Smokehouse Prairie Overview
The Smokehouse Prairie, just west of Gillis Pond, is a quiet but ecologically rich wetland—one that reflects the natural rhythm of Florida’s inland prairie basins. Based on its location and topography, this wetland is likely part of the broader Little Orange Creek watershed, a vital tributary system that stretches across both Putnam and Alachua Counties. It flows eastward from the uplands around Orange Lake and Fowlers Prairie, eventually connecting with the River Styx and the Ocklawaha River, which drains into the St. Johns and ultimately the Atlantic.
This particular wetland represents a habitat characterized by shallow seasonal water, saturated soils, and a vibrant community of herbaceous plants. During the rainy season, it floods to form a broad, grassy wetland filled with the sounds of frogs, birds, and reeds. In the dry season, it retreats, exposing sedges, maidencane, and patches of open ground.
Botanically, the marsh supports a wide array of hydrophytic plants—those uniquely adapted to wet, low-oxygen soils. Common sights include horsetail, water lilies, and Scrub St. Johns Wort. In slightly deeper or more wooded patches, pine, bald cypress, swamp tupelo, and red maple anchor the landscape. These are the same plant communities that echo across Paynes Prairie, Fowlers Prairie, and the Little Orange Creek Preserve,
This wetland also supports a wide range of wildlife. Alligators are predominate and gopher tortoises along the higher edges. The prairie is alive with Sandhill Cranes, Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Swallowtail Kites, Osprey, Hawks, Owls, Anhingas and more, feeding and nesting in this open, fertile terrain. Its seasonal pulses of water and shelter make it a vital resource for both resident and migratory species.
Though unnamed on most maps, this wetland west of Gillis Pond is no less important than the better-known prairies nearby. It’s a part of the same story—of seasonal cycles, wild Florida, and the quiet strength of preserved land. We call it the Smokehouse Prairie due to it’s thick seasonal haze that hangs low over the surface.
Smokehouse Prairie Details
Location: The Smokehouse Prairie is a wetland located approximately 6 miles Southeast of Hawthorne, Fl and 5 miles Northwest of Orange Springs, Fl.
Launch/Take Out Point: The launch and take out for this paddle is from our private property located on Gillis Pond.
Paddle Distance: Distance varies based on the amount of exploration desired, but on average, to paddle all the accessible areas to include Lake Fanny it is about a 6 mile paddle.
Difficulty: Easy as long as the water is high. As the water table recedes, some areas are to shallow to get through to more open water.
Average Paddle Time: 2.25 mph.
Width and Depth: The wetland varies in width, however the open water areas can be any where from a couple of hundred feet to well over a quarter mile wide. The water depth can vary to just about 1′ – 2′ deep
Smokehouse Prairie Paddle Map
Exploring the ‘Smokehouse’
The best time to explore the ‘Smokehouse’ is in the cooler weather and when the water level is high. We have had a great deal of rain over the past two years, well above 7′! This has made exploring the Smokehouse a real treat, as the water level in most spots is around 2′ deep. We choose this paddle on a cool 50+° morning this week.
The ‘Smoke’ was not real obvious when we got out to the wetland, but the air was definitely cool. We chose to head North and follow the shoreline of all the connecting open marshes. Along the way, there were still patches of Tickseed Sunflowers in bloom as was scattered Scrub St. John’s Wort. The wetland is filled with ‘islands’ containing Sawgrass, Sedges and Maidencane. On many of the exposed mud islands Sundews were seen.
Throughout the paddle, the skeletons of dead shrubs, protruded above the water, along with dead young pine seedlings that had to be paddle through. The shorelines were lined with tall Pines, Dahoon Holly, Loblolly Bay, Red Maples and Saw Palmettos. On several occasions we watched families of deer foraging along the banks. The wetland is home to many resident Sand Hill Cranes and as we paddled, we observed several ‘couples’ on their Reed and Sawgrass islands, not quite ready to take flight in the early morning. Numerous Herons were seen as well as White Egrets. The sounds of Red Wing Blackbirds can be heard throughout the afternoon.
The ‘Smokehouse’ Gallery
Guides, Maps & Info…
- Gillis Pond Topo Map…
- Florida Seminole Tourism…
- Fowlers Prairie Topo Map…
- Little Orange Creek Preserve…
- Alachua Conservation Trust…