Just south of Gainesville is one of my favorite State Parks in Florida, Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. Abundant wildlife, over thirty miles of nature trails, and a real feeling of Old Florida await you at this 23,000 acre park. Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is one of Florida states largest parks and the only place where wild horses and bison roam.
Wildlife at Paynes Prairie
Herds of wild horses and bison roam free at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park just like they did when the Spanish settled in Florida 500 years ago. The horses in the park are actually descendants of horses brought to Florida by the Spanish. Ten bison were reintroduced back into the park in 1975 as wild bison once roamed from the west all the way this far south. Nowadays there are 50-70 wild bison roaming Paynes Prairie. The prairie is vast and everglades like in many ways. You can expect to see alligators, heaps of alligators along the La Chua trail. Turkeys, deer and over 270 species of birds also make up some of the wild life within the park.
Visitor Center & Observation Tower
Located at the very end of the road from the main entrance of the park under mature oak trees is the comprehensive visitor center. The visitors center houses an impressive information center and is worthy of a stroll through. The 50 foot observation tower is a short walk down a paved trail from the visitors center. While visiting the observation tower my family was able to view deer, wild horses and bison from the top. Don’t forget to pack binoculars as the view is vast and quite beautiful.
Hiking the La Chua Trail
While there are many miles of nature trails at Prairie Paynes the La Chua Trail may be the most well known. Located at the north end of Paynes Prairie, the La Chua Trail is where you will almost certainly view alligators. The trail begins on a wooden boardwalk over swampy wetlands home to wading birds. Where the boardwalk ends the trail continues 1.5 miles on a dirt path straight out into the prairie to an wildlife viewing platform at the end. Alligators can be viewed both on the boardwalk and the dirt trail. There is no shade on this trail, keep that in mind if venturing out during warmer months. On occasion the trail may be flooded and unable to complete because of conditions. No pets are allowed on this trail because of the close proximity to wildlife. Other popular trails are the Bolen Bluff Trail and Chacala Trail.
Plan a Visit to Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
Paynes Prairie Preserve State park offers year round flat hiking trails and wildlife viewing opportunities. One really gets the feeling of Old Florida when visiting this park and viewing the vistas. Upon arrival stop in at the visitors center to plan your day. On occasion certain trails are flooded; the rangers at the visitors center will guide you to make sure you have a great visit on any given day. Paynes Prairie also offers camping, and is a great spot to pitch a tent not far from Jacksonville. No matter when you visit Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is a must visit Florida park!
Jillian Gishler is a New Englander at heart. Born in Jacksonville Beach, she grew up in Massachusetts but was beckoned back to Florida by Mickey Mouse for a Disney World Internship. She returned to the beach in 2005 after graduating from Florida State. Ten years ago she opened her handmade & vintage collective shop, Sew Vicious, in Neptune Beach. Jillian raises chickens, is a passionate gardener, a DIYer, a thrift store junkie, a deal loving mama, and has several inspirational travel journals available on Amazon. She leads her daughters Girl Scout Troop, teaches sewing at a local Montessori School, and is a Parents Who Lead Alumni. She loves surprising her husband and daughters with mini-vacations around the Sunshine State.
