Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is a Florida State Park, encompassing a 21,000-acre (85 km2) savanna in Alachua County, Florida lying between Micanopy and Gainesville. It stands 6 mi northwest of Micanopy. Records date it to 1971.
A state park, 6 mi northwest of Micanopy
Gainesville is the nearest base
Gainesville is 7 miles north, with 57 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Jacksonville
Jacksonville is about 66 miles northeast (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov and Dec
January, February, March, April, October, November and December are the mild months, with highs of 68–83°. When to go ↓
An airport 8 miles away
Gainesville Regional (GNV) has airline service, about 8 miles from Paynes Prairie.
Established in 1971
Paynes Prairie dates from 1971. About ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Picking a season
Here is how the weather at Paynes Prairie changes month by month.
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is a Florida State Park, encompassing a 21,000-acre (85 km2) savanna in Alachua County, Florida lying between Micanopy and Gainesville. It is also a U.S. National Natural Landmark. It is crossed by both I-75 and U.S. 441 (which has a scenic outlook ramp). It is in the center of the Paynes Prairie Basin. The basin's primary source of drainage is Alachua Sink. During occasional wet periods, the basin will become full. A notable period occurred from 1871 to 1891 when the Alachua Sink was temporarily blocked. During this period, shallow draft steamboats were a frequent sight on Alachua Lake in the center of the prairie. The region was also historically known as the Alachua Savannah. Its drainage has been modified by several canals.
- Type
- State park
- Established
- 1971
- Listed
- National Natural Landmark
- Wikipedia readers
- 9.1K a year
Rooms near Paynes Prairie
Rooms are nearest in Gainesville (57) and Micanopy (4).
Gainesville
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
148,671 people
7 mi north of Paynes Prairie
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Paynes Prairie | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gainesville | 7 mi north | 10 min | 57 45 hotels · 1 motel · 5 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins · 1 hostel · 1 campground · 1 RV park | 148,671 | $248K | D |
| Micanopy | 6 mi southeast | 10 min | 4 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 2 campgrounds | 653 | $233K | — |
| McIntosh | 11 mi southeast | 15 min | 5 2 hotels · 2 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 551 | $275K | — |
| Alachua | 16 mi northwest | 25 min | 9 6 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 RV park | 10,612 | $299K | — |
| Waldo | 18 mi northeast | 25 min | 6 3 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 RV park | 814 | $114K | — |
| High Springs | 22 mi northwest | 30 min | 8 1 hotel · 2 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins · 1 campground | 6,762 | $321K | — |
| Starke | 28 mi northeast | 45 min | 12 7 hotels · 2 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 5,963 | $214K | — |
| Keystone Heights | 23 mi northeast | 35 min | 6 1 hotel · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins · 2 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 1,579 | $228K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Close to Paynes Prairie
Also within 66 miles are these.
15 mi Stadium & arenaBen Hill Griffin Stadium
Big draw66 mi Stadium & arenaEverBank Field
65 mi National MonumentCastillo de San Marcos National Monument598K visitors a year
228 mi Park & preserveGinnie Springs
34 mi MuseumFlorida Museum of Natural History200K visitors a year
415 mi Ancient siteDevil's Den
42 mi National forestOcala National Forest
66 mi Stadium & arenaVyStar Veterans Memorial ArenaPhoto credits
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium: The original uploader was Hughs at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 2.5 · EverBank Field: AndrewAvitus, CC BY 3.0 · Castillo de San Marcos National Monument: National Park Service, Public domain · Ginnie Springs: (WT-de) Mistoffeles, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Florida Museum of Natural History: WillMcC, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Devil's Den: Eric Beach, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ocala National Forest: Sandra Friend, Public domain · VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena: Nichos (talk), Public domain
Know before you visit Paynes Prairie
What town is Paynes Prairie near?
Micanopy, FL, about 6 miles southeast.
When is the best time to visit Paynes Prairie?
January, February, March, April, October, November and December, with highs of 68–83°.
How far is Paynes Prairie from Jacksonville and Orlando?
About 66 miles northeast of Jacksonville and about 98 miles southeast of Orlando, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Paynes Prairie?
Gainesville Regional (GNV), about 8 miles away. The nearest big hub is Jacksonville (JAX), about 74 miles.
Where should I stay near Paynes Prairie?
Gainesville (7 mi, 57 places to stay), Micanopy (6 mi, 4 places to stay) and McIntosh (11 mi, 5 places to stay).
Local tips in Micanopy
There are no tips yet, so start one in Micanopy’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.