Sunset viewers at Paynes Prairie getting younger
King heard about Paynes Prairie for the first time in 2017, though she says the sunset-watchers were mostly older people back then. Now, she says, most are students.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the area has become even more popular.
Students itching to spend more time outside while staying safe have flocked to Paynes Prairie, with many sitting on the roofs of their cars while they watch the golden-pink sun dip below the horizon.
“You’re really spaced out,” said freshman microbiology major Amy Fagan. “The sunsets are really pretty, and this is one of the best places to watch that. It’s a nice break from campus and studying.”