Lake Butler, FL

Lake Butler is a small town of about 2,000 people and the seat of Union County, on the eastern shore of the lake it is named for. It is a quiet rural stop rather than a resort, and it works best as a day trip for a lake swim, a ride on a paved rail trail or a look at a classic North Florida county seat.

Things to do in Lake Butler

Lakeside Park sits on the water with a freshwater beach, a large playground, a splash park and picnic tables with grills. The lake’s shoreline is mostly undeveloped and lined with tall trees, which gives it a calm, old Florida look. Lake Butler is the western end of the Palatka-Lake Butler State Trail, with about 4 miles of paved trail heading east from the trailhead on SW First Street. Near the trail, the Union County Historical Museum in the historic Townsend Building opens by appointment through town hall. Cyclists also use Lake Butler as the turnaround for a flat out-and-back ride from Gainesville on SR 121, which has striped bike lanes. The town has no lodging, so plan to stay in Gainesville or Starke.

Getting to Lake Butler

SR 100 and SR 121 meet in town, linking Lake Butler with Starke, Lake City and Gainesville. Gainesville Regional Airport is about 40 minutes south, and Jacksonville International is roughly 1 hour 15 minutes away. Lake Butler is part of Northeast Florida.