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Paynes Prairie is a Florida State Park
Florida State Parks

The Florida State Parks encompass the majority of the lands that fall under the authority of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection....
, encompassing a 21,000 acre (85 kmē) savanna
Savanna

A savanna, or savannah, is a tropical, subtropical or temperate woodland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the Canopy does not close....
 south of Gainesville
Gainesville, Florida

Gainesville is the largest city in ? and county seat of ? Alachua County, Florida, Florida, United States. Gainesville is also home to the University of Florida, which is the largest university in the State University System of Florida and the List of largest United States universities by enrollment in the United States....
, Florida
Florida

Florida is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the northeast....
, in Micanopy
Micanopy, Florida

Micanopy is a town in Alachua County, Florida, Florida, United States. It is south of Gainesville, Florida. The population in the United States Census 2000 was 653....
. It is also a U.S.
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 National Natural Landmark
National Natural Landmark

The National Natural Landmark program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the United States' natural history....
. It is crossed by both I-75
Interstate 75

Interstate 75 is a major north-south Interstate Highway in the midwest and southeastern United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida, Florida to Sault Ste....
 and U.S. 441
U.S. Route 441

U.S. Route 441 is a spur route of U.S. Route 41. It currently runs for 939 miles from U.S. Route 41 in Miami, Florida to U.S. Route 25W in Lake City, Tennessee....
 (which has a scenic outlook ramp).

prairie became the stronghold of the Alachua band of the Seminole
Seminole

The Seminole are a Native Americans in the United States people originally of Florida, who now reside primarily in that state and Oklahoma. The Seminole nation was formed in the 18th century and was composed of Native Americans from Georgia , Mississippi, and Alabama, most significantly the Creek people, as well as African Americans who escap...
 tribe under chief Ahaya the Cowkeeper
Cowkeeper

Cowkeeper is the English language name of the first recorded chief of the Alachua band of the Seminole tribe. His traditional name was Ahaya....
 in the 18th century. It is named for the Cowkeeper's eldest surviving son, Payne
King Payne

King Payne was a son of Seminole high chief Cowkeeper and succeeded him as leading chief of the Seminoles upon his death in 1783. He led his people against the Spain and United Statess from Georgia and established a number of towns and villages, including Paynes Town in Paynes Prairie, both of which are named for him....
.

There have been times when the prairie's drainage become so blocked that it flooded, causing the formation of a lake
Lake

A lake is a terrain feature , a body of liquid on the surface of a world that is localized to the bottom of basin and moves slowly if it moves at all....
.






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Paynes Prairie is a Florida State Park
Florida State Parks

The Florida State Parks encompass the majority of the lands that fall under the authority of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection....
, encompassing a 21,000 acre (85 kmē) savanna
Savanna

A savanna, or savannah, is a tropical, subtropical or temperate woodland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the Canopy does not close....
 south of Gainesville
Gainesville, Florida

Gainesville is the largest city in ? and county seat of ? Alachua County, Florida, Florida, United States. Gainesville is also home to the University of Florida, which is the largest university in the State University System of Florida and the List of largest United States universities by enrollment in the United States....
, Florida
Florida

Florida is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the northeast....
, in Micanopy
Micanopy, Florida

Micanopy is a town in Alachua County, Florida, Florida, United States. It is south of Gainesville, Florida. The population in the United States Census 2000 was 653....
. It is also a U.S.
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 National Natural Landmark
National Natural Landmark

The National Natural Landmark program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the United States' natural history....
. It is crossed by both I-75
Interstate 75

Interstate 75 is a major north-south Interstate Highway in the midwest and southeastern United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida, Florida to Sault Ste....
 and U.S. 441
U.S. Route 441

U.S. Route 441 is a spur route of U.S. Route 41. It currently runs for 939 miles from U.S. Route 41 in Miami, Florida to U.S. Route 25W in Lake City, Tennessee....
 (which has a scenic outlook ramp).

History

The prairie became the stronghold of the Alachua band of the Seminole
Seminole

The Seminole are a Native Americans in the United States people originally of Florida, who now reside primarily in that state and Oklahoma. The Seminole nation was formed in the 18th century and was composed of Native Americans from Georgia , Mississippi, and Alabama, most significantly the Creek people, as well as African Americans who escap...
 tribe under chief Ahaya the Cowkeeper
Cowkeeper

Cowkeeper is the English language name of the first recorded chief of the Alachua band of the Seminole tribe. His traditional name was Ahaya....
 in the 18th century. It is named for the Cowkeeper's eldest surviving son, Payne
King Payne

King Payne was a son of Seminole high chief Cowkeeper and succeeded him as leading chief of the Seminoles upon his death in 1783. He led his people against the Spain and United Statess from Georgia and established a number of towns and villages, including Paynes Town in Paynes Prairie, both of which are named for him....
.

There have been times when the prairie's drainage become so blocked that it flooded, causing the formation of a lake
Lake

A lake is a terrain feature , a body of liquid on the surface of a world that is localized to the bottom of basin and moves slowly if it moves at all....
. The most recent such occurrence was in 1871, and lasted until 1886. During this period, steamboat
Steamboat

A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam engine, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels....
s were a frequent sight on what was called Alachua Lake.

Fauna

Over 270 species of birds can be seen in the park as well as alligator
Alligator

An Alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. The name alligator is an anglicization form of the Spanish language el lagarto , the name by which early Spain explorers and settlers in Florida called the alligator....
s and small herds of American Bison
American Bison

The American Bison is a bovinae mammal, also commonly known as the American buffalo. "Buffalo" is somewhat of a misnomer for this animal, as it is only distantly related to either of the two "true buffaloes", the Wild Asian Water Buffalo and the African buffalo....
, Spanish Horses and Florida scrub cattle first herded by the Seminoles. The bison were reintroduced to the park from Oklahoma
Oklahoma

Oklahoma is a U.S. state and a sovereignty located in the South Central United States and Southern United States of the United States of America ....
 in the mid 1970s. As a part of the park service goal of restoring Florida's natural resources to pre-European settler conditions, the bison were reintroduced because they once roamed this area until the early 1800s. It is rare to see them, but the best place to look for them is along the Cone's Dike trail.

Recreational activities

The park contains exhibits and an audio-visual program at the visitor center
Visitor center

A visitor center or centre , visitor information center, tourist information center or tourist information, may be:* A visitor center at a specific attraction or place of interest, such as a landmark, national park, U.S....
 that explains the area's natural and cultural history. A 50-foot-high observation tower
Observation tower

An observation tower is a structure used to view events from a long distance and to create a full 360 degree range of vision. They are usually at least tall and made from stone, iron, and wood....
 near the visitor center provides a panoramic view of the preserve. Eight different trails provide opportunities for hiking
Hiking

Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often on trail. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous :Category:Hiking organizations worldwide....
, horseback riding, and bicycling. Ranger-led activities are offered on weekends, November through April. Fishing on Lake Wauburg is allowed and a boat ramp provides access for canoe
Canoe

A canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes usually are pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be covered....
s and boats with electric motors. Full-facility campsites are available for overnight visitors.

The park is a 'gateway site' for the Great Florida Birding Trail
Great Florida Birding Trail

The 2000 mile long Great Florida Birding Trail is a collection of more than 400 locations in the U.S. state of Florida. The sites were chosen to conserve and enhance the state's bird habitats through promotion of birdwatching, environmental education and ecotourism....
.

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