Due to constuction work by South Florida Water Management District, the Florida Trail is closed between the S-154 water structure and SR 70. An alternate route is available...
A large trail map marks the entrance to the Island Hiking Trail, which begins as a broad, mowed path through the coastal scrub. Benches along the way provide places to rest, and interpretive signs clue you in as to vegetation and creatures you may see on this hike, including gopher tortoises. The trees are gnarled and windswept, and you may feel a salt breeze. From undulating dunes the trail drops into the deep shade of the maritime forest, and eventually crosses a causeway through a pine forest where rainfall collects amid the pine needles.
When the trail makes a sharp turn at 1.5 miles, it begins to ascend and you can hear the pounding of the surf in the distance. You emerge into open dunes rising spectacularly around you, many of them topped with cabbage palms. Look for the tracks of gopher tortoises as the trail, now soft sand, weaves in and out of the open dunes and pockets of pine forest. The trail emerges at the shoreline, with a bench overlooking the ocean. A sign points you to the right. Start walking down the beach, passing an “H” sign on the dunes at 2 miles and an “F” sign at 3 miles. Enjoy the surf, the sand, and the sweeping view of the mouth of the St. Johns River. Take the first boardwalk to your right to access restrooms and the beach parking lot; if you parked at the entrance station, follow the park road to the right to complete the loop.
