Little Orange Creek Nature Park
Rate this placeLast Updated: December 5, 2025
Little Orange Creek Nature Park is a 1,200-acre nature preserve located in Hawthorne, Florida.
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Summary
The park is a popular destination for nature lovers, hikers, and bird watchers. The park offers a variety of trails, bird watching opportunities, and nature programs.
One of the main reasons to visit Little Orange Creek Nature Park is to experience the natural beauty of the area. The park boasts a variety of ecosystems, including wetlands, forests, and prairies. Visitors can hike or bike along the park’s trails and observe the flora and fauna that thrive in these ecosystems.
The park also offers several points of interest for visitors to explore. The park’s centerpiece is Orange Lake, a large freshwater lake that provides a habitat for a variety of aquatic species, including alligators, turtles, and fish. The park also features several bird watching areas, including a bird blind and a boardwalk that winds through a wetland area.
There are several interesting facts about Little Orange Creek Nature Park. The park was established in 1991 through a partnership between Alachua County and the Florida Communities Trust. The park is home to several endangered species, including the Florida scrub-jay and the eastern indigo snake.
The best time of year to visit Little Orange Creek Nature Park is in the fall or winter. During these seasons, the weather is cooler, and there are fewer bugs and mosquitoes. Visitors can also enjoy the park’s fall foliage or watch migratory birds as they pass through the area.
Overall, Little Orange Creek Nature Park is a must-visit destination for nature lovers in Florida. With its diverse ecosystems, unique wildlife, and beautiful scenery, the park is a great place to explore and connect with nature.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
Related References
Little Orange Creek Preserve
Ordway-Swisher Biological Station
Lochloosa Wildlife Management Area
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings County Park
Grove Park Wildlife Management Area
Lochloosa Lake
Deer Back Lake
Newnans Lake
Swan Lake
Santa Fe Lake