Park Summary for Print - Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park

Welcome to Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park

Paynes Prairie is biologically, geologically, and historically unique. This park became Florida´s first state preserve in 1971 and is now designated as a National Natural Landmark. Noted artist and naturalist William Bartram called it the great Alachua Savannah when he wrote about his visit to the prairie in 1774.

Over 20 distinct biological communities provide a rich array of habitats for wildlife, including alligators, bison, wild horses, and over 270 species of birds. Exhibits and an audio-visual program at the visitor center explain the area´s natural and cultural history. A 50-foot-high observation tower near the visitor center provides a panoramic view of the preserve.

Eight trails provide opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, and bicycling. Ranger-led activities are offered on weekends, November through April. Fishing on Lake Wauberg is allowed and a boat ramp provides access for canoes and boats with electric motors. Gasoline powered boats are not allowed. Full-facility campsites are available for overnight visitors. Located on U.S. 441, 10 miles south of Gainesville.

Contact the Florida Park Service Information Center for general inquiries.
For Information about Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, please call 352-466-3397.

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Hours of Operation

Florida state parks are open from 8 a.m. until sundown 365 days a year.

Driving Directions

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is located 10 miles south of Gainesville, in Micanopy, on the east side of US 441.

Coming from the north on I-75: Take exit 374, the Micanopy exit, and turn left at the end of the exit ramp. You will then be traveling east on CR 234. Stay on this road 1.4 miles until it intersects with US 441. Turn left onto 441 and go 0.6 miles to Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park (on the right).

Coming from the south on I-75: Take exit 374, the Micanopy exit, and turn right at the end of the exit ramp. You will then be traveling east on CR 234. Stay on this road 1.4 miles until it intersects with US 441. Turn left onto 441 and go about 0.6 miles to Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park (on the right).

Park Fees

Admission Fees - $4.00/vehicle (up to 8 passengers). Single Car Occupant - $3.00
Motorcycle Fee (one or two persons) - $3.00
Pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers, passengers in vehicles with a holder of an Annual Individual Entrance permit - Admission Fee $1.00 per person.

Camping Fees - $15.00 per night

Picnic Pavilion - A 65 person picnic pavilion can be reserved for $30.00 plus tax.

Group Camping - Camping fee is $4.00 for each person with a minimum fee of $20.00 per night, plus tax. Equestrian fee is $10.00 for both horse and rider.

