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A great place to start your adventure and exploration of the Prarie. 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.
With nearly 23,000 acres savanna and over 30 miles of trails, there's plenty to explore at this State park in Micanopy near Gainesville. The park is open 8am until sundown every day. Main entrance admission is $6 per vehicle. After entering we drove down to the visitor center to park. The Visitor Center facilitates the interpretation of natural and cultural significance. Open 9am to 4pm daily and also has restrooms and a small gift shop. We enjoyed the hike to the 50 foot tower providing a nice view of the open visit. We did not happen to see any animals like alligators, bison, deer and horses. But did see birds and insects. It was nice to experience a scenic Central Florida landscape.
Bison, Armadillos and Deer oh my! That's just a small example of some of the wildlife you will see when visiting this huge state park. Just south of Gainesville, you will find this unique and magnificent preserve. This park became Florida's first state preserve in 1971 and has now been designated as National Natural Landmark. The preserve is open from 8:00am to sundown. The first time I came here, I was with my daughter and her good friend. We parked the car, and paid our $6 fee and off we went into the preserve. So many beautiful Spanish moss trees and nearly 300 species of birds. The trail was so pretty and not crowded at all. The second time I came with my husband. First we checked out Lake Wauberg and saw some herons. The lake accommodates canoes, and boats with electric motors. Gas powered boats are not allowed. They also provide a pier for fishing. There are campsites as well for overnight visitors. The lake was lovely and very peaceful. I didn't get too close to the edge as there are also alligators here (no thank you). As we were leaving the lake area we encountered a live armadillo. Neither of us had ever seen one before. He was making his way looking for food and didn't pay any attention to us as we gawked at him. The biggest surprise of the visit was when we arrived to the Visitor Center. As we entered we were shocked to see a large herd of bison out back. Bison in Florida? We spoke with the one of the volunteers who explained that the State of Florida in 1975, reintroduced ten bison into the preserve. They have multiplied since then and are now wild roaming. We went out back to get a closer look but there is signage that asks you to keep your distance. We had no problem just viewing them from afar. We decided to walk out to the watch tower and climb up for better views of the preserve. As we made our way out a gentleman caught our attention as he had a huge zoom lens on his camera and was photographing a mother eagle feeding her babies. He asked us if we would like to see and of course we did. It was an incredible experience to witness this scene up close. We did not have enough time to walk any trails on my second visit but we did manage to encounter some pretty Virginia white tailed deer as we were exiting. So glad we had the opportunity to visit this spectacular state park and I look forward to visiting here again in the future.
Didn't get to see the horses and bison but we saw gators ! Very cool experience. I definitely will come again
This National Natural Landmark has been on my radar for awhile. Incredible biodiversity, our own savanna in Florida, who would have thought. If you are a bird-watcher, this is a place for you, if you can't travel to Wyoming to watch bison, this is the place for you.. wild horses, alligators, armadillos-Payne Preserve has it all. If you want to see wild horses and bisons, I read the best time of the day to visit are early mornings. We visited late, before sunset and using binoculars we did see both. It is very serene and calm park, not too many visitors on Saturday of our visit.
Went hunting for buffalo and wild horses. Sometimes you see em, sometimes you don't. Lots of birds; more than similar such places I've visited recently. And a few leviathan sized gators we saw looming about. Sort of exciting really, the prospect of running into these things in the wild ...on foot. lol. Exhilarating, almost. It's an Amazing place, rich in history, all 23,000 acres of it, with several many points of access including a visitor center, camping, recreation area, and observation towers. There's even a quick stop boardwalk heading North on 441; Ecopassage Observation Boardwalk, it's called. Recommending venturing early to avoid social hour at the tower and all its incessant prattle. How did I not know about this place sooner?
Beautiful camping site near Gainesville. Water and Electric sites. Bathrooms with showers. Lots of hiking trails, visitor center and Animal life. The only bad thing was we were on campsite 20 and you can hear I-75 all day and night. No silence.. But we did meet a man that does Moth Photography! Very Interesting... They do offer senior discount.
