Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park Review

The 20,000-acre wildlife preserve has ponds, lakes, trails, and a visitor center with a museum as well as a wintering area for many migratory birds where alligators, wild horses, and a herd of American bison also roam. There was once a vast lake here, but a century ago it drained so abruptly that thousands of beached fish died in the mud. The remains of a ferry stranded in the 1880s can still be seen. Swimming, boating, picnicking, and camping are permitted.