Activities at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park

	Bicycling Cycling is permitted along the park drive and the following trails: Chacala, Bolen Bluff, Jackson's Gap, Cone's Dike and Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail State Park. Most trails require "fat-tired" bikes. ADA composting toilets are located on the Gainesvile Hawthorne Trail at mile markers 1 and 7.
	Campfire Circles For registered campers only. Every Saturday evening, from November to February. Enjoy ranger-led campfire programs about Paynes Prairie's cultural and natural resources at the new, Friends-funded campfire amphitheater. Topics vary weekly and may include the Timucua Indians, native medicinal plants, pottery of the past, flint knapping and atlatls, wild horses, bison, cattle and tales of Cracker Cowboys, William Bartram's Travels, wildlife of the Preserve, birds of prey, snakes, alligators, and more. Programs begin at dusk. Bring your marshmallows. The amphitheater is located on the edge of Lake Wauberg to the right of the picnic pavilions. Campfire Amphitheater
	Canoeing & Kayaking Canoeing is available on Lake Wauberg which covers about 300 acres. There is a public boat ramp located on the east side of Lake Wauberg. There are no canoes for rent at Paynes Prarie.
	Fishing Fishing is permitted on Lake Wauberg, an approximately 300-acre lake. Bass, bream, and speckled perch are regularly caught species. Areas for fishing along the bank are limited. Access to the lake is available via the park's boat ramp. The use of gasoline-powered engines is prohibited. Fishing License Required Do you need a Fishing License?
	Full Facility Camping Full Facility Camping is available for tents, trailers or motorized vehicles up to 40' long. The tent sites are walk-in sites a short distant from the parking area. Each site has a lantern post and picnic table with nearby water and electric service. The camping fee is $15.00 per night. ADA bathroom facilities are available in the campground area.
	Group Camping Enjoy a quality outdoor experience at the Chacala Trail Group Area Primitive Camp Site. Visitors are asked to arrive 2 hours prior to sunset to ensure adequate time to hike the 2 miles to the primitive site. The following amenities are provided: One unisex waterless restroom Three 16’ x 16’ elevated tent pads One 10’ x 20’ covered picnic shelter with two picnic tables One fire circle and two standup BBQ grills Horse hitching area Hand operated pitcher pump for non-potable water with bucket Reservations must be made 48 hours in advance either in person or at the Ranger Station between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. daily or by calling 352-466-3397. Camping fee is $4.00 for each person with a minimum fee of $20.00 per night, plus tax. Equestrian fee is $10.00 for both horse and rider.
	Horse Trail The Chacala Trail is a multi-use trail and is a series of loop trails encompassing 6.5 miles in length. The level trail winds through several distinct biological communities including pine flatwoods, hardwood forest or hammock, baygall, open ponds and old fields. A diversity of wildlife may be observed including deer, bobcat, wild turkey, and the pileated woodpecker. This trail is open to horse, bike and foot traffic. This trail is accessed from the main park entrance.
	Nature Trails NOTE: Due to potential conflict with alligators, snakes, and bison, pets are not allowed on some of the trails. 1. LA CHUA TRAIL - Pets are not allowed on this trail. The LaChua Trail is three miles round-trip from the North Rim of the Prairie to the observation tower. This trail provides scenic views of wet-prairie and marsh habitat including Alachua Sink and Alachua Lake. Main access is 4801 Camp Ranch Road. LaChua Trail opens at 8:00 a.m. and is open 7 days a week. For safety and wildlife disturbance reasons, the trail closes 1 hour before sunset. Alternate access is from Boulware Springs at 3500 SE 15th Street. (Boulware Springs is also the starting point of the Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail State park). Foot traffic only! Pets are not allowed on this trail. 2. BOLEN BLUFF TRAIL - Pets are not allowed on this trail. The 2.6 mile roundtrip trail is named after a family of pioneer settlers who lived on the south rim or bluff of Paynes Prairie. The trail leads to a wildlife viewing deck after it passes beneath the shady canopy of a hardwood forest dominated by large oaks -- the most impressive of which are southern live oak. Other species of oaks as well as sweetgum, hickory, palm, magnolia and holly trees flourish along the trail. In Florida, communities of broad-leaved evergreens or hardwood-dominated forests are called "hammocks." This name probably originated from early native Americans that inhabited the region. Hammocks grow on high well-drained soils and thus provide an ideal habitat for a large diversity of animal species including Virginia white-tailed deer, wild turkey, bobcat, gray fox, barred owl and raccoon. Located halfway along the loop-trail is an open, grassy knoll-- Bolen Bluff. The bluff affords the visitor a scenic vista of the low-lying freshwater marsh, wet prairie and open water of Alachua Lake. From the bluff a 0.5-mile spur-trail heads out onto the prairie basin along an old earthen dike. During the 1920-30's, the Camp family constructed an extensive system of dikes and canals into the vast wetland to reduce the flooding and thus create drier conditions for cattle ranching. In 1970 the Camp Ranch was sold to the State of Florida establishing the first state preserve in the Florida Park System. Today upland areas once cleared for agriculture and cattle grazing are slowly returning to their previous hammock state. The trailhead is accessed off of US 441 south of Gainesville. Open daily 8 a.m. to sunset. Foot and bike traffic. 