A national park inside the city, and 25 more federal places nearby.
Jacksonville has a National Park Service preserve within its city limits. Within two hours are the Castillo de San Marcos, Fort Matanzas, Cumberland Island, Fort Frederica and Canaveral, the Okefenokee refuge, and the Osceola and Ocala national forests.
By Krista Fracke — Broker Associate, Christie's International Real Estate First Coast · 20+ years in Northeast Florida · 500+ closings · client reviews
National Park Service sites (10)
I’m Krista Fracke, and the national park in our own backyard is easy to overlook. The Timucuan Preserve covers salt marsh, hammock and four and a half centuries of history across Jacksonville’s north and east sides, and its sites charge nothing. Fees and descriptions below are the National Park Service’s own.
Duval County, Florida · 26 min from eTown · 56 from St. Augustine
Hammock and marsh hiking trails, Willie Browne Trail, Round Marsh overlook
Fee: Free
Duval County, Florida · 27 min from eTown · 56 from St. Augustine
Fort Caroline National Memorial (1564 French colony), visitor center, Spanish Pond and trails
Fee: Free (NPS lists no entrance fee)
St. Johns County, Florida · 37 min from eTown · 10 from St. Augustine
Oldest masonry fort in the continental US, St. Augustine
Fee: $15 per person (age 16+)
Duval County, Florida · 38 min from eTown · 69 from St. Augustine
Trails, marsh views, paddle launch
Fee: Free
Duval County, Florida · 44 min from eTown · 75 from St. Augustine
Oldest plantation house in Florida, tabby slave-cabin ruins, Fort George Island
Fee: Free
St. Johns County, Florida · 49 min from eTown · 23 from St. Augustine
1742 coquina watchtower reached by free ferry; beach and trails
Fee: Free; ferry uses timed-entry reservation
Nassau County, Florida · 51 min from eTown · 81 from St. Augustine
Tallest dune in Florida at historic American Beach (Amelia Island)
Fee: Free
Camden County, Georgia · 56 min from eTown · 87 from St. Augustine
Wild barrier island: beaches, wild horses, Dungeness ruins; ferry from St. Marys GA
Fee: $15 per person entrance (ferry fare separate)
Glynn County, Georgia · 95 min from eTown · 127 from St. Augustine
1736 British colonial town and fort ruins, St. Simons Island
Fee: No entrance fee listed in NPS API
National wildlife refuges (4)
The Okefenokee is the big one: its main Folkston entrance has the visitor center, the swamp drive and boat access.
Charlton County, Georgia · 79 min from eTown · 110 from St. Augustine
Main entrance: Richard S. Bolt Visitor Center, Swamp Island Drive, Chesser Island boardwalk, boat tours, canoe trails
Fee: $5 per vehicle daily (valid 7 days); $15 annual
Volusia County, Florida · 91 min from eTown · 74 from St. Augustine
Marsh impoundment wildlife drive/trails for birding, near De Leon Springs
Fee: No fee stated
McIntosh County, Georgia · 107 min from eTown · 139 from St. Augustine
Wildlife drive, wading-bird rookery, former WWII airfield
Fee: No fee stated
Brevard County, Florida · 114 min from eTown · 99 from St. Augustine
Black Point Wildlife Drive, birding, manatee viewing next to Kennedy Space Center
Fee: $10/vehicle daily; $25 annual
National forests: Osceola and Ocala (12 areas)
The U.S. Forest Service runs both. Osceola, west of Jacksonville, centers on Ocean Pond; Ocala holds the forest springs.
