Florida: Micanopy, Cross Creek, and Paynes Prairie

I had a dentist appointment yesterday that ended up a bit more painful than I had anticipated. To deal with a numb mouth and painful jaw I took a very long drive north. All the way up to Micanopy. Now, for those who do not understand some of our city names, Micanopy was a Seminole Indian Chief who lived in the area near Gainsville, Fl.

You can zoom in to read a bit about the War and the battles in Micanopy, but that wasn't my reason for driving all the way up here. While Micanopy itself is a pretty little community, I came up here to go to Cross Creek, but first, some pictures of the historic downtown with it's cafes and antique shops.

From Micanopy I drove over to Cross Creek, which is a landmark in Florida because of American Author, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. Rawlings wrote several books aimed at young teens, but the most famous were Cross Creek, The Yearling, The Secret River, The Sojourner, and South Moon Under. She wasn't an easy woman and she sure as heck didn't take anything from her husband or neighbors, but her portrayal of the locals as backwoods did get her in trouble and eventually she left Cross Creek. Her homestead, where she wrote her most famous books, is still there, preserved as a National Heritage Site and available for tours and walk through. Parking will cost you $3 in an honor box, but I've seen the Parks Department ticket people in the past, so don't fake it. Fishing is also available (there is a boat ramp) as are nature hikes through the preserve. I didn't do the tour this time, they run on the hour mark, but I've done it in the past and it's a great experience.

On the way out of town (or in, depending on how you drive) you can stop off for lunch or dinner at The Yearling Cafe, which has great Gator Bites and normally some live music. Walk off dinner by walking over the Cross Creek Bridge and taking in the view.

If you take the main road too far (like I did), you end up going through Gainsville a bit before hitting 41 which you can take until it runs into 75. From there I drove south to the Paynes Prairie Preserve Observation Point. I didn't go into the park itself (which will cost the same as all the state parks: $4-$6 a car load), but stopped off at one of the Observation Points to take some photos and stretch my legs.

Paynes Prairie Preserve is technically located in Micanopy (100 Savannah Blvd, Micanopy, FL 32667), just south of Gainsville. The Observation points allow you to see a section of the 21,000-acre savanna and wetlands. To be honest, the pictures don't do it justice. There are flowers, animals, and plants you see but can't photograph properly and the overall feeling of vastness is terribly difficult to explain properly. You can spend days going through the preserve and the various hiking and horseback riding trails, not to mention the 50 foot tall observation tower or the boat ramp.

When leaving you end up going North to go South out of the Observation Point, and once you are back on the Interstate the drive isn't as interesting, but cattle and horse farms dot the landscape and overall it was a nice, if long, trip.