Sweetwater Wetlands Park: A Paynes Prairie Adventure in Gainesville

I'm Susannah Peddie, one of the owners of the Camellia Rose Inn. One of my greatest passions is exploring nature, and thankfully, we have some truly great nature outings in Gainesville.


Sweetwater Wetlands is one of my favorite parks. I'll take you on a virtual tour, along with some tips on when to go and what to bring.


Sweetwater Wetlands Park is a City of Gainesville park, and the cost for entry is ~$5 (paid when parking). Sweetwater Wetlands does not have much shade, so while anytime in the winter is fine, on hot days, mornings or dusk are the best times (plus, the animals are more active in the morning and dusk). For fitness buffs, the trails offer a few miles of beautiful trails.


Bring a hat, comfortable walking shoes, water, and a camera.


What you might see:

Great Blue Herons

Alligators

Roseated Spoon Bills (depending on the time of year)

Sandhill Cranes

Ospreys

Wild Horses

And sooooooo much more!


For more information and hours, please visit: https://www.gainesvillefl.gov/Parks/Sweetwater-Wetlands-Park

Follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SWPGainesville



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