Trails at Bivens Arm Nature Park

Picnic at Bivens Arm: Trail and Location Maps with Images and Information

Alachua County
Near Gainesville, Florida
Entry Fee: None
Traffic: Moderate
Visit Gainesville Official Page

PDF Trail Map ^
Interactive Trail Map at AllTrails >

I recommend Bivens Arm Nature Park for a picnic and some woodland hiking if you are in the area, but it is not something to go out of your way for.

Bivens Arm Nature Park offers this picnic area in Gainesville, Alachua County

Picnic Pavilion

The Positives of Bivens Arm Nature Park

To be sure, I don’t want to come across as negative. This park offers ample parking with quick access to grills, multiple covered picnic tables, emergency phone, and even wheelchair access restrooms. The trail is somewhat of a bonus, a place to wander during a family gathering while the others eat and talk. The park also serves a functional purpose in preventing or controlling erosion. Finally, there is a platform adjacent to the picnic area overlooking wetlands where others have spotted alligators, although in multiple trips I have not.

Is Bivens Arm Nature Park a Good Place for Hiking?

Think of Bivens Arm more as a place for a nice picnic with hiking on the side. The trails are somewhat aimless, mostly unnamed and unmarked. Some end suddenly in parking lots, or even people’s backyards. You never get away from neighborhood sounds such as traffic, lawnmowers, and leaf blowers. Trails are narrow so expect insect swarms even by Florida standards. Wandering everything I could find, I got in about two and a half miles of hiking.

Trail Images Below