Bonnet Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bonnet Lake |
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| Lake Bonnet | |
 Bonnet Lake
Location in Florida
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| Location | Highlands County, Florida |
| Coordinates | 27°32′37″N 81°26′31″W / 27.5436°N 81.4420°W |
| Type | freshwater lake |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 1.1-mile (1.8 km) |
| Max. width | 0.55-mile (0.89 km) |
| Surface area | 268 acres (108 ha) |
| Max. depth | 10 ft (3 m) |
| Surface elevation | 89 feet (27 m) |
| Islands | 5 |
Bonnet Lake, also known as Lake Bonnet, is a natural freshwater lake in Highlands County, Florida. It covers about 268 acres (108 ha), which is a pretty big area! The lake is surrounded by different types of communities.
To the north, you'll find Lake Bonnet Village. On the west side, there are the Bonnet Lake Campgrounds. A railroad line runs along its southwest edge. To the south and southeast, you'll see a place called Highlands Ridge. Part of the north shore has a citrus grove, where oranges and other citrus fruits grow. A large wooded area is located northeast of the lake.
Lake Bonnet Village and Bonnet Lake Campgrounds are places where people, usually aged 55 and older, live in mobile homes or park their recreational vehicles. Highlands Ridge is also a community with homes for retired people.
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Why is it Called Bonnet Lake?
The lake got its name from a special water flower. These flowers, often called "bonnets," used to grow in great numbers on the lake's surface. This abundance of flowers gave the lake its unique name.
Boating and Fishing Fun at Bonnet Lake
If you love being on the water, Bonnet Lake offers some options. There is a boat ramp located on the north side of the lake. This ramp is right in the middle of Lake Bonnet Village.
You can use this boat ramp if you pay a small fee. The fee is collected at the Village's main office, which is up the hill from the lake. There are no other public boat ramps around the lake. Also, there are no public swimming areas along the lake's shore.
What Fish Live in Bonnet Lake?
Bonnet Lake is a good spot for fishing! According to the HookandBullet.Com website, you might catch a few different types of fish here. The lake is home to bluegill, which are small, colorful fish. You might also find gar, which are long, slender fish. And if you're lucky, you could even reel in a blue catfish.
Discovering the Islands of Bonnet Lake
Many small natural lakes in this area have no islands, or maybe just one or two. But Bonnet Lake is special because it has five islands! None of these islands have any buildings or structures on them. They are all small or very small, adding to the lake's natural beauty.
Islands Near Lake Bonnet Village
Two of the islands are located close to the shore of Lake Bonnet Village. One of these is the largest island in the lake. It's shaped like a triangle and is about 300 feet (91 m) west of the boat ramp. This island is in front of the entrance to a canal. If boats want to enter the canal, they need to go around this island. It measures about 200 feet (61 m) across its widest part.
The other island near the Village is between the boat ramp and a private boat dock. This island is smaller, measuring about 100 feet (30 m) long and 20 feet (6.1 m) wide.
Islands Near Bonnet Lake Campgrounds
Two more islands are just off the shore of Bonnet Lake Campgrounds. One of them is at the north end of the Campgrounds. It measures about 45 feet (14 m) by 40 feet (12 m). The other island is a bit further south. It's somewhat round and measures about 75 feet (23 m) by 75 feet (23 m).
The Tiny Island
Finally, there's a very tiny island off the northeast shore of Lake Bonnet. It's only about 10 feet (3.0 m) long and 5 feet (1.5 m) wide!