3. WACAHOOTA TRAIL About a quarter mile round-trip. Begins at Visitor Center and loops through hammock to a 50' observation tower along the edge of the prairie. Closes at sunset. Foot traffic only! 4. CONE'S DIKE TRAIL - Pets are not allowed on this trail. This trail is an 8.25 mile round-trip hike from the Visitor Center parking area trailhead. The earthen dike trail travels into the center of the prairie creek waterway. The flat terrain of the basin is quite open and has limited shade for hikers or bicyclists. Closes at sunset. Foot and bike traffic. 5. CHACALA TRAIL A series of loop trails encompassing a 6.5 miles in length. Chacala Trail is named after a small freshwater pond just outside the preserve boundary. The level trail winds through several distinct biological communities including pine flatwoods, hardwood forest or hammock, baygall, open ponds and old fields. For the quiet observer, a diversity of wildlife may be observed including Virginia white-tailed deer, bobcat, wild turkey, pileated woodpecker, bald eagle, and various woodpeckers. Horse, bike and foot traffic. 6. GAINESVILLE-HAWTHORNE TRAIL STATE PARK Sixteen miles in length. Access from Boulware Springs at 3500 SE 15th Street. Boulware Springs is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. November through April and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. May through October. Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail State Park, however, is open 8 a.m. to sundown daily. Horse, bike and foot traffic. To learn more visit the Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail State Park website. Well behaved dogs are allowed on a six foot hand-held leash on the Gainesville to Hawthorne State Trail. 7. LAKE TRAIL A little less than a mile in length from Lake Wauberg parking area to Savannah Boulevard. Foot and bike traffic. 8. JACKSON'S GAP TRAIL This 1.3 mile trail passes through shady hammock and pine flatwoods to connect two of the longest trails within the preserve, Cone's Dike and Chacala Trail. Jackson Gap Trail was named after a pioneering cattle rancher from the turn of the 19th century, Archie L. Jackson, who moved cattle through a gap in the fence where the trail passes near Chacala Pond. Jackson Gap trail connects with Cone's Dike Trail 0.15-mile down the trail. Wetland wildlife that inhabits the area includes sandhill crane, American alligator, egrets and herons, and rails. Occasionally, the Spanish horses or American bison may be seen grazing in the marsh. 9. SAVANNAH BOULEVARD Visitors can also enjoy walking down the paved park entrance road. ADA composting toilets are located on the Gainesvile Hawthorne Trail at mile markers 1 and 7.
	Pet Camping Pets must be confined, leashed (not to exceed six feet in length) or otherwise under the physical control of a person at all times. Tethered pets must not be left unattended for more than 30 minutes. Quiet hours must be observed from 11:00 p.m. - 8:00 a.m. Pet owners must pick up after their pets and properly dispose of all pet droppings in trash receptacles. Florida law requires that pets be vaccinated against rabies. Any pet that is noisy, dangerous, intimidating or destructive will not be allowed to remain in the park. Non-furbearing pets, such as reptiles, birds, or fish must be confined or under the physical control of the owner. Failure to abide by these rules may result in your pet being prohibited from the park (in accordance with FAC 62D2.014).
	Pets Well behaved dogs are welcome at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. They must be kept on a hand held 6-foot leash at all times and cannot be left unattended for more than a half-hour. Pets are not permitted in playgrounds, bathing areas, or park buildings. Due to potential conflict with alligators, snakes, and bison, pets are not allowed on the Bolen Bluff Trail, Cone’s Dike Trail, and La Chua Trail.
	Picnicking Picnic tables are located throughout the park. Barbecue grills are located at the Lake Picnic Area as well as by the covered pavilions. For a fee, the covered pavilions may be reserved in advance. ADA bathroom facilities are available in the picnic area.
	Visitor Center A visitor center is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Several exhibits and an audio-visual program interpret the natural and cultural history of the preserve. ADA bathroom facilities are available in the Visitor Center.
	Wildlife Viewing There are over 420 vertebrates identified in the park and over 270 of them are birds. Paynes Prarie is part of The Great Florida Birding Trail. There are many observation platforms and wildlife viewing areas located throughout the park. Some of the animals commonly seen in the park include: sandhill cranes, bald eagles, alligators, otters, deer, bobcat and snakes.

