Deer Mouse Trail
Nestled between the Prairie and Riverbottom Trails is the Deer Mouse Trail. This .78 mile one-way trail provides a passage way for hikers to go from a grassland habitat to a bottomland forest along the West Fork of the Trinity River. The Deer Mouse trail is accessible by two parking lots along Shoreline Drive or by hiking the Prairie and Oak Motte Trails.
The convergence of prairie and bottomland forest habitats provides visitors with a unique opportunity to view the similarities and differences between a forest and prairie ecosystems. Near Shoreline Drive, the trail ascends slightly and weaves through mottes of Texas Red Oaks, Live Oaks, and Post Oaks which provide a shady sanctuary for White-tailed Deer, Nine-banded Armadillos, and a diversity of reptiles. A bench situated amongst the trees serves as a stopping point to listen to the songs from songbirds
Tracks from coyotes and raccoon dot the pathway as it meanders out of the woods onto an open field. Native grasses such as Little Bluestem, Yellow Indiangrass, and Switchgrass grow amongst a variety wildflowers attracting butterflies, bees, and beetles to the prairie. The Deer Mouse Trail comes to an end at the intersection of the Prairie and Oak Motte Trails.