This park is great for camping! The sites are large and every effort is made to keep them private! The sites are deep into the park and heavily wooded. There are natural screens of greenery between each site and the sites are well laid out. Each site has a picnic table, fire ring and lantern hook. The sites are clean and level. We camped here for two nights in a 30' Class A on site #10. There was ample room for our slide out and all of the chairs, rug and other campsite goodies. Very close to Gainesville and the University of Florida. Tons of shopping and restaurants nearb There is not a dog park here but there are plenty of places to get away from everyone and play with your furry buddies! This place would have gotten 5 stars from me if it had had full hookups. We really enjoyed the quiet and stargazing during our stay!
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is an AOK destination. The visitor center isn't much, but the entrance fee is only nominal. Tip: The wildlife here is pretty much the same as what you'll find in all the other free parks in Florida When we went here, we climbed up the tower to take a look around, and saw what must may have been horses off in the distance; it was impossible to make out any details without a telescope or binoculars.
WoW. If you want to prairie walk and don't wish to be out in the direct sun, try the Jackson's Gap & Chacala trails. Great to enjoy the nature sights and still have some shade. This state park is a winner!!
$6/vehicle or $2/person - my hubs and I were visiting his 93 yr. old grandfather for his Bday weekend & looking for a Socially Distant activity - his grandpa suggested this park because it has a watch tower - the views are beautiful & we brought binoculars to be able to see wild horses close up including a pregnant one! The observatory was a hit - a must see and gives you wide views of the prairie! Also, we saw a Bald Eagle tending its nest - not too far from the Visitor Center - an educational hub w/an older volunteer was available to answer any questions we had. Overall, we spent a couple hr. w/our pup on the trails she was allowed and loved every min. One of the trails was closed due to flooding from the rain. We would've spent more time if we had an earlier start to the day despite it being overcast and raining a little. There were a few people and also a camping ground as well as a boardwalk - a very pleasant and wonderful surprise to discover!
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is about an hour and 45 minutes (maybe 2ish) well worth it drive from Orlando. The park is open from 8 AM till sundown and costs only six dollars per vehicle. This $6 can be paid by an app or at the post and is done by the honor system. Please make the payment as our parks, and I, appreciate what it takes to keep them preserved and going for us. This park is HUGE! There are many hiking trails, bike trails, camping and recreation areas. Chances are you will see various wildlife. On our journey we saw deer a handful of times, turtles, birds, gators and more. I was hoping to see wild horses and bison as others have written about. Maybe next time. The trails are well kept and marked. This time Of year the sun was HOT (bring plenty of water and SPF) and the ticks were plentiful - make sure you use bug spray! spray spray and spray some more. The are areas to picnic and well kept restrooms should you need them. There is also an on duty ranger and maps should you questions or need guidance. Plan out your day with many nature activities...or night. Just make sure to check their website before you make the drive just in case there are any closures.
