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    La Chua Trail

    4.7 (37 reviews)

    La Chua Trail Photos

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    Nice short trail, mostly on a boardwalk, with some water views and a chance of seeing a gator or two.
    Michelle L.

    Nice short trail, mostly on boardwalk. Lots of birds to see and some gators too. We went on a cold day, so not too many gators were out.

    Doris E.

    We stopped to walk the boardwalk trail during a recent bike ride and it was excellent! The views are beautiful and there were so many alligators and birds to watch. This is a great natural area that appeals to all ages.

    View from above of an alligator at La Chua Trail.
    Matt P.

    I had heard about La Chua Trail for some time and finally checked it out when my sister was visiting. Everything I had heard about this short-walk trail and the ability to almost always see some alligators was true: we saw over a dozen in the water, on the banks, and amongst the reeds. At times they were only about 20 feet away. The obvious rules apply: don't get too close to them and they won't get close to you. It was a thrilling short little hike and for $6 per car admission fee, hard to beat on the price. I would recommend La Chua Trail to Gainesville natives and visitors alike.

    Nancy W.

    We came here in February hoping to see some Bison and wild horses but nothing today. The observation deck was closed because the trail to get to it was too muddy bummer. But we did see lots of ducks that had migrated, and lots of baby alligators and different types of birds. The weather was beautiful and a great day for hiking. The trail is about a 20 minute drive from the entrance of Payne's Prairie, go through a residential area to get to it. There is about 20 parking spots and they have a port-a-john for a bathroom. The hike is not very long. 2 miles total trip. The day we went there was some guys out there photographing the birds with some very sophisticated cameras.!

    Ophelia M.

    What an adventure. I should begin by saying that I grew up in the west (California), lived for a while in the Northwest (Idaho), and now live in the Midwest (Wisconsin). Prior to my trip to Gainesville, I had never even seen Spanish moss. I was completely wowed by the wildlife here. The trail begins paved and winds its way through oak trees thickly adorned with Spanish moss. It's stunning. The entire trail is dense with green. Beyond the paved trail is a wooden boardwalk enclosed with railings that extends over swampland. Depending on the water levels, you can reportedly spy an occasional alligator. The day we were there the water was low so while we didn't see any alligators, we did see some pretty amazing birds. Donations are requested for entry. An amazing experience of Florida. Get to it!

    Tree frogs
    Jeff B.

    Good place to see gators! Also you may see lizards, birds, tree frogs, possibly horses, and maybe bison. Bring a camera... don't bring your pets!

    Dalina H.

    Because of this adventurous and wonder trail, I want to move to Gainesville. La Chua Trail is just one gem found along the Hawthorne Trail. Porter pottys available throughout your stroll. Short boardwalk was the best part of the scenery. Spotted a countless number of alligators, a bison, and couple of horses. Varieties of birds may overpass you. Can I move to Gator City already?

    Boardwalk around the sinkhole. Paynes Prairie in the background.
    Coty S.

    La Chua Trail is just one of the many trails available along the Hawthorne Trail. It is clear to see once you approach the Northern rim of Paynes Prairie, there is signage as well as detailed information about the (3 mile round trip) hiking trail. There is a small donation box (optional) when you enter as well as some portable style restroom facilities. I also read somewhere that animals are not permitted on this trail. The trail is mostly paved and winds through some historical stables. My favorite part of the trail is the long boardwalk that encircles the Alachua Sink and provides some of the best views of the prairie that I have seen so far. There are also shaded areas along the boardwalk for those who are interested in photography or birdwatching. I recommend visiting this comfy area early in the morning to draw or paint the scenery from more of an elevated view. Take SE 15th Street past Boulware Springs Park, and look to the right for parking. But, I prefer to park at Boulware Springs and walk over.

    Bison, canal wading for a fresh snack 1/3/2012
    Roth M.

