Hiking Newnan's Lake Conservation Area

Location and Hiking Trail Maps Plus Photos and other Information

Hiking Newnan’s Lake Conservation Area
Alachua County
Near Keystone Gainesville, Florida
Entry Fee: None
Traffic: Light
St. John’s River Water Management District (SJRWMD) Official Page

PDF Trail Map ^
Interactive Trail Map at AllTrails >

Reaching the Hiking Trails

Small Sign, Big Hike!

Hiking Newnan’s Lake Conservation Area will fill a great morning or afternoon for anyone who loves the outdoors. Whether bird-watching, horseback riding, or mountain biking, don’t miss these 9-plus miles of trails.

While reaching the trail head is easy, you need to know exactly where to go. Maps may take you to the wrong place. That’s because the conservation area has multiple sites for different uses. Newnan’s Lake lies east of Gainesville. The hiking trails, on the other hand, lie east of the lake. You can reach them via County Road 234. And since there are multiple facilities at Newnan’s Lake, I strongly advise following the map provided below.

Once there, you will find a short entranceway to a large, grassy parking area. And since the trails are lightly trafficked, you may even have it all to yourself!

Hiking Newnan’s Lake Conservation Area

The conservation area offers two loops, white and red. Using the trail map provided above, you can combine them for a 9 mile hike.

The trails are wide and well-managed with surprisingly few biti

Bald Eagle

ng insects. And you’ll find a good amount of variety with both open sun and shaded areas. There’s plenty to see if you watch for wildflowers and birds as I did in April. In fact, I spotted two bald eagles. I also came across a honeybee farm. While interesting, it’s best to give these bees their space and move along.

The only thing you might say lacks is a particular destination. Despite the name, you won’t find lake views. The closest you get to Lake Newnan is a densely wooded area, the only muddy place on the hike.

But since the loops provide plenty to see along the way, you’ll enjoy your time there. Just keep your eyes alert for flowers, birds, and animals.

Definitely take advantage of this splendid day hike if near Gainesville. Given the area’s proximity to town, I am surprised at how light I found the traffic even on a weekend!

Trail Images Below

Overview of the Area

Much of the trail is open sun

Creek in Wooded Area

Tall Pines