Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park…what a find!! The park is only 13 miles south of Gainesville and 29 miles north of Ocala. It was a perfect getaway for me and my dog Annie in between horse shows at the World Equestrian Center.
I typically don’t visit state parks because unlike National Forests, dogs have to be on a leash and there is an entrance fee. At Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, the fee was only $4. I couldn’t believe it! I am so glad I visited this 22,000 acre wilderness over two days.
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Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park became the first state preserve in 1971 and was designated a National Natural landmark in 1974 due to its diverse wildlife habitat and distinctive geologic features. The prairie, which supports wild horses and free roaming bison, was once a lake until a number of sink holes merged together.
Today, the park features more than 30 miles of trails, of which 16 miles is the paved Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail. There are also several miles of interior, dog-friendly trails which pass through the shaded forest and two trails that lead hikers out onto the prairie where the bison and wild horses roam.
Jackson’s Gap and Chacala Trails
I hiked 9-miles each day when I visited Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. The first day I followed the long, scenic drive to the visitor center and observation tower where I took Annie on a 6-mile journey, connecting Jackson’s Gap Trail to a portion of the Chacala Trail, making a lollipop loop.
The Jackson’s Gap Trail is named for cattle rancher, Archie Jackson, who moved his cattle through a gap in the fence near the turn of the 19th century. Nearby are remnants of an old home. Both the Jackson’s Gap Trail and the Chacala Trail are single tracks which pass through pine flatwoods and hardwood hammock.
While the trails are pretty well marked, there are a few extra spurs, so it is best to download the treks on AllTrails. I took a slight detour in the beginning, but the mud turned me away about the same time the app indicated I was off track!
Visitor Center and Observation Tower
After our six-mile journey, I brought Annie back to VANgo parked in the very shaded parking lot before checking out the Visitor Center and the Observation Tower. I mistakenly visited Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, on President’s Day, so this area was a bit busy, but at least I saw a few bison from afar.
Bolen Bluff Trail
With the chance to walk among wild horses and free roaming bison, I hopped back in VANgo, and drove to another section of the park to hike the Bolen Bluff Trail. The small parking area for this trailhead is a few miles north of the main entrance off Highway 441.
What a rewarding three-mile hike this was! The path begins in the forest and after about a mile it extends onto the open prairie. I was grateful for a cool day, otherwise, without any shade, the path through the prairie could be quite hot.
I double-timed it out to the prairie after asking a fellow hiker if he had any luck spotting wildlife. Did he ever! He said wild horses were right on the trail and the bison were just past the observation deck. I felt fortunate to find them just where he described.
The five or so horses meandered in and out of the tall brush on either side of the path, so it was very special when one horse crossed the trail in front of me two different times. The bison, however, were a bit far away from the viewing platform.
After going on safari in Botswana with the animals resting in the shade of your vehicle, the bison hardly warranted a photo. They looked like specs on the prairie, but I am always happy to see any wildlife!
Speaking of animals taking advantage of shade, there was a single cattle egret, that was very entertaining to watch. It hopped along in the shadow of the horses and pecked at the grubs that got churned up as the horses grazed. It kind of reminded me when birds stood in the shade of the wildebeest in Kenya.
I spent a long time just watching its antics before heading to the parking lot on the other portion the loop trail that returns through the woods. The hike was a reverse lollipop loop!
Lake Trail
I had such a good time walking among the wild horses, I stayed in Gainesville overnight, for a chance to see them on the Cones Dike Trail the following morning. Of course, first I had to take Annie for a walk, so we ventured along Jackson’s Gap Trail again, but this time took a right onto Lake Trail.
For a short time, Lake Trail is a single-track path that snakes through the shade of the forest. Unfortunately, after crossing the main road to the Visitor Center, it turns into a wide, sandy service road with virtually no shade.
The road leads to a picnic area at Lake Wauberg, which may also be reached by car. As a result, the lake is a bit more commercialized than I’d like. In the end, it served its purpose…Annie got to stretch her legs. We even saw three deer on Jackson’s Gap Trail upon our return.
