Take a spring amble on the newly restored Ned and Genie Fritz Texas Buckeye Trail. An annual tradition since the ‘80s, started by Ned Fritz and aided by Genie. A highlight of early spring is the blooming season for Texas buckeyes (Aesculus glabra var. arguta) with their conical clusters of fragrant yellow-ivory flowers. The slight understory tree with a slender trunk and branches is a sub-species of the more famous Ohio buckeye, being more compact with greater heat tolerance, though it often sheds leaves in summer.
These hikes will fill, so reserve soon here.
2025 Texas Buckeye Walks
- Sat. 3/15 at 10 am
- Sun. 3/16 at 10 am
- Sat. 3/22 at 10 am
- Sun. 3/23 at 10 am
- Sat. 3/29 at 10 am
- Sun. 3/30 at 10 am
- Sun. 4/6 at 10 am
Other Bonton Woods Walks
- Sun. 5/11 at 10 am — Amy Martin will lead a Mother’s Day walk honoring Genie Fritz
- Sat. 9/28 at 10 am — Amy Martin will lead a Ned Fritz Day walk honoring Ned
- Sat. 11/8 at 2 pm — Fall Yellow Walk, leaders: Kristi Kerr Leonard and Charlie Marshall
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Hike tips:
~ The 2.4-mile roundtrip walk is often muddy.
~ Sturdy hiking boots or well-fitting galoshes are strongly recommended.
~ Hiking sticks are very helpful. Bug spray is essential.
~ Bring a change of shoes for the ride home.
~ A large towel can help prevent mud from your pants legs from dirtying the car seats.
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Naturalists and native plant fans brought this grove next to the Trinity River to the attention of eminent environmentalist Ned Fritz in the 1980s. He knew of this part of the Great Trinity Forest as he was identifying natural areas slated for destruction by a planned Trinity barge canal, but not the buckeye grove. It was during the process of fighting the canal, the name Great Trinity Forest (GTF) arose.
Fritz realized that places of extraordinary beauty within the GTF might stir people to protect it. To that end, he led very popular and famously muddy annual walks to see the blooms. Over time, a series of soft-surface trails were created. After Ned aged out, Jim Flood took over the walks until Covid. In 2019, the trails were officially named the Ned and Genie Fritz Texas Buckeye Trail.
For more on Ned and Genie, check out Ned in a Nutshell.
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In cooperation with North Texas Master Naturalists and Ned Fritz Legacy. Trail restoration support provided by Trinity Coalition.
Photo of Eileen Fritz McKee, daughter of Ned and Genie, by Jennifer Weisensel from Wild DFW: Explore the Amazing Nature Around Dallas-Fort Worth (Timber Press).
