Sweetwater Preserve
Sweetwater Preserve opened in 2014 as a joint venture between the Sweetwater Conservancy, the Nature Conservancy, the University of Florida and the City of Gainesville. The 30-acre preserve—located 15 minutes from downtown Gainesville—is designed to provide high-quality wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities. Sweetwater Preserve features a network of trails, wetlands, and a large loop along Sweetwater Creek.
The Sweetwater Preserve in Gainesville, Florida, is the city’s newest public park. It is a beautiful 145-acre park addition on Sweetwater Creek with trails, wetlands, a dog park, community gardens, and the popular Sweetwater Preserve playground. The land was formerly a part of the Sweetwater Nature Preserve, which was an attraction owned and maintained by the Sweetwater Neighborhoods Inc., and is now being managed by the Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department.
The Sweetwater Preserve is a 1,750-acre nature preserve located in Gainesville, Florida. There are over 2 miles of trails that wind through the preserve, each offering unique scenery, wildlife, and plant life. Trails are well maintained, with boardwalks to protect your feet on the soft sand that lines the preserve’s coast. Sweetwater Preserve is a terrific spot to take the entire family on a hike. There’s a playground for younger children as well as a pavilion that can accommodate large family gatherings.
Sweetwater Preserve’s stunning natural beauty makes it the perfect setting for outdoor weddings, private parties, business gatherings, photography sessions, family reunions, and more. Sweetwater Preserve is also home to Alligator Point Lighthouse, one of Florida’s oldest lighthouses, which is one of 17 historical landmarks in the park.
Sweetwater Preserve is a 5,000-acre nature preserve in Gainesville, Florida, that is home to more than 300 species of birds, reptiles, mammals, and amphibians. The preserve’s diverse ecosystems make it an ideal environmental education resource. Sweetwater Preserve offers plenty of ways to explore the preserve and learn about the area’s native plants and animals through its guided hikes, guided bird walks, and other programs conducted throughout the year.
Sweetwater Preserve, Gainesville, Florida, is a 2,260 acre natural area in the heart of Gainesville. Sweetwater Preserve is 39% native longleaf pine savannah, 32% open pine flatwoods, 12% pine rocklands, 3% cypress strand, 2% prairie, 1% palmetto-turkey oak woodland, and 1% other. It is home to more than 70 species of butterfly, more than 20 species of native bees and wasps, 100 bird species, and several species of frogs, salamanders, snakes, and turtles.
Sweetwater Preserve, Gainesville is Gainesville’s newest neighborhood and conveniently located just 5 minutes from UF. Sweetwater Preserve takes pride in remaining a tight-knit community. The neighborhood will consist of 101 single family homes, 15 acres of preserved green space, a recreation center, a proposed 10-acre city park, and miles of trails for walking and biking. Sweetwater Preserve is conveniently situated off University Avenue making it the perfect neighborhood for families and professionals.