Hawthorne, FL

Hawthorne is an old Florida town that has retained its small town charm. The town was built around a grist mill and was bolstered by the introduction of the railroad, which still runs through the town to this day. The Hawthorne area draws in those who love Florida's adventure-friendly spaces. Much of the surrounding area is wooded, and the countryside is pocketed with endless lakes and ponds. 

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The Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail ends here – or starts, depending on your orientation. Bike, walk, rollerblade or trot (segments of the trail allow horses) this 16-mile path that connects the two towns via Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park and the Lochloosa Wildlife Management Area.

 

Native plants decorate the former railway. About 15 minutes southwest of Hawthorne, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park echoes the area’s rustic, pioneering appeal. The author’s Cracker homestead and farm have been preserved for visitors, bringing to life the pages of her Pulitzer Prize-winning book “The Yearling,” a tale from the Florida scrub.