In a city known for its dense tree canopy, I was surprised to hear that there’s a slice of scrub habitat found just on the outskirts of Gainesville. Having grown up on the Atlantic Coastal Ridge (known for this unique scrub) in the southern extent of Florida, and spending several years there studying gopher tortoises and the animals that rely on their burrows, I was excited to get back to my roots and have the opportunity to explore the scrub near my new home. Price’s Scrub State Park is in Micanopy, about 25 minutes from downtown Gainesville. It spans 1,000 acres, has 9.5 miles of hiking trails, and plays a key role in connecting the Northwest Marion Greenway conservation areas.