Looking for a great park to hike, horseback ride, kayak or swim? Check out some of these great spots. Most of the parks here in Saint Augustine are pet friendly and allow dogs but they must be on a leash no longer than 6′. Some parks don’t allow pets on the beach or certain other areas. Check our notes or the parks website for more details.
Many of these parks offer camping if you’re looking for a place to stay. Check the Park Legend for information on activities.
BIKING
CAMPING
CANOEING
FISHING
HIKING
SURFING
WILDLIFE
Dog friendly except for the beach.
1340 A1A South
St. Augustine, Florida 32080
904.461.2033
Anastasia State Park is located only 1.5 miles from historic downtown and has activities for every member of the family. Nature walks, kayaking and fishing are just a few of the activities you will find at this beautiful beachfront state park. Anastasia also offers kayak and canoe rentals on site. The park has covered picnic areas, showers and a snack bar.
Fort Matanzas National Monument
FREE
Dog friendly except for the Fort and Ferry ride.
8635 A1A South
St. Augustine, Florida 32080
904.471.0116
Fort Matanzas has a history closely entwined with the City of St. Augustine and the Castillo de San Marcos. Built in 1740-1742 by the Spanish, it was used to guard the Matanzas inlet, to ward off and warn northern neighbors of British enemies from the south. Today, the Fort is a standing monument for the early Spanish Empire in Florida. Located on the barrier islands off the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, this historic landmark is home to an abundance of Florida wildlife.
See Review of Park
$2.00 per person, museum admission fee. Children 5 and younger are free.
15 Fort Mose Trail
St. Augustine, Florida 32084
904.823.2232
Fort Mose, established in 1738 by Manuel Montiano, gave safety to Africans running away from slavery in the English Colony of Carolina. Approximately 100 Africans lived at Fort Mose, making the fort a monument for black history. They created a founding community which drew on a range of African backgrounds blended with Spanish, Native American and English cultural traditions.
Geo-Seeking
Geocaches are hidden in the park. Please check geocaching.com for the most current up-to-date information.
Historic Site
Fort Mose Historic State Park is the site of the first legally sanctioned free African settlement in what is now the United States. The site was designed as a National Historic Landmark in 1994.
Interpretive Exhibit
Interpretive panels are installed throughout the park, depicting the story of Fort Mose. The park also has replicas of three historic items, including a chosa or a cooking hut, a small historic garden and a small Spanish flat boat called a barca chata.
Museum
The museum, located in the park’s visitor center, helps visitors learn more about the site’s significance within the history of the United States. The collection includes highly interactive, multimedia exhibits and artifacts found during the excavation of the second Fort Mose site.
Faver-Dykes State Park
$5.00 per vehicle. Please use the honor box to pay fees. Correct change is required. Limit 2-8 people per vehicle.
$4.00 Single Occupant Vehicle.
$2.00 Pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers, passengers in vehicle with holder of Annual Individual Entrance Pass.
1000 Faver-Dykes Road
St. Augustine, Florida 32086
904.794.0997
Faver-Dykes offers activities for an entire fun filled day. Camping, canoeing, hiking and picnicking can all be enjoyed at this pristine, undeveloped landscape that truly represents the Real Florida. The 1,608 acres along Pellicer Creek are home to an array of Florida wildlife such as deer, turkeys, hawks and river otters. Kayaks and canoes are available to rent on-site.
Canoes can be reserved by calling the park. $5.00 plus tax per hour. $25.00 plus tax for 5 or more hours (all day).
The park has two 1/2 mile loop nature trails. One trail begins near the picnic area and winds along the pine flatwoods into the scrub and along Pellicer Creek. The other trail begins in the campground and winds along the hardwood hammock and along the banks of Pellicer Creek. Several miles of park boundary roads and back woods roads are also available for hiking. Please make prior arrangements with park staff to hike these backwoods areas.
Pellicer Creek borders the southern boundary of the park and is popular for fishing. Both saltwater and freshwater species can be caught in Pellicer Creek. Red drum, black drum, sheepshead, spotted seatrout, common snook can all be caught from the park’s fishing dock. Freshwater species such as large mouth bass and bream can be caught closer to the creek headwaters. A fishing license may be required. Size and bag limits are strictly enforced. All of the current regulations are available at the park.
Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area
Dogs are not allowed on the beach.
$5.00 per vehicle. On the ocean side, please use the honor box to pay fees. Correct change is required. Limit 2-8 people per vehicle.
$4.00 Single Occupant Vehicle.
$2.00 Pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers, passengers in vehicle with holder of Annual Individual Entrance Pass.
$5.00 per boat that access park from the Intracoastal Waterway. Please pay at the Ranger Station.