Special Events for Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park

There are no events listed at this time. Please call our park for more details on possible future events.

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park Ranger Programs

RANGER'S CHOICE
End of the month, November through April.
FREE with $4.00 park entrance fee. These Saturday activities will vary. Program topics may include birding by ear, twelve thousand years of people and the Prairie, trees and tracks of the Preserve, exploring Lake Wauberg by canoe/kayak, riding through time on the Gainesville Hawthorne trail, and more! NO PETS.
20 person limit. Call the Visitor Center at (352) 466-4100 for reservations and details.
Call (352) 466-4100 for more details.
GENTLE WALK AND TALK
November through April. This program runs every Thursday (except Thanksgiving), November through April. Begins at 9:00 a.m. and is approximately 2 hours long. This gentle walk takes you to the edge of the prairie basin and Alachua Sink, plus areas of the Preserve only accessible with a guide. Challenge yourself to identify birds, butterflies, trees, and wildflowers along the way, or just enjoy a peaceful stroll. This walk is suitable for those who aren't hikers but still want to have an outdoor Paynes Prairie experience. The pace is slow and comfortable and your guide will stop and talk about what is encountered. Also learn Paynes Prairie’s significant history, including a tour of the old Camp Ranch bunkhouse, now the North Rim Interpretive Center.
10 person limit. Call the Visitor Center at (352) 466-4100 for reservations. $2.00 per person (suggested donation).
Call 352-466-4100 for more details.
RIM RAMBLE
Third Saturday of the month, November to April.
Experience the Real Florida by following in the footsteps of noted naturalist and artist William Bartram. The rim ramble is a half-day hike, 3.5 miles ranger-led. The heavily shaded trail rambles around an array of fragile sinkholes. A panoramic view of the freshwater wetland is seen from Persimmon Point. 20 person limit.
Call 352-466-4100 for more details.
WILDLIFE WALK
Second Saturday of the month, November to April.
Join one of the Preserve's rangers and take a walk on the wild side. This leisurely paced excursion onto the prairie basin provides a wonderful opportunity to observe the unusual plants and magnificent animals that inhabit the vast 21,000-acre preserve. The three-mile walk leads to an observation deck overlooking Alachua Lake. Walk is 3-4 hours. 25 person limit. Call (352) 466-4100 for reservations and to confirm walk. This walk is dependent on the water levels on the prairie basin.
Call 352-466-4100 for more details.
CAMPFIRE PROGRAMS
Every Saturday evening, November to February.
FREE with $4.00 park entrance fee or campsite. Ranger-led campfire programs about Paynes Prairie's cultural and natural resources will vary weekly. Topics may include the Timucua Indians, native medicinal plants, pottery of the past, flint knapping and atlatls, wild horses, bison, cattle and tales of Cracker Cowboys, William Bartram's Travels, wildlife of the Preserve, birds of prey, snakes, alligators, and more. Programs begin at dusk. Bring your marshmallows. Call the Ranger Station for the program start time and topic (352) 466-3397. NO PETS.
Call (352) 466-3397 for more details.
OVERNIGHT BACKPACKING TRIP
First Saturday of the month, November to March.
The overnight trip is a moderately strenuous hike of approximately 6.5 miles over level to slightly rolling terrain (not recommended for children). The pack in, pack out hike begins mid-morning Saturday with a 4.5-mile hike to Persimmon Point. Sunday's return hike skirts along a two-mile section of the picturesque north rim of the prairie basin. It concludes around noon Sunday at the starting point. Call (352) 466-4100 for reservations up to 60 days in advance. Fee is $10 per person, 20 person limit.
Call 352-466-4100 for more details.

Frequently Asked Questions about Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park

Question: Does Paynes Prairie really have buffalo?
Answer: Yes. Buffalo (American Bison) were reintroduced to the prairie from Oklahoma in the mid 1970s. The Florida Park Service did this because it is part of our mission to restore Florida’s natural resources to pre-European settler conditions. Bison were found in Florida until the early 1800s.

Question: Where can I see the Buffalo?
Answer: The Bison at Paynes Prairie have about 6,000 acres to hang out in and we don’t try to tell 1,000-pound animals where to go! It’s a rare treat to get a look at them but they are most commonly seen from Cone’s Dike trail.

Question: Why have so many areas of the Preserve been logged recently?
Answer: In the summer of 2001, Paynes Prairie, like so much of the southeast, experienced an explosive outbreak of the Southern Pine Beetle. These beetles kill pine trees (especially Loblolly Pines) and under the right conditions, spread at tremendous rates. In an attempt to reduce the spread of the beetles, infested trees and those trees within a 100 foot radius of the infested ones were cut down and shipped away. Plans are underway to restore deforested areas with Longleaf Pines which were historically present here in much greater numbers than Loblolly Pines, anyway.

Question: Where can I see the Spanish Horses?
Answer: The wild herd of Spanish Horses numbers around eighteen and can commonly be seen from the Observation Tower at the Visitor Center. Bolen Bluff trail is another favorite hang-out of theirs.

