Florida National Scenic Trail, Florida, United States

4David_Grant1 5:00 PM Sep 14, 2013

Hawthorne Trail
If you are in Gainesville with access to a bike, I suggest you take some time out of your travels and head to the Hawthorne Trail. I enter the trail from S Main Street, just ten blocks south of University Ave. An early stop on the trail is Boulware Springs, complete with clean restrooms and a drinking fountain. I have included a picture in case you can't find it upon leaving the trail. If you are feeling energized, you can bike the 15m to Hawthorne although there is not much there to see.

4George E 5:00 PM Mar 4, 2014

What Trail?
What is this about? I have lived here for 15 years, and I know of no "continuous trail" through this area. Looks like some reviewer was misinformed. And all of it is in Alachua County, contrary to what some have said. The pictures are of the Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail, a 17-mile paved multi-use (mostly bicycle) trail stretching East from the SE corner of Gainesville. The GHT passes through the North Rim of Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, and allows users access to some really interesting wild areas. There are two overlook points, with vistas of the basin of Paynes Prairie, and these are worth a trip in themselves. Be careful on weekends, however, because once the University students wake up, the Trail can become overly busy. Many users do not know the rules of the Trail, and ride in a thoughtless and dangerous manner. There is an actual hill on this trail, a rarity in Florida. Most folks ride just the West half, turning around in Rochelle. The East half is all on a former railroad right-of-way, so is flat and straight. There are many wildflowers, even some in the Winter. On rare occasions you might see such wildlife as deer, raccoons, gopher tortoises, wild hogs, etc. Do not even think of feeding any wildlife, or particularly of killing any snakes you find. The penalty, if you are caught, can be distressing. Managed by Florida's impoverished State Park Service, the Trail has maintenance issues. Nevertheless, it is worth a drive of many miles to ride on this trail. The Ranger Station for the managing Park can be reached at 352.466.3397. The person on duty may not have much information about the Trail, which is located at the far side of this very large Park. A bicycle is recommended for access to this Trail, but a hike out to the Alachua Lake Overlook from the La Chua Trailhead at the South end of SE 15th Street is a do-able couple of miles.