, Jade Clubtail and Orange Shadowdragon on the pond.
(903) 568-4139
www.nature.org
Tawakoni Wildlife Management Area - Pawnee Inlet Unit
PPWE 074
From the intersection of US 69 North and FM 513 in Lone Oak, go left (southwest) on FM 513 for 0.5 mile. Continue west on FM 1571 for approximately 3 miles to the entrance.
The Pawnee Unit includes 1,381 acres of highly diversified habitat of post oak savannah, old field, tallgrass prairie and bottomland hardwood associated with Cowleech Fork of the Sabine River. The diversity of habitats provides for excellent wildlife viewing. Look for white-tailed deer, coyote and feral hog in the more open areas.
In bottomland hardwood habitat, look for Eastern Kingbird, Little Blue Heron, Barred and Great Horned Owls, Pileated and Downy Woodpeckers and Yellow-billed Cuckoo. The old field and prairie areas support Red-tailed and Cooper's Hawks, Smith's and Lapland Longspurs and various sparrow species during the fall. Check the Tawakoni WMA website for a list of commonly observed birds.
Wildflowers such as green, flowering milkweed and Indian blanket attract many species of butterflies, including Monarch, Common Wood Nymph, Tiger and Giant Swallowtail, Viceroy and Southern Broken Dash. Dragonflies are numerous and include Widow Skimmer, Swift Setwing and Red Saddlebags.
(903) 881-8233
www.tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/wma/find_a_wma/list/?id=24
Tawakoni Wildlife Management Area - Caddo Creek Unit
PPWE 075
From the intersection of SR 276 and SR 34 in Quinlan, go north on SR 34 approximately 2 miles. The site is located on the west beginning at the south side of Caddo Creek Bridge. Access and parking are available on the old roadbed.
Situated along Caddo Creek before it flows into Lake Tawakoni, the WMA conserves diminishing bottomland hardwood habitat. Open grassland habitat occurs along the southern end of the WMA. The area where these two habitats meet is a good place to look for raccoon, white-tailed deer, feral hog and eastern fox squirrel.
Indigo and Painted Buntings, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Red-eyed Vireo and Black-and-white Warbler are found in wooded areas. In winter, look for Smith's Longspur and various sparrows in the open grassland. Look for butterflies such as Black Swallowtail, Giant Swallowtail, Monarch and Gray Hairstreak and dragonflies such as Common Green Darner, Swamp Darner and Common Whitetail.
(903) 881-8233
www.tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/wma/find_a_wma/list/?id=24
Tawakoni Wildlife Management Area - Duck Cove Unit
PPWE 077
From the intersection of SR 276 and SR 34 in Quinlan, travel south on SR 34 for 0.5 mile to SR 276. Turn left (east) and go 1.1 miles to FM 751. Turn right (south) onto FM 751 and follow it south 6.9 miles to CR 3827. Turn right (west) on CR 3827 and follow it 1.3 miles to entrance.
The Duck Cove Unit includes 792 acres of highly diversified habitats, which include post oak savannah, old field, tallgrass prairie and bottomland hardwoods. Along the Lake Tawakoni shoreline, look for egrets, herons, American White Pelican and Belted Kingfisher. In the woodlands, look for Orchard Oriole, Barred and Great Horned Owls, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Eastern Kingbird and various woodpecker species. The grasslands support the stocky, broad-winged Red-tailed Hawk, the smaller Cooper's Hawk, as well as American Kestrel, Eastern Meadowlark and Northern Bobwhite.
Wildflowers in the open areas attract butterflies such as Monarch, Tiger and Giant Swallowtail, Viceroy and Southern Broken Dash. Common dragonflies observed include Calico Pennant, Swift Setwing and Red Saddlebags.
(903) 881-8233
www.tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/wma/find_a_wma/list/?id=24
Lake Tawakoni State Park
PPWE 078
From the intersection of US 80 and FM 47 in Wills Point, go north on FM 47 for 5.7 miles to FM 2475. Turn left (west) on FM 2475 and follow it north 4 miles to the park entrance.
This 376-acre state park offers a variety of activities and amenities, including 5.5 miles of trails and tent camping. Habitats include tallgrass prairie, post oak woodland and lakeshore.
Look for birds such as Summer Tanager, Northern Oriole, Painted Bunting and Eastern Bluebird along the nature trail. Look to the skies for Bald Eagle, Osprey, Crested Caracara and Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks. At the shoreline, look for Belted Kingfishers feeding and ducks such as Northern Shoveler, Pintail, American Widgeon and Bufflehead. Guided night hikes expose visitors to the sounds of Barred and Great Horned Owls and Chuck-will's-widow along with bellowing bullfrogs.
Migrating songbirds such as Blackburnian and Black-and-white Warblers are plentiful during spring migration. Because the wood-warblers are more often heard than seen during migration, learning to identify by song is a real asset. Mammals to look for include bobcat, raccoon, white-tailed deer and both red and gray fox.
(903) 560-7123
www.tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/lake-tawakoni
Wills Point Bluebird Trails
PPWE 079
From the intersection of FM 47 and FM 751 in Wills Point, go west on FM 751 for 0.9 mile to the Wilderness Trail entrance on the right. The Bluebird Trail spokes for miles from downtown Wills Point on every major roadway including FM 47, US Hwy. 80, FM 2475, FM 751, FM 2965, Hwy. 64 and FM 3502.
Officially known as "The Bluebird Capital of Texas," the City of Wills Point and the Wills Point Wilderness Society are proud of their bluebirds (and rightly so). Follow the Bluebird Trail along major roads extending from downtown Wills Point. Eastern Bluebirds use the hundreds of volunteer-maintained boxes along the fence lines to nest and rear their young each year, producing one of the highest densities of Eastern Bluebirds in Texas.
While driving along the trail, also watch for hawks, Dickcissel, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Painted Bunting and American Kestrel along fence lines and utility lines.
(903) 873-4227