Hike, Bike, Swim, Camp and Paddle at Florida’s O’Leno State Park

One of Florida’s first state parks, O’Leno State Park was first developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. The park is located along the banks of the scenic Santa Fe River, a tributary of the Suwannee River, and features sinkholes, hardwood hammocks, river swamps and sandhills. As the river courses through the park, …

Visit The La Chua Trail and Alachua Sink at Payne’s Prairie State Park

Paynes Prairie is biologically, geologically and historically unique. This park became Florida´s first state preserve in 1971 and is now designated as a National Natural Landmark. Noted artist and naturalist William Bartram called it the great Alachua Savannah when he wrote about his visit to the prairie in 1774. Depending on the season you visit …

Dudley Farm HIstoric State Park in Alachua County is a Florida Gem

When driving on SR26 (Newberry Road) between Gainesville and Newberry, Florida, the casual observer is likely to overlook the less-than-imposing entry and driveway that leads to Dudley Farm Historic State Park (For your GPS: 18730 W. Newberry Road, Newbery, FL  32669). What lies at the end of the quarter-mile drive is astounding in terms of …

Visit Fanning Springs, A Natural North Florida Paradise!

Fanning Springs State Park, located on the Suwannee River, this inviting source of cool, clear water has attracted people for thousands of years. Fanning Springs now produces less than 65 million gallons of water daily, making it a second magnitude spring. Historically, Fanning Spring was a first-magnitude springs as recently as the 1990s. Swimming or …

Swim, Snorkel, SCUBA, Paddle, Camp, Play at Florida’s Manatee Springs State Park

The first-magnitude spring at Manatee Springs State Park produces an average of 100 million gallons of clear, cool water daily. In winter, West Indian manatees swim upriver to the warmer waters of the springs. Popular for snorkeling and scuba diving, the headwaters of the spring are also a great spot for swimming. The spring run …

Country In The Pines Music Festival, Perry, Fl, September 25 & 26, 2015

  This year’s Country In The Pines Music Festival  is going to be a great, two day event, with music, good eats and lots of fun.  The event will take place September 25 and 26, 2015 at the Forest Capital Park in Perry, FL.  The schedule of events is still being put together, but should …

Hike, Bike and Camp at Paynes Prairie State Park’s South Side, in Alachua County, Florida

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is biologically, geologically and historically unique. The park became Florida´s first state preserve in 1971 and is now designated as a National Natural Landmark. Noted artist and naturalist William Bartram called it the great Alachua Savannah when he wrote about his visit to the prairie in 1774. The State Park …

Bike, Hike or Ride Your Horse at San Felasco Hammock State Park, in Alachua County, Florida

This preserve has one of the few remaining mature forests in Florida. The limestone outcrops and extreme changes in elevation provide ideal conditions for many species of hardwood trees, including several champion trees. Bobcats, white-tailed deer, gray foxes, turkeys, and many species of songbirds make their homes in the 18 natural communities found in the …

Visit A Natural North Florida Wonder–Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park in Gainesville

Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park near Gainesville, is a bowl-shaped cavity 120 feet deep leads down to a miniature rain forest. Small streams trickle down the steep slopes of the limestone sinkhole, disappearing through crevices in the ground. Lush vegetation thrives in the shade of the walls even in dry summers. A significant geological formation, …

Re-Live The Past at Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park Near Gainesville

Located in Cross Creek, just a short drive from Gainesville (and historic Micanopy), the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park is a look back into the time when the famous author penned classics like her Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Yearling.  The Rawlings home at Cross Creek has been restored and is of interest to …