I love State Parks and if I'm in the area even while camping in the RV at a different State Park I usually will visit other parks that are in the vicinity, there are so many State Parks in Florida it seems I always find one to visit for the first time. We arrived here mid-morning on a weekday, so there wasn't many visitors in the park and we were able to drive the winding roads much of it under the tree canopy and well under the posted speed limit. We started out at the visitor center which if pretty amazing here at Paynes Prairie SP it has a lot of interactive displays and a short film outlining the park's history and amenities. The staff here is so welcoming and quick to answer any questions and provided us some details of what the park has to offer and what you can expect to see during any season. It's impossible to see and do everything in one trip so I had a few things I wanted to accomplish during our visit in only a few hours - besides walking a few of the beautiful trails, I wanted to catch a glimpse of the bison and wild horses that roam the prairie, there are a few vantage points to do this in the park starting with telescopes inside the visitors center and a deck in the backyard there, but I was more interested in getting closer to nature so we headed for the beautiful observation tower located just a few hundred feet further down the concrete path and wow what a view. Well today the bison and wild horses were no where to be found due to the temperatures but we did see some of the smaller animals roaming through the brush and wooded areas so it was a good day. The parks is very well maintained and has many things in place so you can make the most of your visit including a beautiful pier, a boat launch, Pavilions with charcoal grills, clean restrooms, a gift shop inside the visitor center, lots of well marked hiking trails, plenty of paved parking lots and a beautiful campground with large private sites. This park is definitely worth a visit and one I'd love to return to again and again... read more
What a beautiful park! So many trails to take advantage and never enough time! Great and helpful staff (who will allow you to loan binoculars if you forgot yours and give you ideas on which trails are best for you based on what you are looking to experience) If you are in the area and are a nature nut (like me), come and take a look around. We saw deer, alligators and plenty of birds in our short excursion! read more
We took advantage of our Florida State Park Pass (saved us the $6 entrance fee) and took a drive to the 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. read more
6 months ago
A great place to start your adventure and exploration of the Prarie. 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. read more
With nearly 23,000 acres savanna and over 30 miles of trails, there's plenty to explore at this State park in Micanopy near Gainesville. The park is open 8am until sundown every day. Main entrance admission is $6 per vehicle. After entering we drove down to the visitor center to park. The Visitor Center facilitates the interpretation of natural and cultural significance. Open 9am to 4pm daily and also has restrooms and a small gift shop. We enjoyed the hike to the 50 foot tower providing a nice view of the open visit. We did not happen to see any animals like alligators, bison, deer and horses. But did see birds and insects. It was nice to experience a scenic Central Florida landscape. read more
Bison, Armadillos and Deer oh my! That's just a small example of some of the wildlife you will see when visiting this huge state park. Just south of Gainesville, you will find this unique and magnificent preserve. This park became Florida's first state preserve in 1971 and has now been designated as National Natural Landmark. The preserve is open from 8:00am to sundown. The first time I came here, I was with my daughter and her good friend. We parked the car, and paid our $6 fee and off we went into the preserve. So many beautiful Spanish moss trees and nearly 300 species of birds. The trail was so pretty and not crowded at all. The second time I came with my husband. First we checked out Lake Wauberg and saw some herons. The lake accommodates canoes, and boats with electric motors. Gas powered boats are not allowed. They also provide a pier for fishing. There are campsites as well for overnight visitors. The lake was lovely and very peaceful. I didn't get too close to the edge as there are also alligators here (no thank you). As we were leaving the lake area we encountered a live armadillo. Neither of us had ever seen one before. He was making his way looking for food and didn't pay any attention to us as we gawked at him. The biggest surprise of the visit was when we arrived to the Visitor Center. As we entered we were shocked to see a large herd of bison out back. Bison in Florida? We spoke with the one of the volunteers who explained that the State of Florida in 1975, reintroduced ten bison into the preserve. They have multiplied since then and are now wild roaming. We went out back to get a closer look but there is signage that asks you to keep your distance. We had no problem just viewing them from afar. We decided to walk out to the watch tower and climb up for better views of the preserve. As we made our way out a gentleman caught our attention as he had a huge zoom lens on his camera and was photographing a mother eagle feeding her babies. He asked us if we would like to see and of course we did. It was an incredible experience to witness this scene up close. We did not have enough time to walk any trails on my second visit but we did manage to encounter some pretty Virginia white tailed deer as we were exiting. So glad we had the opportunity to visit this spectacular state park and I look forward to visiting here again in the future. read more