Baker County, Florida · 61 min from eTown · 89 from St. Augustine
Swim beach on Ocean Pond, fishing pier (status: temporarily closed per USFS)
Fee: $5 per vehicle
Temporarily closed per the U.S. Forest Service (checked Oct 17, 2026)
Baker County, Florida · 65 min from eTown · 93 from St. Augustine
Two-mile-wide lake, sandy beach, camping (~1 hr from Jax)
Fee: Camping $12-$30/night; day visitors $5 dump-station
Baker/Columbia County, Florida · 71 min from eTown · 98 from St. Augustine
Flatwoods and swamps; hunting, fishing, Florida Trail
Fee: Varies by site
Marion County, Florida · 83 min from eTown · 67 from St. Augustine
Salt spring swimming, Salt Springs Run boating, campground, marina
Fee: Campground $37-$69/night; day-use not captured
Marion County, Florida · 90 min from eTown · 75 from St. Augustine
Spring swimming off Lake George (check status; flood closure noted Oct 2024)
Fee: Via concessionaire Naventure
Marion County, Florida · 92 min from eTown · 78 from St. Augustine
Lake picnic and camping (temporarily closed per USFS)
Fee: $5/vehicle day use
Marion County, Florida · 99 min from eTown · 84 from St. Augustine
CCC-era spring swimming area, Juniper Run canoe run, camping
Fee: Entry fee
Lake County, Florida · 100 min from eTown · 83 from St. Augustine
First-magnitude spring, swimming, snorkeling, scuba, canoe
Fee: Via concessionaire Naventure
Marion/Lake/Putnam County, Florida · 101 min from eTown · 86 from St. Augustine
Largest sand-pine scrub forest; springs, lakes, Florida Trail, OHV
Fee: Springs Hopper Pass (annual) $75-$80+tax/person; per-site day fees via Naventure
Marion County, Florida · 102 min from eTown · 87 from St. Augustine
Lake swimming and group camping
Fee: Not stated
Lake County, Florida · 104 min from eTown · 87 from St. Augustine
Big lake camping and boating (temporarily closed per USFS)
Fee: n/a
Lake County, Florida · 112 min from eTown · 97 from St. Augustine
Small lake swimming, Paisley Woods bike trail
Fee: Via Naventure; pass $80+tax
By drive time from where you live
Drive times from
26 within two hours of eTown, 8 of them within an hour.
| Park | Drive | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Timucuan Preserve - Theodore Roosevelt AreaNational Park Service · Hammock and marsh hiking trails, Willie Browne Trail, Round Marsh overlookFree | 26 min | Free |
| Timucuan Preserve - Fort Caroline / Visitor CenterNational Park Service · Fort Caroline National Memorial (1564 French colony), visitor center, Spanish Pond and trailsFree (NPS lists no entrance fee) | 27 min | Free (NPS lists no entrance fee) |
| Castillo de San Marcos National MonumentNational Park Service · Oldest masonry fort in the continental US, St. Augustine$15 per person (age 16+) | 37 min | $15 per person (age 16+) |
| Timucuan Preserve - Cedar PointNational Park Service · Trails, marsh views, paddle launchFree | 38 min | Free |
| Timucuan Preserve - Kingsley PlantationNational Park Service · Oldest plantation house in Florida, tabby slave-cabin ruins, Fort George IslandFree | 44 min | Free |
| Fort Matanzas National MonumentNational Park Service · 1742 coquina watchtower reached by free ferry; beach and trailsFree; ferry uses timed-entry reservation | 49 min | Free; ferry uses timed-entry reservation |
| Timucuan Preserve - American Beach NaNa Sand DuneNational Park Service · Tallest dune in Florida at historic American Beach (Amelia Island)Free | 51 min | Free |
| Cumberland Island National SeashoreNational Park Service · Georgia · Wild barrier island: beaches, wild horses, Dungeness ruins; ferry from St. Marys GA$15 per person entrance (ferry fare separate) | 56 min | $15 per person entrance (ferry fare separate) |
| Osceola NF - Olustee BeachU.S. Forest Service · Swim beach on Ocean Pond, fishing pier (status: temporarily closed per USFS)Temporarily closed per the U.S. Forest Service (checked Oct 17, 2026)$5 per vehicle | 1 h 01 | $5 per vehicle |
| Osceola NF - Ocean Pond CampgroundU.S. Forest Service · Two-mile-wide lake, sandy beach, camping (~1 hr from Jax)Camping $12-$30/night; day visitors $5 dump-station | 1 h 05 | Camping $12-$30/night; day visitors $5 dump-station |
| Osceola National Forest (forest-wide)U.S. Forest Service · Flatwoods and swamps; hunting, fishing, Florida TrailVaries by site | 1 h 11 | Varies by site |
| Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (Folkston entrance)U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Georgia · Main entrance: Richard S. Bolt Visitor Center, Swamp Island Drive, Chesser Island boardwalk, boat tours, canoe trails$5 per vehicle daily (valid 7 days); $15 annual | 1 h 19 | $5 per vehicle daily (valid 7 days); $15 annual |
| Ocala NF - Salt Springs Recreation AreaU.S. Forest Service · Salt spring swimming, Salt Springs Run boating, campground, marinaCampground $37-$69/night; day-use not captured | 1 h 23 | Campground $37-$69/night; day-use not captured |
