just okay time nothing really stood out that day maybe it was just not a good day

A visit to Gainesville is not complete without a visit to Paynes Prairie. There are many nature trails worth visiting and a lot of wildlife to see.

May husband and I drove up to Gainesville specifically to visit Paynes Prairie because I was hoping to see/get pictures of the bison and horses. Sadly, the only animals we saw were squirrels, some dogs (on leashes), a gator and a snake. But the park itself was gorgeous with PLENTY of areas to hike and some really beautiful scenery. A... More

We stayed at spot 29. It was close to the restrooms and showers and was very quiet. The site had a nice base and a lantern holder and fire ring. The showers were very clean. Staff was friendly. We were able to walk on paved paths to the lakes and even though we did not venture far off the path,... More

Paynes Prairie is an extremely diverse ecosystem with all kinds of wildlife, waterfowl, Bald Eagles, alligators and other water species of reptiles, wild horses, bison, etc. It also has a very nice campground which a lot of people who live in the area don't even know about. We spend every Christmas week there even though we live right in Gainesville.... More

Paynes Prairie is beautiful...wild horses and dear everywhere. Stop by and relax...it is a beautiful place!

Our 8 mile roundtrip hike on the Cone's Dike trail felt almost like a safari. We saw so much wildlife on this trip! At the entrance of the park, we saw four turkeys--a male and three females. On the trail we saw wild horses. Apparently it is also possible to see bison here. Additionally, we must have seen two dozen... More

Loved the visitor's center and learned quite a bit about the local flora and fauna. Enjoyed a 1/2 mile walk to the observation tower.

Prairie and hiking doesn't come to mind for most when coming to Florida, but Paynes Prairie is a beautiful example of natural Florida. The park is large and has hiking, fishing, camping, photography opportunities and other activities available. Just a beautiful place to go find some solitude or to enjoy some time in nature.