7 months ago
Didn't get to see the horses and bison but we saw gators ! Very cool experience. I definitely will come again read more
1 year ago
This National Natural Landmark has been on my radar for awhile. Incredible biodiversity, our own savanna in Florida, who would have thought. If you are a bird-watcher, this is a place for you, if you can't travel to Wyoming to watch bison, this is the place for you.. wild horses, alligators, armadillos-Payne Preserve has it all. If you want to see wild horses and bisons, I read the best time of the day to visit are early mornings. We visited late, before sunset and using binoculars we did see both. It is very serene and calm park, not too many visitors on Saturday of our visit. read more
7 months ago
Amazing views, sightings of some wild animals, lots of walking area, beautuful. Great for solo date or with friends! read more
1 year ago
8 months ago
Went hunting for buffalo and wild horses. Sometimes you see em, sometimes you don't. Lots of birds; more than similar such places I've visited recently. And a few leviathan sized gators we saw looming about. Sort of exciting really, the prospect of running into these things in the wild ...on foot. lol. Exhilarating, almost. It's an Amazing place, rich in history, all 23,000 acres of it, with several many points of access including a visitor center, camping, recreation area, and observation towers. There's even a quick stop boardwalk heading North on 441; Ecopassage Observation Boardwalk, it's called. Recommending venturing early to avoid social hour at the tower and all its incessant prattle. How did I not know about this place sooner? read more
Beautiful camping site near Gainesville. Water and Electric sites. Bathrooms with showers. Lots of hiking trails, visitor center and Animal life. The only bad thing was we were on campsite 20 and you can hear I-75 all day and night. No silence.. But we did meet a man that does Moth Photography! Very Interesting... They do offer senior discount. read more
5 years ago
This park is great for camping! The sites are large and every effort is made to keep them private! The sites are deep into the park and heavily wooded. There are natural screens of greenery between each site and the sites are well laid out. Each site has a picnic table, fire ring and lantern hook. The sites are clean and level. We camped here for two nights in a 30' Class A on site #10. There was ample room for our slide out and all of the chairs, rug and other campsite goodies. Very close to Gainesville and the University of Florida. Tons of shopping and restaurants nearb There is not a dog park here but there are plenty of places to get away from everyone and play with your furry buddies! This place would have gotten 5 stars from me if it had had full hookups. We really enjoyed the quiet and stargazing during our stay! read more
3 years ago
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is an AOK destination. The visitor center isn't much, but the entrance fee is only nominal. Tip: The wildlife here is pretty much the same as what you'll find in all the other free parks in Florida When we went here, we climbed up the tower to take a look around, and saw what must may have been horses off in the distance; it was impossible to make out any details without a telescope or binoculars. read more
1 year ago
$6/vehicle or $2/person - my hubs and I were visiting his 93 yr. old grandfather for his Bday weekend & looking for a Socially Distant activity - his grandpa suggested this park because it has a watch tower - the views are beautiful & we brought binoculars to be able to see wild horses close up including a pregnant one! The observatory was a hit - a must see and gives you wide views of the prairie! Also, we saw a Bald Eagle tending its nest - not too far from the Visitor Center - an educational hub w/an older volunteer was available to answer any questions we had. Overall, we spent a couple hr. w/our pup on the trails she was allowed and loved every min. One of the trails was closed due to flooding from the rain. We would've spent more time if we had an earlier start to the day despite it being overcast and raining a little. There were a few people and also a camping ground as well as a boardwalk - a very pleasant and wonderful surprise to discover! read more
