Prairie Side Retreat In Gainesville

We have both a large FENCED space behind the house and the rest of the 5 acres PARTIALLY FENCED with shaded trails and cleared out/mowed/grass underbrush. We do have lots of mosquitos during the warmer months but bug spray is available to all guests in the fenced area in a blue locking box on the small table. The property is quiet and surrounded by the sounds of nature for a great place to relax and enjoy time in the woods. Lots of tree and shade cover but with plenty of open space underneath for running around, playing fetch, or whatever you would like to do with your dog! Chickens and Quail are the only livestock animals present on the property and they are only directly behind the house in a few small secure coops that can be easily blocked off from the rest of the general fenced space to keep you and your dog happy but people are more than welcome to expose your dogs to the birds through the caging if you would like (they are use to my dog constantly checking on them). I recently purchased this home lining the NE side of paynes prairie (SE side of Gainesville) in April 2022 as a fixer upper while in school so I am continually working on the house and property to make it nicer, cleaner, and more welcoming to everyone. We are ~15 min from UF and downtown Gainesville. The property is 5 acres of mixed light woods with cleared underbrush in a pine/mixed forest with a ~0.5+ acre short fully fenced large yard space (~3ft plus old electric wire running up to ~5/6ft so may not be great for escape artist dogs that like to jump out but should contain dogs who do not try to jump out as the fence base is solid) with another small pen area located behind the house inside the fenced space to place other dogs or items out of the way if needed but this area does contain a compost barrel. There is plenty of room to play fetch and for dogs to run around at full speed. The fenced space sits back behind the house and was an old fenced garden area to keep deer out. The photos of that area have the most sandy mixed grass in the pictures, largest full sun and slightly sandy area on the property but still containing lots of trees around the perimeter of the fencing for shade and is generally in full shade in the afternoon/evening. Most of the fenced area is kept mowed with small wildflower patches left up occasionally during warmer months and fruit trees/plants that have recently been planted and some with protective deer fencing around them. We also have citrus/orange trees covering the property and feel free to pick some to-go (some of the trees are sweet and some are very sour like the tree behind the shed next to the house so give them a test before biting in!) The space is only used by my 2.5 yr old Border collie mix and occasionally my parents border collie on a regular basis so the space would be great as a large fenced space for someone needing a safe fenced private dog location. There are chickens and quail in a subsection of the fenced area directly behind the house but a gate can be closed to this area. They are in an area that was fenced in to connect the house to the main yard space but can easily be closed off with the gate into the main fenced yard if it has not been done by me beforehand. There are water hoses available and have a small livestock water trough in the shade of the fenced area as a dog pool, feel free to dump and refill as needed. There are chairs for guest and a trash can or trash bag (old feed bags or plastic grocery bags hung on a tree along the fence to the left when entering the fenced area) for any trash disposal. I will have some dog poop bags set in the plastic blue bin with the chair and folding table for easy access if you would like to pick up after your pet if its not off to the side along a fence line so we can avoid stepping in any poop out in the open while watering plants. 🚨The mosquitos are quite plentiful here 🚨 so be prepared for bugs BUT bug spray is available for guest to use in the same blue plastic container in the fenced space sitting on the folding table by the chair. If it is running low or out when you need it, please message me and let me know so I can make sure to replenish the supply. The rest of the property is not fully fenced (down in some locations from nature) but is a beautiful pine and mixed forest on a down sloping hill into the woods. The areas under the trees are generally kept mowed a couple times a year so plenty of space to run around and follow the small trails. ⚠️warning: there are bee hives located on the west side in the center/back of the property directly west from the large bonfire pit but do not cause us any issues, just do not let dogs run in between hives or mess with the hives and they should leave you alone and cause no issues. If there are any questions or concerns before, please reach out and ask and I am happy to answer any questions and accommodate guest as I can! We are located at the very dead end of 35th where the end of road red signs are located. Take a left onto the dirt road and continue driving past the blue 2 story home and follow the driveway up the small hill to the front of the second house. The property is the second house on the dirt road so following the big white "3620 next driveway!" sign on the tree to your left after driving over the small culvert (you will now be on the property at this point). Keep driving past the sign up the hill and there is another small white sign on the ground with 3620 letters written on it at the driveway entrance to the front of the house. Parking is around the back right side of the house in the grass so pull into and house driveway and pass the house between the shed with the jellyfish painted on it and the house around to the back side. Pass the second smaller shed and park to the right along the brush line just past the house and sheds. If you continue walking the direction you pulled in to park, down the driveway behind the house the way you entered, it leads you through a set of railroad tie gate posts with an empty old covered shed space on the right to enter the rest of the partially fenced area (property line goes straight back along the back side of the covered space and the old fence posts/ fence lines are the property boundaries). We ask that people do not take a vehicle back there as terrain can be a bit rough and tight unless needed or for emergencies. The back of the property drops down a hill and there may be some muddy low spots directly at the bottom of the hill along the east fence line if we have had a lot of rain recently. The west property line starts along the bushes and water overflow/culvert you drive over on your way in just before the big white tree sign and goes to the east side where you will be parking. The house is one end of the property and then it goes straight back toward the North behind the house where you will see an old down fence line to encompass the 5 acres. If you end up in a fully open pasture area, you have made it onto a neighbors property. The neighbors are very friendly if they are out and the last house on our dirt road does have 2 dogs but usually won't see or hear them.

100% of guests said this spot was as clean as expected during their visit.

We line Paynes Priaire Preserve so please be aware of all wildlife like racoon, deer, snakes, and other critters. There are a lot of mosquitoes here and we offer bug spray in the fenced area by the chairs and folding table in a blue plastic container. We ask you do not kill any animals including snakes and reach out immediately to me if you locate one of concern. I work with reptiles and can safely secure and move anything of concern as it does occasionally happen but rarely and we aim to protect the wildlife around the property. This spot has a water feature, make sure to review these guidelines for visiting spots with water before visiting: https://help.sniffspot.com/article/167-how-to-keep-your-dog-safe-around-pools-and-water