Devils Millhopper

On the northern edge of Gainesville, Devil’s Millhopper Geologic State Park showcases a geologic formation known to generations of residents and visitors.

You’d think you were in the Amazon, or Hawaii, when you hear and see the tumbling cascades behind a screen of dense vegetation.

But the ephemeral waterfalls that occur at Devil’s Millhopper are just one of the delights to be found in this small but intriguing state park.

With the staircase replaced, it now takes only a steep 132 steps (formerly a long 232) to walk to the bottom of this 500-foot-wide, 120-foot-deep sinkhole.

Each landing reveals a new layer of forest, each crack and crevice a bounty of botanical wonders.

No matter what time of year you visit, the creek tumbles down into the abyss through a succession of rock outcroppings.

The best time to visit is after a heavy rain, when tall waterfalls gush down the sides of the sinkhole.

The nature trail rings the top of the sinkhole, leading you through habitats very different than what you’ll find below.

The nature trail makes a loop around the sinkhole

Resources

Five Star Trails Gainesville Ocala book cover

North Florida Panhandle Explorers Guide book cover

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Overview

Location: Gainesville
Trailhead: 29.703319,-82.393804
Address: 4732 Millhopper Rd, Gainesville
Fees: $2 cyclist or pedestrian, $4 per vehicle
Restroom: at the interpretive center
Land manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 352-955-2008

Open 8 AM to 5 PM. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Expect mosquitoes and use insect repellent.

Leashed pets are welcome, but are not permitted on the staircase into the sinkhole. Only the interpretive center and restrooms are accessible.

Directions

From Interstate 75, take Gainesville exit 390 and head east into Gainesville on SR 222 for 3.4 miles, passing Santa Fe Community College. Turn left at the traffic light for NW 43rd Street. Drive 1 mile to NW 53rd Ave (Millhopper Road) and turn left. The park is on the right within a quarter mile.

About the Park

This yawning chasm has been a tourist attraction for nearly two centuries. It’s a deep natural pit 500 feet across and 120 feet deep, surrounded by forest.

What makes it fascinating is that it intersects the water table. Especially after a heavy rain, tall waterfalls tumble down its slopes into a world unlike the one at the rim.

Looking into the sinkhole from the woods above the rim

There is a visitor center with an orientation film and restrooms, plus picnic benches out at the parking area.

Be cautious of poison ivy, which is prevalent along the sides of the footpath. Except in winter, mosquitoes are always intense here.

Inside a pavilion with geological interpretive displays

Interpretive displays about the geology of Devils Millhopper

The Devils Millhopper Nature Trail circles the top of the sinkhole through a succession of habitats, including a surprising slice of scrub forest.

The nature trail provides access to the staircase into the sinkhole, which is a must on any visit to the park.

Looking up the steep staircase on the return climb

Slipping into a ravine that looks like it was stolen from the Appalachian Mountains, the staircase guides you down 132 steps and landings into the depths of this karst feature.

The trickles and cascades of water from above vanish beneath a screen of needle palms and ferns into the earth.

A pond often forms at the bottom of the sinkhole and drains into the earth

Peer closely at the rocky bluffs of the sinkhole to look for unique flora for this region, as plants sprout in the cool, damp underhangs.

Among the unusual species found here are green dragon, cutleaf spleenwort, jack-in-the-pulpit, and lanceleaf wakerobin, trillium near the southern extent of its range.

Ferns and wildflowers grow lushly around the cascades

Hiking

Devils Millhopper Geological State Park

It’s the trickle of water that catches your attention, the steady drip and splash down the rocky rim and into the depths of one of Florida’s largest sinkholes at Devils Millhopper Geological State Park

Devil’s Millhopper Nature Trail

The Devils Millhopper Nature Trail circles the lip of an enormous sinkhole before plunging down into it on a series of staircases and landings with views of natural waterfalls.

Descent into Devils Millhopper

Devils Millhopper State Park debuted a new staircase into the sinkhole on June 5. It has 100 fewer steps and yet is less steep and broader than the prior version.