Prairie Creek Preserve

Prairie Creek drains Newnans Lake, one of the largest lakes in north Florida, towards Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park and Orange Lake. The upland areas of the preserve are made up of flatwoods, mesic and hydric hammocks, and wetlands that include cypress swamps, depression marshes, and blackwater streams. The basin provides a corridor along an important flyway through this part of the state – annual bird surveys always find large and diverse populations of migrating and local birds. Wildlife seen recently include: bald eagle, swallow-tailed kite, red-headed woodpecker, northern bobwhite, wild turkey, gopher tortoise, American alligator, golden mouse, river otter, and Florida black bear. There is also great floral diversity within the preserve’s boundary, with aquatic plants such as blue-flag iris, water lilies, lotus, pickerel weed and lizard's tail in showy blossom in the spring.

Prairie Creek Preserve has a well-maintained trail network that winds through a wide variety of habitat types. Areas that were previously in planted pine are in the process of being restored with longleaf pine and wiregrass, and you may also notice signs of prescribed fire within these areas.