Cones Dike Trail
With three miles under my belt, once again, I dropped Annie off at VANgo and set out on the eight-mile Cones Dike Trail.
For the first 1.5 miles I saw a whole lot of nothing! I couldn’t help but wonder if that was because of the group of noisy, young children. I had to laugh when the little boy shouted, “We thought you were a deer!”
His mom whispered, “Ask her what she has seen.”
I replied, “I saw a deer on another trail.”
She said, “We haven’t seen anything,” as she knowingly nodded at the group of five little ones chatting up a storm! “But we have seen lots of tracks!”
The path was loaded in tracks…horse, bison, deer, and raccoon, just to name a few. It was also peppered in scat, though I will say the horses tended to poo in specific areas. My horse, Swish, needs to take a page out of the wild horse book. He trashes his stall. There is no tidiness to be found.
I don’t like to leave Annie in the van unattended for too long, despite the shade, screened windows and fans for her. Consequently, after being skunked for almost two-miles, I considered turning around. Then I heard a neigh ahead.
Reptiles and Birds in Paynes Prairie Preserve
Unfortunately, I could only see some horse paths that lead into the shoulder high brush, but no horses. But as luck would have it, I stumbled upon a small pond on the left-hand side of the dike where a GIANT alligator was sunning on the other side of the bank.
Just wow! I cautiously walked up to the edge of the pond keeping my eyes peeled for any others. Not being from Florida, I am not familiar with their habitat or reactions, so I get a little nervous. Having spent most of my time hiking in the Rockies, I am far more comfortable with bear and moose encounters.
I jumped about a foot when I heard a splash just yards away. Apparently, I overlooked the nearby baby alligator! As it swam around, I snapped some photos and got reinvigorated to continue my pursuit of wildlife. It was a great choice!
As I took a few more steps toward the raised dike, I stumbled across an alligator nest with three little babies. I was just feet from it, and the giant alligator that I presume was the mama just continued soaking in the sun on the far bank! It was similar to my amazing experience watching the grizzly bears in Katmai, Alaska. The mama bear just lounged on her back as the cubs circled us.
The next mile of my walk along the Cones Dike Trail rewarded me with at least ten giant gator sightings. I literally lost count and wondered on my way back which were the same and which were different because sadly I couldn’t remember! I also spotted several turtles and birds, and even a shell in a tree which probably fell from a bird’s claws.
Wild Horses and Deer
While I’d rather see mammals, I was elated to see so much activity. Though I couldn’t help but think how many creatures did I overlook? Are there beaty eyes of snakes and panthers staring at me? I don’t normally get creeped out in nature, but I let my mind wander a little too much as I found myself three-miles from anyone while walking back into the hot sun.
Though the full round trip of the Cones Dike Trail is eight miles, I only walked six since Annie was waiting for me in VANgo. If I managed to spot wild horses or deer upon my return, I wanted time to capture some photos without leaving her too long.
In the mid-day sun, it seemed unlikely, but shockingly me, two deer, and a fellow hiker coming from another direction all ended up at the same place at the same time. It is amazing how that works!!
He said he hadn’t seen any horses, so I wasn’t looking that hard. In fact, I spent more time glancing down at the puddles on either side of the road. I couldn’t believe, I spotted five more baby gators!! I guarantee I walked right by them the first time.
Needless to say, when I looked up and to my left to find two wild horses that were grazing in a patch of green grass outside the tall reeds, my day was complete! Just WOW! Two days in a row I got to see wild horses. I had such a great time exploring Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park.
University of Gainesville Bat Houses
The only way to have capped off a perfect wildlife experience would have been to see the bats fly from the largest occupied bat houses at the University of Florida in Gainesville. While it didn’t work for me, anyone visiting Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, should consider watching the bats too. ETB
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I’m amazed by the amount of wildlife that you saw in the park (though not so surprised about the alligators after growing up in Florida). This sounds like a wonderful state park find!
I felt very lucky!! Because in the brush you couldn’t see them at all