In the fall, Gainesville is a hustling, bustling place.
Cars line the urbane streets of University Avenue. Neon lights shine through the night in the downtown district.
But surrounding the university and semi-metropolitan areas of the city is some of the most beautiful natural scenery in north Florida.
One nearby place to go if you’re in search of nature is Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park, which is home to a 120-foot deep sinkhole and small rain forest, according to the Florida State Parks website.
Visitors can travel down into the sinkhole using the park’s boardwalk system.
Going back up the plethora of wooden steps from the bottom is also a way to work out.
“People that are going to climb mountains go train there,” said Rachel Ahrens, a 19-year-old student at Santa Fe College. “I wanted to die after running all the stairs.”
One of Gainesville’s main natural attractions is Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park.
The park spans about 21,000 acres and is a National Natural Landmark, according to the Florida State Parks website.
It is home to an abundance of wildlife, including bald eagles, horses, hawks, sandhill cranes, alligators, snakes, bison, otters, deer and bobcats.
In the prairie, students can hike the La Chua Trail or do some horseback riding down the Chacala Trail. Camping is also an option.
On the south side of Paynes Prairie is Lake Wauburg, a recreational area where students can canoe and fish for bass, bream and speckled perch.
Students can bring other boats onto the water for water skiing, wake boarding and sailing. However, gas-powered motors are not allowed on the lake.
At the lake, there is also a 55-foot rock-climbing wall with 19 different routes for beginner and advanced climbers, according to the Department of Recreational Sports website.
Entrance to the lake is free with a Gator 1 Card. The park is closed Mondays.
Another lake that is closer to campus has become a natural attraction as well.
Lake Alice has become a popular place for students to visit, as the lake and surrounding area is home to alligators, turtles, wading birds and bats. The lake is also surrounded by a number of nature trails.
If you’re in search of water and are able to travel a bit, the towns surrounding Gainesville also have some worthwhile places to visit.
One place that has proven to be quite popular for students is the Ichetucknee River north of High Springs.
The main attraction at the river is tubing.
Depending on which entrance you choose to start from, you can drift along the river for three-and-a-half hours, an hour and a half or 45 minutes, according to Ichetuckneeriver.com.
Wildlife is also visible while riding along the river, which remains a constant 72 degrees year-round. White-tailed deer, raccoons, wild turkeys, wood ducks and great blue herons are frequent visitors to the river’s banks.
Also in the High Springs area are the things the town is named for — the springs.
Most students say that Ginnie Springs, Poe Springs and Blue Springs as the most popular.
At Ginnie Springs, you can snorkel and swim. If you’ve got the wallet for it, scuba diving is an option.
“The springs are a very chill place,” said Lindsey Buz, a student at Santa Fe College. “It’s a very relaxing place where you can spend quality time with your friends. It’s a great place to go if you want to go camping or fishing or barbecuing.”
Camping is also permitted, and party people will be thrilled to know alcohol is permitted, though not without limitations. No glass bottles are allowed, and you must be given written approval from the park in order to bring a keg with you on your trip.
The nearby Santa Fe River also has tubing, kayaking and canoeing.
