Big Talbot Island is just south of Amelia Island and only about 20 miles from Jacksonville. This place is a diamond for sure.

We parked at the Bluffs main entrance with a $2 honor fee at 9 this morning. We first followed the Old Kings Island Trail west of A1A for a little over a mile. Heck the spiders weren't a problem at all. If the mosquitos hadn't been so bad we would have continued on this trail for 3 miles but took a short way through Jones Cut back to A1A and headed north to Blackrock Trail to the beach to find out it was high tide. There wasn't much of a beach at all. So off with the shoes and north we traveled over neat looking driftwood and flat black rocks. I assumed the beach would take us back to the main entrance ... Well it did eventually.

A mile down the beach we came to an impass. The water was at least chest high. There was no way through the water unless we swim which would have been far too dangerous and also we had the digital camera. The only way was to climb 15 feet up from the beach. Getting all of us up the cliff was team work but soo worth it because a little further was some the most beautiful flat black rocks I'd seen yet.

Then we came to yet another impass. At that point I almost decided to turn around. This challenge was a bit more risky for an 11 and 13 year old. But from 25 feet above the ocean I could see dry beach and men fishing so I knew we were very close to the entrance. We walked the edge of the cliff for maybe 30 feet and then able to climb down and walk a path of black rocks to the shore. I think the fishermen were impressed or maybe they just thought we were nuts. LOL

It was quite an adventure for all of us. The girls had a blast and I believe we'll always remember today.

Melissa :3

To view pictures -- http://community.webshots.com/slideshow/100809932?user=1

Post edited by: day1971, at: 2007/10/13 22:50

Post edited by: day1971, at: 2007/10/13 22:54

Looks like you guys had a good time. That's great. :)

I drug the girls out of bed early for a Saturday morning. The first thing they wanted to know is 'how long is the trail?'. This is after walking 15 or so miles last Sunday with Susan. Cassy will volunteer for 5 miles but not 10 or 20. I told her to go online and find a place to hike close by. And Big Talbot Island is was and turned out to be a good choice. Big Talbot is much different then the couple other beach hikes I've taken at State Parks.

As a mom it's always a great day when you say to your daughter, 'take my hand, you can do it!'.
It was a good day!

Yeah, my daughter gripes about being dragged out on a long hike. She's had a couple now that taxed her a little, and she's developing an aversion to them. I need to take her on an easy one that gives her something fun to do, so I can get her back into it. :)

Glad to hear the girls loved it! I was looking at Google Earth the other day and noticed you can see the rocks, including the point you made your way around, very clearly on it. I'll post it as a hike soon. Meanwhile, the coordinates (for Google maps or Google Earth) are 30.492286, -81.442692. BTW, did you notice that the rocks aren't really rocks, but are tightly compressed sand and peat moss shaped by erosion to look like rocks? They are very weird ... look like lava rocks.

Yeah, it looks like lava rocks! They are very unusual.

My girls said that the trees look like something out of Africa (The Lion King), because the way they grow and the erosion on them.