Paynes Prairie, also known as the “Great Alachua Savannah” coined by William Bartram in 1774, is 22,000 acres of wilderness located in Micanopy, Florida.
The state park was established as Florida’s first state preserve in 1971. Now, it also serves as a National Natural Landmark.
Paynes Prairie is home to a unique ecosystem due to the extreme biological diversity. The park also offers many recreational opportunities, from nature-watching to camping.
Paynes Prairie basin contributes greatly to the Florida aquifer. The water levels are currently high in the prairie, which is great for maintaining the ecosystem.
The basin of the prairie was formed by sinkholes that merged together. The flowering plants and grasses that cover the basin floor act as a filter that purifies the water.
The habitat in Paynes Prairie includes over 300 species of birds, wild horses, alligators, bison and over 800 types of plants.
This monument marker located near the Paynes Prairie Visitor Center delegates the park as a National Natural Landmark. The park received this honor in 1974 from the National Parks Service in recognition of the exceptional ecosystem preserved in the parks 22,000 acres. Photo by Caitlin Petros.
The park has eight trails with 30 miles for equestrians, bicyclists and hikers. These trails range from intense hiking to leisure strolls.
Activities such as camping, canoeing, fishing, kayaking and nature-watching are popular for the park-goers. Lake Wauburg, located on the east side of the park, provides almost 300 acres for recreational opportunities.
Paynes Prairie’s wide variety of recreation makes it a popular attraction for the whole state of Florida. Those who live in and near Alachua County have the privilege of Paynes Prairie right at their fingertips.
On any given evening, it is common to see herds of cars parked along the grassy roadside of US-441 to get a front-row seat for the sunset over the prairie. The boardwalk located on the same road gives viewers the opportunity to walk out into the marsh and potentially observe some alligators or birds.
Cars are parked on the side of the road for first-class viewing of the sunset. On any given clear evening, the stretch of US-441 that crosses through Paynes Prairie becomes a popular spot to enjoy the sunset over the prairie. Photo by Caitlin Petros
Bekah Thompson, a second-year Landscape Architecture major at the University of Florida, and Daniel Nicholson, a second-year Economics major at the University of Florida, were observing the sunset on Saturday evening.
“I always appreciate a good sunset,” Thompson said. “Especially for us students, it’s sometimes easy to get bogged into the city, and it’s a nice place to get out.”
Thompson and Nicholson were spending time with friends and having a picnic on the side of US-441 overlooking the west side of the prairie.
“It’s good to spend time with friends, and it’s a nice time to enjoy the weather and be outside,” Nicholson said.
The view from US-441 at sundown. It is not surprising why many gather to see the beautiful sunsets on any given night of the week. Photo by Caitlin Petros.
The park is open from 8a.m. to sundown every day of the year. A fee is required upon entrance of the park and annual park passes are available.
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