Hawthorne FloridaBEACHES & WATERFRONT ESCAPES
Listed below are the best beaches and waterfront escapes near Hawthorne, Florida.
1. Little Orange Creek Nature Park
SERENE KAYAKING SPOT
Little Orange Creek Nature Park offers a peaceful waterfront escape with a kayaking ramp for easy water access. Visitors can enjoy the creek's calm waters while surrounded by natural Florida scenery and wildlife. The park includes amenities such as beach sand volleyball courts, walking trails, and outdoor restrooms for a complete recreational experience.
2. Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail
SCENIC WATERSIDE PATH
The Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail stretches 16 miles through diverse scenery and passes by several water bodies perfect for scenic stops. The trail winds through Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park and other conservation lands, offering glimpses of native plants and wildlife along waterways. With multiple access points and parking areas, visitors can easily plan stops at various waterfront overlooks, including the beautiful Sweetwater Overlook.
3. Lochloosa Lake
PREMIER FISHING DESTINATION
Lochloosa Lake is a renowned fishing destination spanning over 5,700 acres near Hawthorne. The lake is famous for its abundant bass, crappie, and catfish populations, with multiple access points and fish camps offering boat rentals and launch facilities. Visitors can enjoy swimming in designated areas, picnicking along the shore, or simply relaxing while taking in views of cypress trees and abundant birdlife.
4. Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park
HISTORIC SPRING-FED LAKE
Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park features a spring-fed lake with a designated swimming area and sandy beach. The park's Little Lake Johnson offers clear, cool waters perfect for swimming during hot Florida summers, surrounded by pine forests. Visitors can also enjoy paddling, picnicking, and hiking along the ravine system that feeds the pristine waters.
5. Juniper Springs Recreation Area
CRYSTAL CLEAR SPRINGS
Juniper Springs Recreation Area is centered around a stunning natural spring that creates a crystal-clear swimming hole surrounded by lush subtropical vegetation. The main swimming area features a historic mill house backdrop and constant 72-degree water flowing from limestone vents in the spring basin. Visitors can swim in the refreshing waters, canoe or kayak down Juniper Run, or relax in the shaded picnic areas near the spring.
6. O'Leno State Park
HISTORIC RIVER ESCAPE
O'Leno State Park offers a unique waterfront experience where the Santa Fe River disappears underground at the River Sink before reemerging three miles away at River Rise Preserve. Visitors can swim in designated areas of the river, paddle along its scenic course, or fish from its banks surrounded by towering cypress trees. The park's combination of historical significance, natural beauty, and recreational opportunities makes it a perfect waterfront getaway near Hawthorne.
7. Ruth B. Kirby Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park
PRISTINE SPRING SWIMMING
Ruth B. Kirby Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park features a first-magnitude spring producing over 44 million gallons of water daily, creating a stunning natural swimming area. The main spring's crystal-clear blue waters maintain a refreshing 72-degree temperature year-round, perfect for swimming, snorkeling, and paddling. Visitors can also explore several smaller springs on the property, including Little Blue Spring, Naked Spring, and Kiefer Spring, all connected to the Santa Fe River.
8. Newnans Lake
HISTORIC FISHING WATERS
Newnans Lake is a 7,400-acre natural lake located east of Gainesville and close to Hawthorne, offering excellent fishing and water recreation opportunities. The lake is known for its cypress-lined shores, abundant wildlife including alligators and wading birds, and archaeological significance as a site where ancient Native American canoes were discovered. Public access points allow for fishing, kayaking, and canoeing, while the adjacent Palm Point Nature Park provides shoreline trails and picnic areas with lake views.
9. Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
WILD WETLAND BASIN
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park encompasses a vast 21,000-acre savanna with a water-filled basin that transforms from dry plains to a lake depending on rainfall. The La Chua Trail leads visitors to observation platforms overlooking Alachua Sink, where alligators, wading birds, and other wildlife gather in the water. When water levels are high, visitors can paddle across the prairie basin, experiencing a unique wetland ecosystem with wild horses and bison roaming nearby.
10. Orange Lake
BASS FISHING PARADISE
Orange Lake is a vast 12,550-acre natural lake located south of Hawthorne, famous for its excellent bass fishing and abundant wildlife. The lake features extensive beds of spatterdock, eelgrass, and floating islands that provide perfect habitat for largemouth bass, crappie, and bream. Public boat ramps and fish camps provide access to the lake's waters for fishing, boating, and wildlife viewing, including opportunities to spot alligators, ospreys, and bald eagles.