Florida >> Gainesville >> Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail
Gainesville Hawthorne Trail State Park is a 16 mile trail from the City of Gainesville’s Boulware Springs Park through the Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park and the Lochloosa Wildlife Management Area. The recreational trail is designed for walking, cycling, and horseback riding.
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Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail
3400 SE 15 Street, Gainesville, Florida 32641
Phone: 352-466-3397
Directions:
Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail State Park starts on S.E. 15th Street and extends to Hawthorne near U.S. 301.
Parking is provided at three trail heads:
3300 SE 15th Street in Gainesville, at Boulware Springs City Park
7902 SE 200th Drive, off of CR2082 west of Hawthorne
2182 SE 71st Avenue in Hawthorne
Boulware Springs Trailhead Directions: From Gainesville at the intersection of University Avenue and Main Street, travel East on University Avenue and take the right fork onto SR 20. Almost immediately, go South onto SE 15th Street and drive until you find Boulware Springs City Park on the right. If the road makes a 90 degree left turn, you’ve passed the park entrance and need to turn around.
Hawthorne Trailhead Directions: From Hawthorne follow the signs posted on US 301 or CR 2082.
The trail is an old railbed turned greenway which is paved for multi use recreation and a grassy path is available for horse back riding. The self guided tour will take you pass native plants and wildlife while learning about the old railroad towns, citrus grove industry, and an area that dates back 7,000 years ago when humans lived in the area. Hundreds of canoes age 500 to 5,000 years old were found in this area.
The Gainesville Hawthorne Trail is a “Trader’s Path” that stretches back even further in time to the days of William Bartram, Seminole Indians, and Florida’s first people.
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