    Ever changing, this ecosystem is a phenomenon I insist on viewing on every return to Gainesville. When it's wet, I've seen 40-50 gators, my mom claims 200+. The boardwalk at the beginning of the trail is good for viewing the Sink, and the lake usually teeming with gators. Lots of great bird watching too, I've seen Bald Eagles, Ospreys, Hawks, Buzzards, and during certain times of year, the Sandhill Cranes migrate to Payne's Prairie by the thousands. Personally, I've been just feet from hundreds of them as they dig through the prairie soil for worms and grubs, it is pretty amazing. Also, there are free range bison(check my pictures uploaded), horses, and wild boars. As of right now, the water is very low, so I saw zero gators today, but given time, the water and gators will return. Do yourself a favor and check the history of Payne's Prairie, it is actually a "dry" lake bed. In (the 1920s?) over a 2 day period, the whole lake drained into the Florida Aquifer, stranding boats, and residents running down to try to salvage the fish for food. Pretty amazing ecosystem. Go enjoy it!!!

    Darry W.

    Wow! What a spectacular place. I was in Gainesville for a week of training and I was pumped up to check out the local trails. Unfortunately it was cold and rainy all week. I really was looking forward to see some gators and the temperature wasn't looking favorable. Our last day in town the clouds cleared and it got up to 79 degrees. I was tipped off to head to Payne's Prairie Preserve, but specifically La Chua Trail. La Chua Trail is one of the many trails that can be explored in this State Park. It's a 3 mile trail that takes you across the marsh on an elevated boardwalk before dropping you down onto the hiking trail that leads to a observation tower I'm told is great for photo opps and wildlife spotting. Only problem was the trail was flooded from the last hurricane and underwater at the end of boardwalk. This preserve has bison, wild horses, water moccasins, birds galore, armadillos and Gators! I loved the Live Oak Trees everywhere. I was kicking myself for not bringing my Canon as there is no way to not take a beautiful picture. No sooner we entered the park we saw an armadillo minding his own business and we walked right up to it and took pictures. Different species of feathered species were everywhere. At the end of the boardwalk we got lucky and were rewarded with getting within 10' from 4 gators that were 8-10' in length and just chilling on land. I could of spent the week, all day, every day exploring this Gainesville Treasure. Parking/entry fee is $2.00 a person and $4.00 per vehicle. I'm looking forward to getting out here during warmer weather and water receded. I highly recommend you check this extraordinary display of what Florida has to offer if you are in the area.

    Chris R.

    Very nice nature trail . It is partial closed but it is still very nice and relaxing seen several birds , butterfly's and even seen a gator highly recommend.

    Trish S.

    Walk at your own risk people!! There are gators, and they ain't playin around. When I came to Gainesville I really wanted a dose of nature - and by nature, I mean I wanted to see an alligator in the wild. Little did I know it would be super easy! The local Yelp manager Cheyenne took me on this nature walk, we saw over a dozen alligators and she taught me everything I need to know. Read below for my top 10 observations from this adventure! #1: Run from crocs in a zig zag pattern. As a West Coast girl, I thought at first that Cheyenne was joking. But nope, she had a dead serious Floridian face when she said it. Apparently, alligators are bad at sharp turns, so when running for your life heed this advise. Also, I guess if you can stand bunched together with your pals you look bigger and the alligator will lose interest cause you seem to be too much trouble? Not sure if that's a proven fact, but I'd try it. #2: Be aware of your surroundings. Okay yeah, sounds basic, but with bison and snapping turtles and wild horses on top of the gator population? I really do not suggest looking down at your phone on this trail. You're on the bottom of the food chain around here. #3: Wear your curlers while your stroll (see my photo of my inspiration attached) I applaud you ma'm. Now that's multi-tasking. #4: Do NOT go to this trail early in the morning. That's when they fed and hunt. It's cray. Even the Floridians don't go then. #5: Do NOT go to this trail at night. I don't actually know if that's a rule, but you'd be stupid if you did. Just sayin. #6: Gator breathing sounds like dragons. And if you can hear it, you're probably too close. I learned this from experience. #7: Do NOT bring your dog. Gators think they are delicious. I'm pretty sure they'd eat your two year old too. #8: Birdwatching is a thing here and it's really good even with the naked eye. There are also some towers you could sit with binoculars that would probably be super interesting. #9: Spanish moss is the most beautiful, eerie, creepy and awesome thing on trees ever. #10: Baby Alligators are actually pretty cute. Thanks Gainesville for this experience!!

