Parks around Jacksonville

Visit one of the last unspoiled coastal wetlands on the Atlantic Coast. Discover 6,000 years of human history and experience the beauty of salt marshes, coastal dunes, and hardwood hammocks. The Timucuan Preserve includes Fort Caroline and Kingsley Plantation.

At the settlement of la Caroline, French settlers struggled for survival in a new world.  Many sought religious freedom in a new land, while others were soldiers or tradesmen starting a new life.  The climactic battles fought here between the French and Spanish marked the first time that European nations fought for control of lands in what is now the United States.  It would not be the last ti...

St Marys is the gateway to Cumberland Island, Georgia's largest and southernmost barrier island. Here pristine maritime forests, undeveloped beaches and wide marshes whisper the stories of both man and nature. Natives, missionaries, enslaved African Americans and Wealthy Industrialists all walked here. Cumberland Island is also home to over 9,800 acres of Congressionally designated Wilderness.

A monument not only of stone and mortar but of human determination and endurance, the Castillo de San Marcos symbolizes the clash between cultures which ultimately resulted in our uniquely unified nation. Still resonant with the struggles of an earlier time, these original walls provide tangible evidence of America's grim but remarkable history.

The Cumberland Island Wilderness now contains a total of 9,886 acres and is managed by the National Park Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Georgia. In 1982 the Cumberland Island Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude...

This byway lies between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway on a narrow barrier island with breath-taking views. This environment supports a variety of wildlife, including 50 endangered species. History aficionados will enjoy touring St. Augustine, the oldest continually-occupied European settlement in the United States.

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge Okefenokee NWR, located about 11 miles southwest of Folkston, was established in 1937 to preserve the 438,000 acre Okefenokee Swamp. The refuge encompasses approximately 396,000 acres with 353,000 acres designated as a National Wilderness Area. Swamp habitats include open wet "prairies," cypress forests, scrub-shrub vegetation, upland islands, and open...

Florida has three National Forests comprising over 1.25 million acres. The Apalachicola and Osceola National Forests are in the northern half of the State, while the Ocala National Forest is located in central Florida. Representing only three percent of Florida's land base, these Forests provide the largest supply of forest recreation opportunities in the State.

Coastal Florida was a major field of conflict as European nations fought for control in the New World. As part of this struggle, Fort Matanzas guarded St. Augustine's southern river approach. The colonial wars are over, but the monument is still protecting—not just the historic fort, but also the wild barrier island and the plants and animals who survive there amidst a sea of modern development.

The Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve encompasses approximately 55,000 acres of salt marsh and mangrove tidal wetlands, oyster bars, estuarine lagoons, upland habitat and offshore seas in Northeast Florida. It contains the northern most extent of mangrove habitat on the east coast of the United States. The coastal waters of the GTM Reserve are important calving grounds...

The Big Gum Swamp Wilderness now contains a total of 13,660 acres and is managed by the Forest Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Florida. In 1984 the Big Gum Swamp Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an age of...

The Okefenokee Wilderness now contains a total of 353,981 acres and is managed by the Fish & Wildlife Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Georgia. In 1974 the Okefenokee Wilderness became part of the now over 110 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an ag...

Georgia's fate was decided in 1742 when Spanish and British forces clashed on St. Simons Island. Fort Frederica's troops defeated the Spanish, ensuring Georgia's future as a British colony. Today, the archeological remnants of Frederica are protected by the National Park Service.

The Little Lake George Wilderness now contains a total of 2,833 acres and is managed by the Forest Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Florida. In 1984 the Little Lake George Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In ...

Wolf Island NWR, located approximately 12 miles off the coast of Darien, Georgia in McIntosh County, was established on April 3, 1930 to provide protection and habitat for migratory birds. The barrier island refuge consists of Wolf Island and two smaller islands, Egg and Little Egg. Over 75% of the refuge's 5,126 acres are composed of saltwater marsh. Wolf Island NWR was designated a National...

Located midway on the Georgia coastline on the eastern fringe of McIntosh County, Sapelo Island is defined by the Sapelo River to the north, the waters of Doboy Sound to the south, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Duplin River to the west. The 16,500 acre island is the 4th largest barrier island in the State of Georgia. Sapelo Island is accessed by means of a scheduled public ferry. The ...

The Juniper Prairie Wilderness now contains a total of 14,277 acres and is managed by the Forest Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Florida. In 1984 the Juniper Prairie Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an ag...

The Blackbeard Island Wilderness now contains a total of 3,000 acres and is managed by the Fish & Wildlife Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Georgia. In 1975 the Blackbeard Island Wilderness became part of the now over 110 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitu...

Blackbeard Island was acquired by the Navy Department at public auction in 1800 as a source of live oak timber for ship building. In 1924 the island was placed under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Biological Survey to be maintained as a preserve and breeding ground for native wildlife and migratory birds. A presidential proclamation in 1940 changed its designation from Blackbeard Island Reser...

A part of the fabric of everyday life for thousands of people who live in communities inside and around its boundaries, the Ocala National Forest is a significant public resource for residents and visitors alike.Deer hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, horseback riding, and canoeing are all traditional uses that continue to this day, along with more modern additions such as OHV trails.Want to see a...

The Lake Woodruff Wilderness now contains a total of 1,066 acres and is managed by the Fish & Wildlife Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Florida. In 1976 the Lake Woodruff Wilderness became part of the now over 110 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In a...

Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge Lake Woodruff NWR was established in 1964 to provide habitat for migrating and wintering birds. The refuge contains 21,574 acres of freshwater marshes, 5,800 acres of Cypress and mixed hardwood swamps, 2,400 acres of uplands, and more than 1,000 acres of lakes, streams, and canals. The bilogical diversity of the wetlands provides nesting, overwintering and...

The Billies Bay Wilderness now contains a total of 3,092 acres and is managed by the Forest Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Florida. In 1984 the Billies Bay Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an age of "......

The Alexander Springs Wilderness now contains a total of 7,941 acres and is managed by the Forest Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Florida. In 1984 the Alexander Springs Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an...

Harris Neck NWR was established in 1962 by transfer of federal lands formerly managed by the Federal Aviation Administration as a WWII Army airfield. Located in McIntosh County, Georgia, the refuge serves as an important link in the chain of refuges along the Atlantic seaboard, and is the inland base for two neighboring barrier island refuges, Blackbeard Island and Wolf Island refuges, both locat...