Resources
Resources for exploring the area
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Exploring Micanopy
Founded in 1821, Micanopy is Florida’s oldest inland town. It is also one of Florida’s top destinations for antiques shopping.
With a quaint downtown shaded by ancient live oaks, it has architecture that provides a snapshot of the late 1800s.
Trails and Parks around Micanopy
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.
Barr Hammock Preserve South Miles of crisscrossing trails span strikingly different environments from shady swamps and hammocks to open pine forests in the southern portion of Barr Hammock Preserve.
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.
Cuscowilla Nature and Retreat Center A former YMCA camp turned county park offers a swimming pool, disk golf, and scenic loop trail showcasing shady oak hammocks and a blackwater swamp. 
Ecopassage Observation Boardwalk Providing the easiest-to-reach panorama of Paynes Prairie, the Ecopassage Observation Boardwalk encourages you to stop and take it all in.
Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail One of North Florida’s oldest bike paths, the 15.3 mile linear Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail provides a mostly shaded rural ride.
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.
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic Site Step back in time within the homestead of Pulitzer-prize winning novelist Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings on pathways she once trod in Cross Creek.
Micanopy Native American Heritage Preserve On the high ground above Lake Tuscawilla, an ancient village once stood. The Micanopy Native American Heritage Preserve is dedicated to its memory and preservation. 
Orange Lake Overlook High above the western shore of Orange Lake near McIntosh, a historic citrus shop stands on a hilltop where a 1.2 mile loop trail leads down the hillside and back. 
Paynes Prairie Lake Trail Along the Lake Trail at Paynes Prairie Preserve, Lake Wauberg and the wildlife that lives in it is the star attraction.
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.
Prairie Creek Preserve In the deep shade of the floodplain of Prairie Creek near Gainesville, Prairie Creek Preserve is a beauty spot provided to the public by the Alachua Conservation Trust.
Prices Scrub State Park Hidden amid the horse farms of northern Marion County, Price's Scrub State Park protects an island of biodiversity within the North Marion Greenway.
Tuscawilla Preserve Peek through thick curtains of Spanish moss beneath grandfather live oaks to watch sandhill cranes dance along the shores of an ancient lake in Micanopy.
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.Related Articles
Paynes Prairie: A North Florida Gem (7/31/2019) A natural landform between Gainesville and Micanopy, Paynes Prairie is an immense and ever-changing basin.
Paynes Prairie in purple (5/27/2016) Resplendent in the royal purples of pickerelweed, Paynes Prairie is a showy place as spring fades to summerNearby: Gainesville, Cross Creek, Ocala, Williston