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    Ask the Community - La Chua Trail

    Review Highlights - La Chua Trail

    If you come in the evenings or mornings, you'll be more likely to see bison, wild horses, and small rodents.

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    Hogtown Creek Greenway - Boardwalk through Hogtown Creek Greenway.

    Hogtown Creek Greenway

    4.3(7 reviews)
    5.1 mi

    Gainesville is so lucky to have such a wonderful shaded enviroment to visit, free of charge. The…read moretall trees with moss blowing in the breeze are a beautiful example of what North Florida has to offer. The boardwalks are fairly new and are still in pristine condition. My favorite place to park the car is over at Westside Park and walk over, carefully dodging the traffic that blasts down 8th Avenue. If you enter the boardwalk on the North side of 8th Avenue there are breaks in the boardwalk to wonder the footpath trails and streams and sometimes you will end up on standing in people's backyards.

    Hogtown Creek Greenway is one of my favorite smaller wild areas in Alachua County and, what is…read moremore, it is close enough to the UF campus and several neighborhoods to make it easy enough to get to without a car. In fact, its trails--while not that long and sometimes flooded out in wet weather--are awesome for mountain biking. The Greenway came about because Hogtown Creek and its various tributaries flow through this lowland area of Gainesville and while there is a lot of development surrounding what has become the Greenway, the lands that compose the Greenway itself would not be suited to development and, more importantly, are essential to not develop given the fragile and unique ecosystems they provide. The City of Gainesville should be praised for its efforts not only protect these lands but to make them open to the public. Just controlling the flow of water in this area-brokering its ability to remain true to the natural course of these creeks while also ensuring that flooding in nearby neighborhoods isn't likely-must have been a huge challenge. To the south-west of the Greenway off of University Avenue, Hogtown Creek is directed through a grouping of canals and other engineered mechanisms to regulate its flow but when it emerges in the Greenway, it returns to its pristine natural status. The Hogtown Greenway, if you enter it via the Loblolly Facility, provides a broad trail that is adept for hiking or mountain biking. A boardwalk has been built to continue this trail over places that are normally (or at least very often) wet and it's a short hike through this area to the 8th Avenue entrance to the Greenway across from Westside Park. The stretch of 8th Avenue here is where the Gainesville Planet Monuments-one obelisk for each of the solar system's planets including Pluto and the Sun-are located so these are a nice diversion to examine up close if you've only driven by them before in a hurry. Within the woods of the Loblolly section, there's a lot to notice if you wish to take the time. An informative sign at the 8th Avenue side of the path notes that a diverse variety of wildlife from river otters to various birds to the rough green snake are found in this environment: You will have to be patient to see them, though. Mostly, like elsewhere in the region, you'll spot squirrels, birds, and perhaps a black racer or other snake. Lizards and insects are also omnipresent and on account of the latter, insect spay is a good idea as to keep the pesky ones off of your body and discouraged from sucking your blood. The boardwalk trail has a smaller off-shoot which leads down to the creek bed itself and makes for a great oppurtunity to examine a creek of this sort up close. The sandy banks, muddy yet peaceful waters of the creek, and canopy of trees above make for a very serene experience. If you continue across 8th Avenue to the opposite side of the street and walk a ways east, you will encounter another boardwalk that runs all the way from 8th Avenue to 16th Avenue, south to north. This boardwalk is a minor yet grand feat of engineering, having been perfectly crafted and took, I can only guess, a fair amount of cash to complete. For that reason if no other (and there are plenty of others) I hope that it's used by a lot of people. When I've been out on the boardwalk with my bike, I have nearly always encountered people walking their dogs or running here, so it seems I am not by far its only fan or user. The magic of the boardwalk is that it runs through a wetland environment which would be very hard to access otherwise and affords a pleasent walk with a great view of what much of this region's natural areas are like if you got right into the thick of them. One can, in theory, continue on 16th Avenue eastward to the Alfred A. Ring Park entrance and there explore even more of Gainesville's diverse ecosystems, depsite being a stone's throw from subdivisions and houses with swimming pools. The boardwalk therefore not only makes for a great means of getting from 16th Avenue over to 8th Avenue (or of course, the other way around) but also a nice diversion into the woods to just get away from your busy life for a moment or two.

