Bivens Arm Nature Park

A walk through the urban forest

---

Resources for exploring the area

 
Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.

 
Exiting Interstate 75 exit 382 (Williston Rd) at the south end of Gainesville, head east on SR 331. Cross US 441 a couple miles later. Bear left at the fork to to join Main Street. The park entrance is on your left under the trees. Gates locked before 9 AM and after 5 PM.

---

Hike

From the parking area, wander onto the trail system, which starts at a kiosk. Just beyond is the junction of a boardwalk and a paved path going off to the right.

A warning sign: “Do not feed the alligators” on the far side of the pavilion as you walk out to the willow marsh.

This is not a quiet place, as there are roads surrounding the park in almost every direction, but there is a lot of birdsong in the trees above and out in the willow marsh.

Water trickles through the landscape in small streams from Colobaugh Pond and Tumblin Creek.

It flows from drainage ditches all over this part of Gainesville to make its way to Bivens Arm, an extension of the vast Paynes Prairie.

After a wander through the Gary R. Junior Pavilion, which adjoins the willow marsh of Bivens Arm, start down the boardwalk, which crosses East Tumblin Creek.

The boardwalk follows the edge of the marsh through an oak and pine forest. At boardwalk’s end, come to a trail junction with another caution sign about alligators.

Turn left at this junction and go down the ramp to follow the footpath along the edge of the marsh. Resurrection fern grows at the base of an oak tree.

Southern magnolia and large sand live oaks dominate this stretch of forest, and the footpath is very rooty underfoot.

Poison ivy is prevalent in the understory, and smilax vines form huge heaps. Magnolia leaves crunch underfoot as you walk.

An extraordinarily twisted loblolly pine is along the trail at a quarter mile, hanging out over the marsh near where an old trail has been closed off.

Straight ahead is the Gator Gap Loop Trail. Cinnamon fern shows up in the damp places between the footpath and the marsh; American holly arches over the trail.

A short side path leads to a collection of cypress knees poking out of the edge of the swamp.

Back on the main trail, walk under an arched limb that drops straight down and into the ground on the other side of the trail.

The traffic noise at this end of the park is persistent, but the setting is quite beautiful.

Coming to a trail junction after 0.4 mile, turn left and cross a boardwalk across a sluggish creek. Turn right to start the next loop.

Drop into the floodplain, a willow marsh with red maples off to the right. The oak canopy is particularly beautiful, draperies of Spanish moss glistening in the sunlight.

A bench is set in the perfect spot to look at a dogwood in bloom, and there is a very large loblolly pine near it as well as a grapefruit tree.

Passing another enormous pine the trail curves left, leading into the heart of the oak hammock and creating a return loop.

There is a tremendous amount of bracken fern and big oak trees all around, their arching limbs as thick as tree trunks.

Beyond several more oversized pines, the trail reaches a T intersection. To the right is a path to the highway.

Turn left to complete the loop, returning back to the boardwalk and trail junction. Continue straight ahead.

Passing the base of another large slash pine, the trail turns right, following the ragged edge of a willow marsh along Bivens Arm.

At 0.7 mile, a bench faces the wetland under the shade of large live oaks. Red maples define the edge of the marsh.

Large live oaks arch overhead, shading the footpath. The understory on the right is choked with vines.

The trail winds through an area dappled with sunlight where several large trees have fallen, and passes a side trail on the left to an apartment complex.

Meandering through denser forest, it comes to a trail junction with the boardwalk that led you into the trail system. Turn left.

The next trail junction comes up quickly, and is within sight of a small bridge. Turn left. Pass a marker that says “Kirkwood Addition,” the newest part of the park, farthest from traffic noise.

---

Smooth Solomon’s seal grows in the understory of this upland area near East Tumblin Creek.

Zebra longwing butterflies flit through the forest between the big oaks, alighting on red buckeye growing near a stand of yaupon holly.

Reach the fork in the trail, the bottom of the loop, after 1.2 miles. Keep left. Devil’s walking stick grows along the footpath’s edge.

Enter a forest with towering loblolly pines. Southern magnolia fills the middle canopy. At the next fork, keep to the right, passing a bench near a short cabbage palm.

Sugarberry and elm add to the mix of trees in this upland forest.

The trail begins a downward trend, losing elevation as it heads back towards the creek. Reaching the end of the loop, turn left.

At the junction of trails, turn left to take the bridge over Little Tumblin Creek, which leads to a paved sidewalk.

Passing a gigantic American holly next to the picnic pavilion, the path turns right and leads under the arch of a live oak limb back to the parking area, completing a 1.5 mile hike.

---

Trail Map

---

Explore More!

Slideshow

See our photos from this hike

---

Nearby Adventures

Official Website