Visiting and Hiking Fort Caroline
Fort Caroline is a historic fort located in Jacksonville, Florida. Maintained and owned by the National Park Services, it is free to visit and enjoy. The fort has been painstakingly recreated as what it would have been during the French period, making it an interesting look upon history.
The fort area also has hiking trails: the short one from the visitor center to the fort, a longer loop from the fort back to the visitor center, and across the street are the Spanish Pond trail and a bit of a drive away is the Theodore Roosevelt area.
This is our experience of visiting and hiking Fort Caroline. Hopefully this little travelogue will help you plan your visit to this area. This is part of our local travel manifesto as we visit more and more places that are in our neighborhoods.
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Visiting Fort Caroline
Facing the St John’s River, Fort Caroline is quaint and peaceful, now a far cry from its original intended use to defend the land from invaders voyaging the river.
There are still canons that dot the fort, not sure if they’re real or replicas, and on the flip side, one can see dolphins swimming on the river on good days.
The best time to visit is on a winter afternoon, when the weather is a bit cooler, and allows one enough time to hike the trails. The fort has no shade, so one can get a bit cooked and hot during the summer.
Allow time to see the exhibits within the visitor center (if they’re open). They tell more about the history of the place, and one can also grab the opportunity to ask the park rangers questions or recommendations.
Hiking the Fort Caroline Area
Across the street from the fort entrance, there is a parking lot catering to hikers intending to do the Spanish Pond or Theodore Roosevelt hike. We have chosen to do the Spanish Pond hike, which is approximately 2 miles long.
The path is mostly shaded and has color-coded posts that tell you which way to go. We were there mostly to check out the viewing deck and also the hermit’s cottage.
The hermit’s cottage has an interesting tale and history behind it. The man who was living in this house in the middle of nowhere, living off the land, was the same man who donated the land we are enjoying now.
The view tower provides a good view of the waterways, where we saw small fish swimming in the water, and if you’re lucky turtles. One can also see a bridge over the inter-coastal waterway.
A Great Outdoor Activity
Fort Caroline is a great spot to go hiking or just enjoy the outdoors. We’re lucky enough that it is only a short 15 minute drive from where we live. Are you considering a visit to Fort Caroline or do you have memories from a previous trip? Feel free to share below.
