The Gainesville-Hawthorn Trail is a paved walkway stretching 16 miles from Boulware Springs Park in Gainesville, through beautiful woodlands, past deep lakes and prairie vistas, to the town of Hawthorne.
Days Open: Sunday - Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday - Friday - Saturday
This 16-mile recreational greenway connects modern Gainesville to historic Hawthorne. The Gainesville-Hawthorn Trail is a Rails-to-Trails project; an old railbed now paved for bikes, pedestrians, and wheelchairs. The trail also accommodates horseback riding.
For those who enjoy cycling without the rigors of off-road mountain biking the Gainesville-Hawthorne offers a great alternative. You can bicycle from Gainesville, along the north rim of the Paynes Prairie State Preserve, all the way to the east end of the trail in Hawthorne just two blocks from the Hawthorne Historical Museum. Most riders find the trail to be easy to moderate in difficulty, with a few hills. The trail is rarely interrupted by road crossings.
A number of kiosks along the trail feature a self-guided tour brochure. Primitive restrooms are located at mile markers 1.0 and 6.6. Best to carry food and water, as facilities are very limited. There are some places to eat and drink at the Hawthorne end of the trail.
Parking is provided at three trail heads:
3300 SE 15th Street in Gainesville at Boulware Springs City Park (see map below)
7902 SE 200th Drive off of CR 2082 west of Hawthorne map
2182 SE 71st Avenue in Hawthorne map
Hours: 8a-6p November-April; 8a-8p May-July. Paynes Prairie portion of the Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail open 8a until sunset daily. Admission: free
