Gopher Tortoise Ridge and Big Cypress Loop

Just off of I-95 lies this beautiful network of trails through one of North Florida's more varied landscapes. The parking lot is easy to find just follow the gravel path off of Bartram Park Blvd. Parking and trail access is always free and is open year round unless there is a control burn. At the entrance you'll find trail maps and info about the preserve. There are several trails but the main ...

Starting in the parking, lot you are going to follow the road back to the ranger station and from there you can pick up the Dune Ridge trailhead. Once on the trail you can take a look at the sign with a map and small description of the trail. This hike is very straightforward and it is difficult to stray from the trail or get lost.Once hiking, expect to see a large variety of trees, plants, a...

Venturing along the industrialized highway leading to Big Talbot Island will have one wondering how there could be any hope for a natural experience on the outskirts of Jacksonville. However, just 14 miles from the busy interstate, Big Talbot Island has plenty of hiking and biking trails, fishing holes, camping spots and areas for water sports.The quarter of a mile Blackrock Trail takes visito...

From the parking lot, which has a $3 entrance fee per car, you walk to the trail head and grab a small pocket sized map that does a good job of showing markers and mapping out the different path ways. This park has around 15 miles of regular trails and 25 when it's not hunting season. You can walk to beach areas or deep Florida swamps, around giant trees or close to wild life habitats. The amou...

Amelia Island is a small island near Fernandina Beach, Florida, and is one of the few places left where you can camp right on the beach for free. Although, if you wish to drive your car on the beach during peak season in the summer or a holiday weekend, you will have to purchase a permit for $5 from the Flash Foods down the road. But if you're here during the regular season, just check in with ...

This fort was one of the last large brick forts finished in the 1800s. The fort was first established in 1847 and was almost complete when the Confederate army took control of the fort in 1860 but by 1862 it was back under Union control. The fort was then finished but left mostly empty. It was not until the Spanish-American war in 1898 that the fort was used again.  In the 1930s the CCC rebuil...