With a sweeping panorama of the prairie all around as you drive US 441 across Paynes Prairie, one spot lets you get out and see it up close: the Ecopassage Observation Boardwalk.
Resources
Overview
Location: Micanopy
Length: 0.1 mile round-trip
Trailhead: 29.5741, -82.3350
Fees / Permits: Free
Restroom: None
Land Manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 352-466-3397
Open dawn to dusk daily. No pets, please.
Directions
From Interstate 75, take the Micanopy exit and drive east to US 441. Turn left and watch for the park entrance on your right within a mile. Pass that entrance and continue 3.5 miles north along US 441, passing the Bolens Bluff trailhead. Stay in the right lane and slow down as the highway descends into the prairie so you can use the designated pulloff to park at the beginning of the boardwalk.
Hike
Although this is the shortest hike in the park – a little over 500 feet each way to the observation deck at the end of the boardwalk – the Ecopassage Observation Boardwalk sees more visitors than anywhere else in the park.
Before the Ecopassage was built beneath US 441, motorists used to stop all along the causeway across the prairie. That wasn’t the best thing to do for a very important reason: the high number of reptiles that crossed the road.
While Archie Carr is best known for his work with sea turtles, he was a professor of zoology at the University of Florida, and herpetology was a pet subject of his.
While studying the snakes of Paynes Prairie, he discovered 765 of them killed along this stretch of US 441. On one visit. This was before Interstate 75 existed.
We watched the Ecopassage built in 2000. It elevated the highway atop big concrete conduits so the snakes – and alligators, and every other creature living in the prairie – could pass under the highway instead of trying to cross it.
A walk out along this boardwalk lets you look back at the highway and see the Ecopassage, although the willows and other shrubs do a good job of concealing it.
More importantly, it provides a panorama of the eastern side of the prairie. To the north, Gainesville is atop the bluff. To the east, Bolens Bluff is in the distance.
And straight out ahead, the sweep of the prairie goes on as far as the eye can see.
No matter whether the prairie is covered in water or relatively marshy, this is a great stop for wildlife watching. Look down, and you’ll likely see an alligator.
Spring, summer, and fall bring stunning arrays of wildflower blooms across this landscape when it’s marshy.
Expect purple pickerelweed in late spring, American lotus blooms in summer, and swamp sunflowers in the fall.
Explore More
Exploring Paynes Prairie
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
Protecting a massive natural basin of prairie between Micanopy and Gainesville, Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park combines panoramic views with wildlife watching along its trails
More trails in Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
Bolens Bluff Trail
Walk along a bluff where early explorers and native peoples once looked out over vastness of Paynes Prairie to discover a panorama that invites you to immerse in it
Chacala Trail
For the longest loop hike in Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, tackle the Chacala Trail for a 6.2-mile circuit that brings you to a view of Chacala Pond
Cones Dike Trail
To fully immerse in the vastness of Paynes Prairie, follow the Cones Dike Trail, the longest of the footpaths that leads out into the prairie
Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail
One of North Florida’s oldest bike paths, the Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail provides a mostly shaded rural ride
La Chua Trail
There are a handful of places that stand out as excellent locations for wildlife watching in Florida, but the best place to see alligators is in the home of the Gators, Gainesville
Lake Trail
Along the Lake Trail at Paynes Prairie Preserve, Lake Wauberg and the wildlife that lives in it is the star attraction
Prairie Creek Boardwalk
Under the dense canopy of a hardwood forest, the Prairie Creek Boardwalk provides a unique perspective on the creek that links Paynes Prairie and Newnans Lake.
Wacahoota Trail
Savor the view from five stories up as you scan the horizon for wild horses from the observation tower on the south rim of Paynes Prairie
Nearby Trails
Other trails worth exploring while you’re in this area.
Barr Hammock Preserve
Circling Levy Prairie at Barr Hammock Preserve provides a glimmer of understanding of the chain of prairies that William Bartram saw during his 1774 traverse of the region
Sweetwater Wetlands Park
A gem for Gainesville, Sweetwater Wetlands Park offers a unique perspective on Paynes Prairie
Longleaf Flatwoods Reserve
A worthwhile wander on water management lands, this loop hike at Longleaf Flatwoods Reserve hits the highlights of this colorful 2,850-acre preserve.
Bivens Arm Nature Park
The City of Gainesville’s very first nature park, Bivens Arm surrounds a marshy “arm” of Paynes Prairie, where trees tower above the network of nature trails.
Official Website