| Ocala NF - Silver Glen Springs Recreation AreaU.S. Forest Service · Spring swimming off Lake George (check status; flood closure noted Oct 2024)Via concessionaire Naventure | 1 h 30 | Via concessionaire Naventure |
| Lake Woodruff NWRU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Marsh impoundment wildlife drive/trails for birding, near De Leon SpringsNo fee stated | 1 h 31 | No fee stated |
| Ocala NF - Fore Lake Recreation AreaU.S. Forest Service · Lake picnic and camping (temporarily closed per USFS)$5/vehicle day use | 1 h 32 | $5/vehicle day use |
| Fort Frederica National MonumentNational Park Service · Georgia · 1736 British colonial town and fort ruins, St. Simons IslandNo entrance fee listed in NPS API | 1 h 35 | No entrance fee listed in NPS API |
| Ocala NF - Juniper Springs Recreation AreaU.S. Forest Service · CCC-era spring swimming area, Juniper Run canoe run, campingEntry fee | 1 h 39 | Entry fee |
| Ocala NF - Alexander Springs Recreation AreaU.S. Forest Service · First-magnitude spring, swimming, snorkeling, scuba, canoeVia concessionaire Naventure | 1 h 40 | Via concessionaire Naventure |
| Ocala National Forest (forest-wide)U.S. Forest Service · Largest sand-pine scrub forest; springs, lakes, Florida Trail, OHVSprings Hopper Pass (annual) $75-$80+tax/person; per-site day fees via Naventure | 1 h 41 | Springs Hopper Pass (annual) $75-$80+tax/person; per-site day fees via Naventure |
| Ocala NF - Mill Dam Recreation AreaU.S. Forest Service · Lake swimming and group campingNot stated | 1 h 42 | Not stated |
| Ocala NF - Lake Dorr Recreation AreaU.S. Forest Service · Big lake camping and boating (temporarily closed per USFS)n/a | 1 h 44 | n/a |
| Canaveral National SeashoreNational Park Service · Undeveloped beaches, Mosquito Lagoon, Turtle Mound$25 per private vehicle | 1 h 46 | $25 per private vehicle |
| Harris Neck NWRU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Georgia · Wildlife drive, wading-bird rookery, former WWII airfieldNo fee stated | 1 h 47 | No fee stated |
| Ocala NF - Clearwater Lake Recreation AreaU.S. Forest Service · Small lake swimming, Paisley Woods bike trailVia Naventure; pass $80+tax | 1 h 52 | Via Naventure; pass $80+tax |
| Merritt Island NWRU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Black Point Wildlife Drive, birding, manatee viewing next to Kennedy Space Center$10/vehicle daily; $25 annual | 1 h 54 | $10/vehicle daily; $25 annual |
The part nobody tells you: the closest ones are free
The Timucuan sites inside Jacksonville charge no entrance fee, and neither does Fort Matanzas (its ferry runs on timed reservations). The fees start farther out: the Castillo and Cumberland Island charge per person, Canaveral per vehicle. If you live on the north or east side of Jacksonville, a national park trail can be a ten- or twenty-minute drive.
Homes for sale in Jacksonville
The newest listings, live from the MLS.
Homes for sale in St. Augustine
Minutes from the Castillo and Fort Matanzas.
Homes for sale in Fernandina Beach
The closest town to the Cumberland Island ferry.
This is the work I do every week. Want a national park trail as your Saturday walk? Tell me which side of town. I'll show you the neighborhoods closest to the Timucuan sites, and the homes there.
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Broker Associate · Christie's International Real Estate First Coast · 20+ years · 500+ closings
Common questions
Is there a national park in Jacksonville?
Yes. The Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, a National Park Service unit, is inside Jacksonville: Theodore Roosevelt Area, Fort Caroline / Visitor Center, Cedar Point, Kingsley Plantation. Its sites are free to enter.
How do you get to Cumberland Island from Jacksonville?
By ferry from St. Marys, Georgia, about an hour’s drive north of Jacksonville; there is no bridge. The National Park Service charges an entrance fee per person on top of the ferry fare, and the ferry has limited seats, so book ahead.
What is the closest wildlife refuge to Jacksonville?
The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge’s main entrance near Folkston, Georgia is about 79 minutes from eTown. Lake Woodruff, near De Leon Springs, and Merritt Island, beside the Kennedy Space Center, are the other refuges within two hours.
Every park within two hours →
State parks, park service sites, forests and refuges.
Springs near Jacksonville →
Every spring within two hours, by drive time.
Shark teeth and shells →
Why Fort Matanzas allows neither.
Kayak and paddleboard launches →
Including the Timucuan launches.
A park on your side of town?
Tell me how you like to spend a free afternoon. I’ll find the neighborhoods closest to it.