Price's Scrub State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Price's Scrub State Park |
|
|---|---|
|
IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
|
|
Pine flatwoods at Price's Scrub State Park, July 2020
|
|
 Price's Scrub State Park
Location in Florida
|
|
| Location | Marion County, Florida, USA |
| Nearest city | Micanopy |
| Area | 962 acres (3.89 km2) |
| Governing body | Florida Department of Environmental Protection |
Price’s Scrub State Park is a cool 962-acre (about 3.9 square kilometers) park in Marion County, Florida. It's a special place because it has many different kinds of plants and animals. This park is also important for connecting other natural areas, like a big green pathway. This pathway, called the Northwest Marion Greenway, would link Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park to Goethe State Forest. It's a great idea for outdoor fun, especially for horseback riding!
Contents
Where is Price's Scrub State Park?
You can find Price's Scrub State Park right next to Interstate 75. The town of Micanopy is only about one mile north. Gainesville is 12 miles north, and Ocala is about 21 miles southeast. Even though the park is in Marion County, it touches Alachua County to the north.
How the Park Started
The state of Florida bought the land for Price's Scrub State Park in 2002. It cost about $1.97 million! The money came from a special program called Florida Forever, which helps protect Florida's natural places. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection takes care of the park. They have a long-term agreement to manage the land until May 2053.
Fun Things to Do at the Park
The park has a network of trails that are about 9.5 miles long. The trails in the northern part of the park have more shade and gentle hills. In the southern part, the trails are sandier and more open. You can enjoy many activities here, such as:
- Horseback riding
- Hiking
- Birdwatching
- Cycling (but watch out for sandy spots!)
The park also has useful things like a grassy parking lot, picnic tables, portable toilets, and even a watering trough for horses.
Nature and Wildlife at the Park
Price's Scrub State Park is home to many different natural areas. You can find at least fifteen types of natural communities here! These include:
In the northern part of the park, there's a pretty big sinkhole lake called Water Lily Pond.
The park has tall canopies of sand pines and pond pines. Below these trees, you'll find smaller plants like saw palmetto, fetterbush, gallberries, broom sedge, and saltbush. Almost 70 different kinds of birds have been seen at the park, making it a great spot for birdwatchers!
Old History at the Park
Price's Scrub State Park is also important for its history. Part of an old stagecoach route from the 1800s, which went from Ocala to Micanopy, runs through the park. There are also very old archaeological sites from prehistoric times, showing that people lived here long, long ago.