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is about an hour and 45 minutes (maybe 2ish) well worth it drive from Orlando. The park is open from 8 AM till sundown and costs only six dollars per vehicle. This $6 can be paid by an app or at the post and is done by the honor system. Please make the payment as our parks, and I, appreciate what it takes to keep them preserved and going for us. This park is HUGE! There are many hiking trails, bike trails, camping and recreation areas. Chances are you will see various wildlife. On our journey we saw deer a handful of times, turtles, birds, gators and more. I was hoping to see wild horses and bison as others have written about. Maybe next time. The trails are well kept and marked. This time Of year the sun was HOT (bring plenty of water and SPF) and the ticks were plentiful - make sure you use bug spray! spray spray and spray some more. The are areas to picnic and well kept restrooms should you need them. There is also an on duty ranger and maps should you questions or need guidance. Plan out your day with many nature activities...or night. Just make sure to check their website before you make the drive just in case there are any closures. read more
7 years ago
So cool. Only $6 and this place is huge. They also go by the honor system, make sure you have exact change. Not a lot of people, so it was a great place to social distance and get almost 6 miles in. We saw armadillos, wild ponies and a cool lookin turtle. I also almost stepped on a little gator because he blended in on the path. Was sad we didn't see bison, but it was still awesome. I read Bolen Bluff Trail is supposed to be great for seeing bison. Maybe next time! read more
9 years ago
This is a great state park to camp at located just south of Gainesville. The property has a lake, picnic areas and plenty of hiking/biking trails. Try to catch a glimpse of the buffalo that roam the acreage. The camping facilities have bathroom and showers. The lots each have a fire pit and picnic table. Most lots are gravel. They have both 30 amp and 50 amp hook ups. The camping spots for RV's don't have full hook up (water and electric only) but there is a dump station on site. The scenery is lush and beautiful. Much nicer than some commercial camping facilities. It can be tight for larger rids to get in as there are a lot of trees to maneuver but that's the cost of a natural setting. Just take your time and you should be fine. read more
5 years ago
I never knew Florida had a prairie. We seen the big black stallion stomping a giant gator on the news a few weeks ago and learned of this place. My man decided to surprise me with a weekend camping trip. I absolutely loved every moment of our stay...even though the weather tried to rain on my parade, wild horses, up-close whitetail deer and the overlook tower view never let my smile fade. We didn't get to hike because of the reason rain but you can bet we are already planning a return stay for much longer in the next few months. Our tent campsite was nice, but the people camping there before us left a lot of litter behind that I personally cleaned up. Shame on you for that. We seen wild horses in the distance near the watering holes from the tower while it was pouring rain. It was just stunning. I think I photographed the big black stallion that was on the news but until I'm able to return, to see them more up-close, I can't be sure. Still...totally exciting. I seen one bison in the distance. We seen so many deer! And with gorgeous spot coat fawns!!! And they weren't afraid, viewed us as I zoomed in from the truck for some insane photos. If there were a way to give this place 100 stars, it totally deserves them. The beauty and serenity of this place is breathtaking. A true hidden gem! If you're a photographer, this is one place that won't let you down. But plan to stay a few days in case of...weather. read more
Ending an outdoor adventurous day with family, there was no better way than to stop by this U.S. National Natural Landmark, south of Gainesville crossed by I-75 and U.S. 44. Ecosystem, forests, flowers, lakes, meadows, plants, and trails are all breath taking with the flawless views. Spotting bison, buffalo, deer, and horses are a plus along the way. Stop by this beauty if you are in town. Why haven't I moved to Gainesville yet??? read more
8 years ago
Paynes Prairie Preserve is a beautiful Florida State Park ... like all of our State run parks in Florida (yes, I'm bias being from Florida) ... This park is gigantic ... there are multiple entrances to the park from different sides and you need to leave sections of the park to get to other sections ... so a car is required ... we RV camped in March and just stayed in that section (didn't have a tow vehicle) ... The camp sites are large and well maintained ... we stayed at site 006 which had 30/50 AMP power and H2O hookups ... fire pit, picnic table ... They have some good trails in the camping section of the park ... we were able to catch sight of wild horses in the prairie down by the observation tower ... Really wish we had a vehicle and more time to explore ... this is a massive property with trails that focus on horses, buffalos and gators ... but you need mobility to see them all ... You can view our video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJmr23q9GCA&t=6s read more
8 years ago
