Florida Hikes

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karst along Mill Creek

Alachua

Established in 1884 north of Gainesville along the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway, Alachua has a compact historic downtown surrounded by farms and a scattering of natural lands

Resources

Resources for exploring the area
Five Star Trails Gainesville Ocala book cover North Florida Panhandle Explorers Guide book cover 50 Hikes in North Florida book cover Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover
 
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Exploring Alachua

Alachua sits just south of US 441 as it heads under Interstate 75 on its way into High Springs to the west.

This means a lot of people get off the interstate here, but they don’t necessarily find the little downtown with its brick storefronts, or go looking for natural lands.

The northern end of San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park touches the south end of town, and it’s here that mountain bikers will find an extensive trail system.

Beneath the town are natural tunnels through the Floridan Aquifer that cave divers have followed for miles.

To the north is Mill Creek Preserve with its unusual karst features and northern deciduous forest, plus other natural lands in the Santa Fe River basin.

Mill Creek Farms is a rescue and retirement center for horses, where admission is a bag of carrots.

Don’t miss Florida’s largest live oak, which has its own park in this rural corner of the county.

Trails and Parks Near Alachua

Riverfront with picnic tables Chastain-Seay Park Discover the beauty of the Santa Fe River and its floodplain habitats at Worthington Springs from the boardwalks of the Riverwalk Nature Trail at Chastain-Seay Park.
Fancy bridge with grated floor across a deep stream Mill Creek Preserve Slip through a curtain of pine plantation to discover a folded karst landscape with towering American beeches, spruce pines, swamp chestnut oaks, and a small waterfall on a 5.3 mile hike.
Broad path through tall trees in open forest San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park Florida's weird karst geology meets a forest of towering hardwood trees in this botanically significant preserve on the edge of Gainesville.
Blue sky and blue water on the Santa Fe River Santa Fe River Preserve A relaxed hike in a wooded preserve, the Blue Trail at Santa Fe River Preserve crosses sandhills and shady oak hammocks to reach the bluffs of its namesake river.
Tannic stream sluicing through riverine forest Santa Fe River Preserve Gracy Trail Peaceful pathways wind alongside a tranquil creek through shady woodlands, offering a quiet hike among the timid wildlife that call the Santa Fe River Basin home.

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NEARBY: Gainesville, High Springs, Lake Butler, Lake City | PART OF: North Florida