One of the biggest perks to living in Gainesville is the abundance of natural beauty. Living in Gainesville, you have access to some of the most scenic vistas in Florida. Gainesville’s unique geographical make-up provide for some of the best outdoor trails.
Whether you’re a hiker, a biker, or just enjoy the outdoors, you’re going to love Gainesville trails.
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Here are the five best Gainesville trails for hiking and biking:
Paynes Prairie
The first on our list also happens to be the largest of our list. When we say Paynes Prairie is big, we mean big – the 22,000 acre park is bigger than the city of Gainesville itself! Paynes Prairie features an extensive network of paved and off-road trails winding through some of the most beautiful scenery in Central Florida.
If you’re up for a long haul, you can ride the entire Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail; a 30 mi. stretch of paved bike trail that runs through the prairie!
Archer Braid Trail
Running six miles from Archer towards Gainesville, Archer Braid is a nice, leisurely paved path cruise. Future construction on the trail plans for the path to extend east towards UF.
Newnans Lake
Newnans Lake is located just east of Gainesville. The 1.2 mi. lake is an ecological hotspot and supports a diverse wildlife. As a designated conservation area, its undeveloped surroundings provide a scenic backdrop for outdoors lovers.
Newnans Lake offers several hiking and biking trails to enjoy.
Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park
One of Gainesville’s most notable geological attractions, Devil’s Millhopper State Park extends out of one of Florida’s largest sinkholes.
Descending into the sinkhole, you can find many different forms of vegetation as well as trickling streams of water winding through the rocks and plant-life. At the rim of the sinkhole, you can choose to hike the .9 mile nature trail for a more traditional bout.
Depot Park
In the heart of downtown Gainesville, you’ll find an unlikely trail location. Dubbed “The Central Park of Gainesville”, Depot Park offers a dedicated park and recreation area in the urban center. Located on the site of an historic train depot, Depot Park offers many outdoor activities for children, families and couples.
A paved path meanders along ponds and through a scenic conservation area on an easy loop.