3100 S. State Road A1A
Flagler Beach, Florida 32136
386.517.2086
Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway, this 144-acre park offers coastal camping, picnicking, swimming, fishing, and nature study. The daily low tide is an ideal time to observe the shore birds feeding in tidal ponds, and summer months bring sea turtles to lay their eggs in the sand.
Canoeing & Kayaking
Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area has kayaks and canoes available for rent! We offer single and tandem style kayaks. Canoes and kayaks can be launched from our boat ramp that easily leads to the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. Come by the ranger station to rent by the hour or by the day! We now offer stand up paddle board rentals and tours by Roll ‘n’ Float Outfitters. http://www.rollnfloatoutfitters.com/
Wildlife Viewing
Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area plays host to an extremely wide variety of wildlife and plant life. Our park plays host to many different birds. This park is located on the east section of The Great Florida Birding Trail. During late spring, summer, and early fall, many sea turtles crawl up on the park’s beach to lay their eggs. The beach calls many interesting creatures home such as shore birds, crabs, and fish. Right whales can be found hanging out offshore during winter months. During the warmer months manatees and dolphins can be seen frolicking in the ocean or in the inter=coastal waterway. Wildlife such as butterflies, otters, bobcats, deer, owls, gopher tortoise, snakes, and alligators are all possibilities when you on your own adventure in the Real Florida!
Swimming is always a popular activity for those interested in exercise, cooling off, or having fun. The park has about ½ mile of beach for visitors to play on. There is no lifeguard on duty, however, the beach is patrolled regularly by our park staff.
Trail Map – http://www.sjrwmd.com/trailguides/pdfs/mosescreektrail.pdf
S.R. 206
St. Augustine, FL 32086
386.329.4404
One of the few remaining undeveloped tidal creeks in the region can be found at Moses Creek Conservation Area preserves. Wildlife such as the great blue heron, snow egrets, osprey, hawks, gopher tortoises, deer, otters and foxes can all be seen at this riverside conservation area. Native Americans, who occupied the area thousands of years ago, used the tidal marshes as an important resource.
Hiking
Hiking, jogging, bird-watching or any other activity where travel is by foot only is allowed on District lands except in areas restricted by signs.
Horseback riding
Horseback riding is allowed on many conservation areas on trails in designated areas and established roads and fire lines, except where restricted by signs. Check area maps for horseback riding opportunities.
Washington Oaks Gardens State Park
$5.00 per vehicle. Please use the honor box to pay fees. Correct change is required. Limit 2-8 people per vehicle.
$4.00 Single Occupant Vehicle.
$2.00 Pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers, passengers in vehicle with holder of Annual Individual Entrance Pass.
Pets are not allowed on the beach or the gardens.
6400 N. Oceanshore Boulevard
Palm Coast, Florida 32137
386.446.6780
This 410-acre park is truly one of Florida’s gems. Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and the Matanzas River, the park sets a picturesque setting for a day of hiking and picnicking in the gardens or fishing along the river. Washington Oaks Gardens also has a unique coquina rock shore that serves as a feeding ground for many species of birds at low tide.
Fishing
Fishing from the seawall and surf fishing is allowed at Washington Oaks. Washington Oaks Gardens State Park is a popular place for recreational fishing. Fishing can be enjoyed from the park’s seawall on the Matanzas River. Surf fishing is allowed from the beach. A number of different species are routinely caught, including whiting and blue fish in the surf; several species of trout, redfish, drum and flounder along the seawall. A Florida saltwater fishing license may be required.
Gardens
The formal gardens are the centerpiece of Washington Oaks Gardens. A portion of the hammock contains a formal garden where many species of exotic plants from around the world are displayed along footpaths and around reflecting ponds. The gardens are well known for their azaleas, camellias and roses.
Hiking/Nature Trail
Washington Oaks Gardens State Park provides trails for both hiking and biking. The Bella Vista trails include the Timucuan hiking trail, Jungle Road hike and bike trail and the Old A-1-A hike and bike trail. This 1.7 mile trail system explores a mature coastal maritime hammock and ventures into the edge of a dense canopied coastal scrub. The Mala Compra hiking loop is a half-mile loop that explores the eco-zone between the coastal maritime hammock and the estuarine tidal marsh along the Matanzas River. The hiking trails at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park were developed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in cooperation with the Florida Trail Association. These trails are maintained by Florida Trail Association volunteers.
This park is on the Great Florida Birding Trail. Birding can be enjoyed in a variety of habitats including the beach, Matanzas River, and throughout the formal gardens. Each year during the migratory seasons birding becomes a very popular activity at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park. Check out our Birding Checklist
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