This park is absolutely GORGEOUS! There are so many different paths to walk on depending on what you want out of your visit. The southern part of the park is forested and there are lovely trails through the forests and along a lake. The northern part of the park is more marsh-y and is the area where you see the most alligators for sure. I went to this park last weekend with my husband and we had a wonderful time. Note: Some trails ARE DOG FRIENDLY!! ( I didn't know that, so we left our pup at home, but depending on which trail you go on you can bring your four-legged friend). The trail that we walked on was called the La Chua Trail. There were so many beautiful birds here. We also saw a couple of snakes and a turtle - the whole preserve is full of wildlife. A lot of the trail was flooded (not the boardwalk, but the areas beyond), so it's not a long hike, but it is lovely. There are other paths to walk along at the same trail head and there is a lovely bike path if that what you're into! It was a beautiful place to be immersed in nature and enjoying the cool Florida weather in the winter! read more
6 years ago
6 years ago
9 years ago
Get your nature on! 2 mile drive in to the visitor center- park and a short hike will bring you to the building. Small shop, restrooms, information on the park and natural resources & a video too. But the view. You hike in through thick wooded area and on the backside of the visitor center is the prairie/ wetlands. If you continue lady the visitor center you come upon an observation tower. Expansive doesn't even cover it. A bird lovers paradise. And it on the prairie- tons of wildlife. Bison, horses, boar, gators, bald eagles, deer... So much to see. The 8 mile loop is were you see the most wildlife. There is very little shade- be aware. Pack plenty of water. I'll be taking my binoculars next time. And i will probably go early. Can't wait to explore more. They have plenty of hiking trails. Go enjoy nature! read more
4 years ago
We spent the weekend here to have close access to the nearby springs. The campsites are flat and clean with plenty of shade. On our visit the campground was very quiet although almost full! Two drawbacks are the amount of mosquitoes (but it is Florida...bring bug spray) and the sulfur smelling water in the showers. There was also a boil water advisory during our stay. The trails were nice and most of them were paved and several allowed bicycle access. We were able to observe some baby alligators on one of our walks on a trail! Parts of some of the trails were closed because of conditions brought about by rain and weather. read more
9 years ago
I've only seen a small portion of the Preserve but seeing it repeatedly for many years in it's ever changing seasons is simply magnificent! At various times of the year you can walk out onto the boardwalk and see different types of animals, flowers, trees, and beautiful sunsets. Though it's properly called a prairie, depending on the season it is also a swamp and wetlands. Marjorie Harris Carr's vision continues to live on hopefully for many more generations. read more
11 years ago
This took me back to the days when I was a little kid watching the Discovery channel and the crazy shenanigans that Steve Erwin would do with just about any animal. If there was a venomous snake he would play with it maybe give it a kiss and crocodiles he would basically cuddle and watch Netflix with them. Anyway walking through the prairie took me back to my childhood and made me feel like Steve Erwin. We were luckily enough to see a bunch of wild horses, some of them were quite big and didn't want us anywhere near them that's for sure. Then when we got near the water of course we wanted to see some alligators but there weren't any and all of a sudden they were everywhere. Some of them were probably 10 feet long and just to see them with no fence or any kind of barrier in between you and them is a breath taking feeling. This is an awesome experience and for any adventure seeker or anyone aspiring to be the next Steve Erwin. read more
14 years ago
Beautiful park with plenty of trails, meadows, forest, and a couple lakes. Lots of areas and types of ecosystems to explore. Wish I'd spent more time here when I lived in Gainesville! Only criticism: we reserved the primitive camp site, but upon arrival (2mile hike), it was already occupied by a drunk group who said they'd reserved it too! We had to find another spot elsewhere. What a ripoff of $20 for camping but not even able to use reserved facilities (bathroom and firepit)! :( read more
6 years ago
6 years ago
8 years ago
Beautiful views at sunset! Definitely visit but be warned that parking is not optimal. It is a bit dangerous for pedestrians. That said you can't find better sunset views in the area. The water is absolutely stunning. read more
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More info about Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
Ask the Community - Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
Is there good places to fish from banks?
Payne's Prairie State Park is a National Natural Park and they encourage you to leave no footprints. However you may fish along Lake Wauberg as long as you have your license and stay within the laws of quantity & size.
