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John Mahon Nature Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 57 Google reviews · Running trail in Gainesville, Florida · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Natural surface
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Tree cover
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from John Mahon Nature Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Park featuring a trail that's well-suited for kids.
What runners say about John Mahon Nature Park
“Small, but beautiful in the middle of the city, wonderful trees and plants, easy to park”
“It is very shaded, lots of vegetation and great sights!”
This is a nice, short trail that is perfect for small kids who cannot walk too far on their own. Go to the Blood Bank which is the next business, and park in the back parking lot. Google has you go to the clinic right before the blood bank, but that is not correct.
Beautiful nature park located in the city. We walk occasionally, and even spotted an owl there once. You can walk your dog here, there is poop bags right at the front entrance.
Nice spot with little trails to use when walking from work at the nearby buildings or a good place to grab a snack at the bench. Good nature to see and the descriptions on the path definitely add to the immersion of the nature you are around. There is better but this is definitely worth exploring.
We stopped here on a whim for a quick picnic lunch. The picnic area we were at is covered although there area tables without coverage. It was peaceful. We started on the nature walk which was very pretty. There is a playground and restrooms are right near it.
Trail conditions & character
“Small, but beautiful in the middle of the city, wonderful trees and plants, easy to park”
“The path is bare dirt with some tree roots exposed.”
“It is very shaded, lots of vegetation and great sights!”
“The main entrance to the park is right at the end of the driveway, and there are dedicated parking spots.”
Plan your run at John Mahon Nature Park
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceNatural surface — easiest on the joints and the most fun, but expect roots, rocks and mud after rain
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- Websitegainesvillefl.gov
- Phone(352) 334-5067
Hours
| Monday | 7 AM–7 PM |
| Tuesday | 7 AM–7 PM |
| Wednesday | 7 AM–7 PM |
| Thursday | 7 AM–7 PM |
| Friday | 7 AM–7 PM |
| Saturday | 7 AM–7 PM |
| Sunday | 7 AM–7 PM |
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Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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