Bumps Flattened, Cracks Sealed
Gainesville Hawthorne Trail

Volunteers, prairie staff, and the inmate crew joined forces on the Gainesville Hawthorne Trail and completed a major project for the benefit of all trail users. Root bumps are flattened and cracks are now sealed along the entire trail. That is more than 15 miles, plus another mile of spur trails to the prairie overlooks.

HUGE THANKS to Ranger Harold Glissen and his crew and the volunteers. Funding provided by Friends of the Gainesville Hawthorne Trail's merger with the Friends of Paynes Prairie. Thank you FROGHAT and Friends.

Image taken in 2006 showing the raised cracks, on the right the newly flattened and sealed cracks

Some wide cracks were a safety hazard - now sealed

Example of damage to the trail edge caused by grass encroachment, the image on the left shows the grass treated

"the mound" flattened and sealed during a previous repair

"Buffalo blower" on the trail, used to keep the trail clear of sand, leaves, sticks and pine cones by Volunteer Trail Keepers

Short video of the trail by Chris Russell