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The Devil’s Millhopper in Gainesville (Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park) is something I always wanted to see but didn’t get to until 2022!
We just didn’t go on my first visit in 2016 then it was closed for a while after hurricane damage in 2017. The stairs were rebuilt and it eventually reopened.
Then we just.. didn’t go. At least until we moved here in 2022! And I’m so glad we went when we did because it was beautiful!
I ended up taking my parents here in the spring of 2023 and it didn’t have almost any water it in, much less like we saw the first time.
I can’t remember the time of year that we went but it definitely wasn’t peak summer.
It wasn’t very busy the day we went but there were a few other people, we weren’t the only ones at the park. We did have the viewing platform to ourselves, though.
There is a short paved trail to the top of the stairs, then a 132 stair trek down to the viewing area.
You can kind of see into the sinkhole from the top but not very well. The stairs were replaced sometime after 2017.
They take you down the side of the sinkhole and you can hear waterfalls as you walk down. Some are easier to spot than others.
There are actually TWELVE springs that feed into the sinkhole and form the pond that can sometimes be seen at the bottom.
The walk down is nice and easy and, really, the walk back up isn’t too bad either, especially if you take your time if stairs are tough for you. No shame in taking breaks!
We spent maybe 5-10 minutes at the viewing area (which isn’t all the way at the bottom of the sinkhole) enjoying the view and ferns and water sounds.
The water the first time I visited was, as you can see in the pictures, a beautiful light cloudy teal color. (There was almost no water when I went with my parents).
We didn’t want to just hog the platform as more people were coming down so we headed back up.
Overall, it was a pretty cool park and I’m glad I finally got to see it after so many times just driving past.
It’s definitely worth stopping by and shouldn’t take more than an hour to see. I would definitely go back but would also prefer to go to other places over this since I’ve seen it twice now.
Why is it called Devil’s Millhopper?
The sinkhole looks a bit like the hopper of a mill (hence the millhopper part) and the bones found at the bottom suggested animals entered it on their way to meet the devil. Spooky!
How deep is Devil’s Millhopper?
Devil’s Millhopper is 120 feet deep and 500 feet wide! I wouldn’t have guessed it’s that wide but I’m also not good at guessing distances.
Where is Devil’s Millhopper?
Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park is in northwest Gainesville, on Millhopper Road. It’s about 20 minutes from downtown Gainesville.
How long is the Devil’s Millhopper hike?
I can’t find an exact distance, but I would say 0.5 miles round-trip or less. This is the trail into the sinkhole.
There is also a 0.5 mile nature trail along the rim of the sinkhole but I think one side of it was closed when we went.
Is the Devil’s Millhopper hike hard?
That depends on how you feel about stairs. Generally, I would say no. But if stairs are tough for you, then yes.
How many stairs are at Devil’s Millhopper?
The worst part of the trail to Devil’s Millhopper sinkhole is the stairs. But good news is, there are fewer of them than there used to be!
There are currently 132 stairs down to Devil’s Millhopper versus the 232 pre-2017 hurricane damage.
Is Devil’s Millhopper free?
Nope, but it is very affordable. It’s just $4 per vehicle and you pay with one of the honor boxes at the entrance.
How long does Devil’s Millhopper take?
I would say 30-60 minutes, depending on how long the stairs take you and how long you spend enjoying the view of the sinkhole.
It’s a pretty quick stop so you could do it in the same day as other hikes or activities.
Is it hotter or cooler at the bottom of Devil’s Millhopper?
In the summer particularly, it’s going to be a lot cooler at the bottom of the sinkhole versus the top. Enjoy the cool before the trek back up the stairs!
Does Devil’s Millhopper always have water in it?
Not always! We got lucky the first time and got to see this really cool dusty aqua colored water.
Then when I went with my parents there was barely any water in it, maybe just a couple of large(ish) puddles.
Are there waterfalls at Devil’s Millhopper?
Yes! There isn’t really one main waterfall but there are a bunch of small ones falling down into the sinkhole.
And they aren’t falling over the edge of a cliff or anything, but they just naturally flow down the sides of the sinkhole/hill, more like a creek.
Is Devil’s Millhopper worth it?
Yes! While it won’t always look like this inside, it’s still cool to see. And maybe you will be lucky enough to catch it looking like this!
Either way, take the hour to make the trek down into the sinkhole. It’s worth it.
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Travel Services I Recommend:
AllTrails – This is my favorite hike tracking app.
America the Beautiful – The national park pass is essential.
Booking.com – This is great for finding and booking hotels.
Get Your Guide – I recommend Get Your Guide for booking tours.
National Park Obsessed – This is the best national park planner.
Skyscanner – Skyscanner is great for finding and booking flights.
Enterprise – This is my rental car recommendation.
See all my resources here.
Have you been to Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park in Gainesville? What did you think of it? Do you want to go?