Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park 100 Savannah Boulevard, Micanopy, FL 32667 Phone 352-466-3397

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is 11 miles south of Gainesville, Florida. It's a great area for naturalists and outdoor enthusiasts, from birders to hikers and bikers. Fishing and canoeing on Lake Wauburg are popular along with a shaded campground.

The Great Alachua Savannah, as William Bartram called it during his visit to the prairie in 1774, is biologically, geologically, and historically unique. Now called Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, and a registered National Landmark, this park became Florida’s first state preserve in 1971. One can see alligators, bison, horses, and more than 270 species of birds at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park.

The park has 8 trails which provides over 30 miles of hiking, bicycling and equestrian recreational opportunity, including a 15 mile paved rails-to-trails trail, the Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail. Enjoy 4 observation platforms, including a 50 foot tower near the Visitor Center, that provide an open vista rarely experienced in non-coastal Florida.

The Visitor Center is unique and beautiful in itself, and facilitates the interpretation of the area’s natural and cultural significance. Visitor Center is open from 9am to 4pm daily.

The address is 100 Savannah Boulevard, Micanopy, FL 32667, United States