The Hawthorne Trail - History and Cinnamon Buns

The Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail is one of those bucket-list rides that had been lingering in the back of my mind for ages. Using an old railroad easement, the paved path stretches roughly 18 miles westward from Hawthorne to Gainesville. Looking at the map recently, two things convinced me it was time to ride. First, the route passes right by the Alachua Sink and Paynes Prairie - a landscape I have found historically fascinating. Second, while hunting for a mid-ride coffee spot in Gainesville, I discovered the Opus Coffee Airstream trailer.

After a 50 mile drive north I arrived at the Hawthorne trailhead which offers ample parking and a staging area. I rolled out onto the trail which begins straight and flat, its smooth asphalt punctuated only by occasional ridges where tree roots have pushed through from below. Here, the path cuts through dense tree canopies, skirts quiet wetlands, and crosses scenic spans like the wooden bridge over Lochloosa Creek. A little more than halfway to Gainesville, the terrain changes. The trail begins to curve and roll as it climbs onto the hammock overlooking Paynes Prairie.

The Alachua Sink

My first stop destination was the spur trail to the Alachua Sink overlook. Standing on the platform, I looked out over the open prairie toward the brown, circular patch of the sinkhole. This 120-foot-deep chasm acts as a massive natural drain, swallowing millions of gallons of water daily from the 23,000-acre prairie and channeling it into the Floridan aquifer.

Sketch of a sternwheeler on Lake Alachua by James Calvert - courtesy Florida Memory

The sinkhole hasn't always drained so freely. At the end of the 19th century, a massive storm plugged the sink, completely flooding the basin. From 1871 to 1891, the savanna vanished, replaced by what locals called "Lake Alachua." The water reached depths of up to 58 feet—deep enough to support a bustling network of shallow draft steam paddle wheelers. For twenty years, these boats ferried citrus, cotton, lumber, and passengers between Gainesville and Micanopy. Today, the only physical reminder of that era is the anchor from the stern-wheeler Chacala, which sits on display in nearby Micanopy.

The Opus Coffee Airstream 

Having finally seen the Alachua Sink I pedaled onward to Gainesville. I followed the trail as it transitioned into the city's bike path network and pulled right up to the Opus Coffee Airstream. Their coffee is excellent as are the cinnamon buns which are huge. A great reward at a nice destination before turning around to tackle the rolling hammocks on the return leg to Hawthorne.

Allan Broadribb

www.2tiredtales.com

Strava info: https://www.strava.com/activities/20584290225