Name: PAYNES PRAIRIE PRESERVE STATE PARK, MICANOPY, FL
Start: 2025-01-02T15:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-01-06T13:00:00-05:00

Join us camping at Payne's Prairie Preserve State Park. The sites at this campground are classified as "Primitive" walk-in. They are a short distance from the parking area and have a shared electrical box and access to waters and a bathhouse. This setup may not be conducive to those of you who like to sleep in your cars.

Book your reservation here: https://reserve.floridastateparks.org/Web/#!park/53.

In this surprisingly diverse preserve south of Gainesville, Paynes Prairie is unique in many ways. Nowhere else in Florida can visitors experience wild-roaming bison and horses. Nearly 300 species of birds also frequent the park along with alligators, deer and many other animals.

The park’s eight trails, including the 16-mile paved [Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail](https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/gainesville-hawthorne-state-trail), allow one to explore the park’s interior and observe wildlife, while a 50-foot high observation tower provides for panoramic views of the prairie from the south rim. A boardwalk on the La Chua Trail invites you to walk out into the open prairie, sometimes over dry land, sometimes venturing over water.

**HIKING TRAILS AND RECREATION**
Bolen Bluff and Cone’s Dike trails provide a chance to see some of the park’s largest residents, American bison or wild horses. It is important to remember that while they can appear tame, they are wild animals and are unpredictable. Use caution and always stay at least 75 feet away.
Bolen Bluff travels 2.6 miles through a magnificent oak hammock, giving hikers ample opportunity to see other wildlife such as bobcats, white-tailed deer and wild turkeys.

The 8.25-mile Cone’s Dike Trail travels directly through the prairie itself, giving visitors the most direct (and unshaded) access to this awesome place.

Fishing and canoeing on Lake Wauburg are popular along with a shaded campground.

The **Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail** is a local favorite for bicycling, a scenic greenway paved to provide best access for bikes, runners and other users. Don’t let the pavement fool you though: Plenty of wildlife can be seen on this 16-mile trail that cuts through premier hammock forests while connecting the cities of Gainesville and Hawthorne.

We may also visit the Devil's Millhopper which features a huge staircase that allows you to walk down into a sinkhole.

***EXPERIENCES***
Bicycling, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Paddling, Photography, Wildlife Viewing
**MICANOPY, FL - WEATHER AVERAGES**
**Jan - 68°/ 43°**

Jennifer
561-703-1698

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PAYNES PRAIRIE PRESERVE STATE PARK, MICANOPY, FL

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PAYNES PRAIRIE PRESERVE STATE PARK, MICANOPY, FL

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