Ivanhoe -- For adventurous types, climbing in a kayak is a prelude to being swept along by currents of cascading water crashing over rocks with a racing heart and white knuckles on the paddle.

For others, kayaks are the perfect way to enjoy the mirrored surface of small lakes.

In Fannin County, that means gliding across the surface of any one of the five “pocket lakes” in Lake Fannin: Coffee Mill Lake, Lake Crockett, Lake Bonham and the 55-acre lake that Bonham State Park was built around.

With temperatures soaring and the first day of summer less than a week away, local kayak enthusiasts may be headed out to cool off at one of the local lakes.

"The water is so clear," says Mark Rich when asked why he prefers the relatively calm and protected waters of Lake Fannin.

The historic stone wood structures, built between 1936 and 1938, and a lasting testament of the craftsmanship of Rural Resettlement Administration workers, are now off limits to the public by order of the U.S. Forest Service. This scenic hideaway earned inclusion to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

Lake Fannin trails also features slightly less than six miles of single-track mountain bike trails that offer occasional glimpses of the lake. Designed by S&S trail services, the trail was built by the Friends of Lake Fannin, DORBA and S&S staff.

USDA and a group of Master Naturalists have provided signage along the nature trail which begins at the bath house. Native trees, shrubs, and vines are now easily identified. There is also a brochure with photos and detailed information on each plant.