    Photos
    Hogtown Creek Greenway
    Hogtown Creek Greenway - Hogtown Creek.

    Hogtown Creek.

    Hogtown Creek Greenway

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    Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park - Bald eagle!

    Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park

    4.6(62 reviews)
    2.7 mi

    A great place to start your adventure and exploration of the Prarie…read more I recently stopped by the Payne's Prairie Preserve State Park Visitor Center in Micanopy, Florida, and it was a fantastic experience! Yes, you do pay the $6 per vehicle entrance fee to enter the state park, and it's a bit of a drive from the main gate along the park road to reach the parking lot. From there, you walk a short distance to the center itself. But once you arrive, it's absolutely worth it. The Visitor Center is very nice and modern building with large floor-to-ceiling windows directly across from teh entrance offering great views of the prairie itself. The staff, specifically Brad, was very helpful, The sets of displays provide an good overview of the prairie's natural and cultural history through interactive exhibits. There is also a short film in the theater room about the location. I really liked the observation area and spotting scopes. One scope was perfectly trained on a bald eagle perched about two miles away. I thought that was an incredible sight! It made the whole prairie feel alive and gave us a real sense of the wildlife that calls this special place home (wild horses and bison live here too). There is a small gift shop, restrooms, and the building provides easy access to trails and an observation tower nearby. It's a perfect starting point to understand and appreciate this unique place. If you're in the Gainesville area, make time for Payne's Prairie. The Visitor Center is a hidden gem that turns a simple stop into a memorable visit. I highly recommended it.

    We took advantage of our Florida State Park Pass (saved us the $6 entrance fee) and took a drive to…read morethe park. This is a beautiful park to drive or hike. The drive in and to the visitor center is so pretty! The trees make a nice, shady canopy. You can see various animals from the observation tower, open range or hiking. It was late afternoon and hot when we were there so we didn't see much (one deer!) and I'm sure the animals were in the shade somewhere.

    Photos
    Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park - Sunrise from platform out in the savanna

    Sunrise from platform out in the savanna

    Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
    Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park - Watch Tower

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    Watch Tower

    Gainesville - Hawthorne State Trail - Well marked Mile Markers

    Gainesville - Hawthorne State Trail

    3.0(6 reviews)
    0.3 mi

    This is a very large, comprehensive, trail system based on a former railbed. However, as the paved…read morerailbed trail is what is most-known of the Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail, I wish to draw attention to the fact that there are a number of smaller, unpaved, trails appropriate for hikers or mountain bikes intersecting with the main trail and located there for access from the main trail. The Susan Wright Trail is one of such and is very nice. There are also various viewing platforms along the way and the integration with Paynes Prairie is very good. It is perfectly possible to drive in a car to one of several trailheads, park, and go biking or running or hiking without doing the entire trail and I think that's what a lot of people use this trail for, especially runners. Bugs can be bad, even in cooler weather as much of the trail abuts swampy areas and for the same reason, the smaller, unpaved trails can be flooded or muddy after even moderate rains. You should also remain on the lookout for snakes as they tend to come to the paved trail to sun themselves. Overall, a nice experience and a great addition to the State Parks offerings in and around Alachua County.

    Three weeks ago I was biking this trail for the first time. I somehow crashed and was knocked…read moreunconscious. I was taken by ambulance to the ER and sustained a brain bleed. I have absolutely no recollection of my ride that morning or how or why I crashed. I am since in touch with a local bike club and am learning crashes are not uncommon, due to several reasons, one of which is poor trail maintenance. Apparently there is also a bridge where many accidents have occurred. I don't know if my accident happened there. So just putting this out there to be careful if you decide to ride this trail.

    Photos
    Gainesville - Hawthorne State Trail - Nice clear ride paths

    Nice clear ride paths

    Gainesville - Hawthorne State Trail - Paynes Prairie overlook

    Paynes Prairie overlook

    Gainesville - Hawthorne State Trail - Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail

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    Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail

    La Chua Trail - hiking - Updated May 2026

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