Question: When are the Sandhill Cranes here?
Answer: Paynes Prairie is blessed with Sandhill Cranes year-round; however, most are here only for the winter. Typically, their visit lasts approximately from Thanksgiving to Valentine’s Day.

Question: What’s the best place to see alligators?
Answer: Due to the long-standing drought North Central Florida is in, the alligators are tricky to spot right now. One of the best places to view wildlife in the preserve is off of the viewing platform on US 441. Please watch the gators from a distance and do not feed or throw things at them. Alligators are wild animals and need to remain as such. Feeding or throwing things at gators causes them to lose their natural fear of man and to associate people with food. Once this happens, gators become dangerous and usually end up being killed.

Question: Is it true that Paynes Prairie was once a lake?
Answer: Yes, Paynes Prairie was once known as Alachua Lake! From 1873 to 1891 Paynes Prairie was one huge lake originating at Alachua Sink. This sink funnels water down into the Floridan aquifer. The sink apparently became plugged and in 1873 there was enough water on the prairie for boats to travel. People became used to the 3 to 5 foot deep lake and even employed steamers to haul citrus from Micanopy to Gainesville. Alachua Lake persisted for about eighteen years and then her levels fell, gradually for a couple of years and then, finally, the sink (which was deeper than the rest of lake) drained at the rate of 8 feet in only 10 days! Initially, there were great fish fries which were followed a few days later by tremendous stench as thousands of stranded fish rotted.

Question: What is the Paynes Prairie Ecopassage?
Answer: The Paynes Prairie Ecopassage is a structure on US Highway 441 designed to route the wildlife under the major highway instead of over it. For decades, crossing this 2-mile section of road was tantamount to suicide for an estimated 100,000 critters each year. Eighty species of wildlife, everything from lizards to otters, were killed until the system of culverts and walls (to direct the animals to the culverts) were installed in 2000.

Question: Can I relocate raccoons and other wildlife to Paynes Prairie?
Answer: People frequently catch animals from their backyards and want to set them free in Paynes Prairie. While this may seem like a good idea on the surface, it can actually be harmful overall to the prairie ecosystem. The animal being brought in might be harboring a disease not previously found on the preserve. Also, wildlife populations tend to plateau at levels that the habitat can support. There are already as many raccoons here as the prairie can support!

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park History

Paynes Prairie became Florida’s first state preserve in 1971 and is designated as a national natural landmark. This site possesses exceptional values as an illustration of the nation’s natural heritage and contributes to a better understanding of the environment.

The prairie basin and surrounding uplands have been a center for man’s activities in Florida for many centuries. Human occupation dates back to 12,000 BP (Before Present). During the late 1600’s, the largest cattle ranch in Spanish Florida operated here. In 1774, William Bartram described the basin as "the Great Alachua Savannah." The Seminole were the native inhabitants then, and the prairie is thought to have been named after King Payne, a Seminole Chief. Several raids and skirmishes were fought in the vicinity during the Second Seminole War.

In 1871, heavy rains began to flood the basin. By 1873, the flooded marsh was large enough to be considered Alachua Lake. Steam-powered boats traveled across the lake to transport lumber, goods and passengers to landings along the shoreline. In 1891, Alachua sink, the main drain for the basin, became unclogged allowing the water to drain. By 1892, the character of the marsh had returned. In 1903, William Camp began cattle operations on the lush, green grasses of the prairie.

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park Volunteer Information

Volunteers and interns are NEEDED at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park! Are you interested in:

Helping the environment?
Working with others who share your love of nature, culture, and history?
Contributing your time and skills to a mission you believe in?
Broadening your resume and/or life experiences?

Fun and exciting volunteer positions include:

Visitor Center Host
Trail Monitor –Roving Interpreter
Photographer
Writer/Proofreader
Grant Writer/Coordinator
Carpenter (Maintenance)
Public Relations Coordinator

FARMERS MARKETS
Festivals
Community Outreach

Interpreter/Educator/Motivator
Toll Booth Collector
Fund Raiser
Special Event Co-Coordinator
Special Projects

Skills or interests to benefit the park? Let us know!

PLUS, we are assembling a Resource Management Volunteer Team. Paynes Prairie Preserve rangers lead group projects in the field, including, but not limited to: