85 state and national parks, within two hours of home.
Springs that stay the same temperature all year, barrier islands with wild horses, the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States, and the Okefenokee Swamp. Every state park, national park site, national forest and wildlife refuge within a two-hour drive, timed from six First Coast neighborhoods.
By Krista Fracke — Broker Associate, Christie's International Real Estate First Coast · 20+ years in Northeast Florida · 500+ closings · client reviews
How lucky we are, in numbers
I’m Krista Fracke, and this is the part of living here that doesn’t show up in a listing. From eTown, 85 state and national parks, forests and refuges are within a two-hour drive, 25 of them within an hour, and 10 are National Park Service sites. The National Park Service’s own health summary cites research that at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing. When the springs, the islands and the forests are this close, those two hours are a Saturday morning, not a vacation.
| From | 30 min | 1 h | 1.5 h | 2 h |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| eTown | 3 | 25 | 48 | 85 |
| Nocatee | 2 | 18 | 39 | 72 |
| Ponte Vedra | 2 | 18 | 41 | 78 |
| St. Augustine | 8 | 20 | 50 | 72 |
| Julington Creek | 0 | 21 | 45 | 81 |
| Fernandina | 7 | 16 | 31 | 56 |
Parks, national park sites, national forest recreation areas and wildlife refuges reachable within each drive time, by Mapbox driving routes from each neighborhood’s center, without traffic.
Every park, by drive time from where you live
Drive times from
85 within two hours of eTown, 25 of them within an hour.
| Park | Drive | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Bluff Fort Historic State ParkFlorida State Parks · HistoryNo fee | 23 min | No 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) |
| Fort Mose Historic State ParkFlorida State Parks · WildlifeEntry fee | 31 min | Entry fee |
| Palatka-to-St. Augustine State TrailFlorida State Parks · Hiking, BikingNo fee | 33 min | No fee |
| Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State ParkFlorida State Parks · Paddling, Hiking, Biking, Horseback, FishingNo fee | 36 min | No 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+) |
| Guana Tolomato Matanzas Research Reserve (Guana)Florida DEP · Beach, Hiking, Wildlife, Fishing | 37 min | – |
| Little Talbot Island State ParkFlorida State Parks · Beach, Shelling, Camping, Hiking, BikingEntry fee | 38 min | Entry fee |
| Timucuan Preserve - Cedar PointNational Park Service · Trails, marsh views, paddle launchFree | 38 min | Free |
| Fort George Island Cultural State ParkFlorida State Parks · Paddling, Hiking, Biking, Fishing, WildlifeNo fee | 41 min | No fee |
| Big Talbot Island State ParkFlorida State Parks · Paddling, Beach, Hiking, Biking, FishingEntry fee | 43 min | Entry fee |
| Faver-Dykes State ParkFlorida State Parks · Paddling, Camping, HikingEntry fee | 43 min | Entry fee |
| Anastasia State ParkFlorida State Parks · Swimming, Paddling, Shelling, Surfing, CampingEntry fee | 44 min | Entry fee |
| George Crady Bridge Fishing Pier State ParkFlorida State Parks · Hiking, Biking, Fishing, WildlifeEntry fee | 44 min | Entry fee |
| Amelia Island State ParkFlorida State Parks · Beach, Shelling, Horseback, Fishing, WildlifeEntry fee | 44 min | Entry fee |
| 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 |
| Washington Oaks Gardens State ParkFlorida State Parks · Beach, Hiking, Biking, Fishing, WildlifeEntry fee | 54 min | Entry fee |
| Ravine Gardens State ParkFlorida State Parks · Hiking, Biking, History, GardensEntry fee | 55 min | Entry fee |
| 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) |
| Bulow Creek State ParkFlorida State Parks · Paddling, Hiking, Biking, Wildlife, HistoryNo fee | 56 min | No fee |
| Olustee Battlefield Historic State ParkFlorida State Parks · Hiking, HistoryNo fee | 58 min | No fee |
| Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State ParkFlorida State Parks · Swimming, Paddling, Camping, Cabins, HikingEntry fee | 59 min | Entry fee |
| North Peninsula State ParkFlorida State Parks · Swimming, Beach, Shelling, Surfing, HikingNo fee | 1 h 01 | No fee |
| 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; check status$5 per vehicle | 1 h 01 | $5 per vehicle |
| Fort Clinch State ParkFlorida State Parks · Beach, Camping, Hiking, Biking, FishingEntry fee | 1 h 02 | Entry fee |
| Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State ParkFlorida State Parks · Paddling, Hiking, Fishing, HistoryEntry fee | 1 h 02 | Entry fee |
| Fernandina Plaza Historic State ParkFlorida State ParksNo fee | 1 h 04 | No fee |
| Addison Blockhouse Historic State ParkFlorida State ParksNo fee | 1 h 04 | No fee |
| Crooked River State ParkGeorgia State Parks · Georgia · Camping, cottages, St. Marys River marsh trails, near Cumberland ferry; Tabby sugar works ruins$10 per vehicle ParkPass parking (gastateparks.org/ParkPass) | 1 h 04 | $10 per vehicle ParkPass parking (gastateparks.org/ParkPass) |
| Tomoka State ParkFlorida State Parks · Paddling, Camping, Hiking, Fishing, WildlifeEntry fee | 1 h 05 | Entry fee |
| 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 |
| Dunns Creek State ParkFlorida State Parks · Paddling, Hiking, Biking, Horseback, FishingEntry fee | 1 h 05 | Entry fee |
| Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area at Flagler BeachFlorida State Parks · Swimming, Paddling, Beach, Camping, HikingEntry fee | 1 h 07 | Entry fee |
| Palatka-to-Lake Butler State TrailFlorida State Parks · Hiking, BikingNo fee | 1 h 09 | No fee |
| Osceola National Forest (forest-wide)U.S. Forest Service · Flatwoods and swamps; hunting, fishing, Florida TrailVaries by site | 1 h 11 | Varies by site |
| Haw Creek Preserve State ParkFlorida State Parks · Paddling, Fishing, WildlifeNo fee | 1 h 16 | No fee |
| Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation State Historic SiteGeorgia State Parks · Georgia · Antebellum rice plantation house and marsh trail on the Altamaha deltaHistoric Site Admission Adults (18–61): $8.75 Seniors (62+): $6.50 Youth (6–17): $5.50 Children (under 6): $2.25 All rates are plus tax. Group rates available with advance notice. His | 1 h 17 | Historic Site Admission Adults (18–61): $8.75 Seniors (62+): $6.50 Youth (6–17): $5.50 Children (under 6): $2.25 All rates are plus tax. Group rates available with advance notice. His |
| 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 |
| Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State ParkFlorida State Parks · Paddling, Camping, Cabins, Hiking, BikingEntry fee | 1 h 21 | Entry fee |
| 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 |
| Fort King George State Historic SiteGeorgia State Parks · Georgia · Reconstructed 1721 British blockhouse fort, DarienHistoric Site Admission Adults (18–61): $8.25 Seniors (62+): $6.25 Youth (6–17): $4.75 Children (under 6): $2.75 All rates are plus tax. Group tours available for 15 or more people. R | 1 h 25 | Historic Site Admission Adults (18–61): $8.25 Seniors (62+): $6.25 Youth (6–17): $4.75 Children (under 6): $2.75 All rates are plus tax. Group tours available for 15 or more people. R |
| Jekyll Island State ParkGeorgia State Parks · Georgia · State-owned island run by the Jekyll Island Authority (not GA DNR): beaches incl. Driftwood Beach, Historic District, Georgia Sea Turtle Center, bike paths, camping$10/day per vehicle; $100 annual (jekyllisland.com) | 1 h 27 | $10/day per vehicle; $100 annual (jekyllisland.com) |
| De Leon Springs State ParkFlorida State Parks · Swimming, Hiking, FishingEntry fee | 1 h 28 | Entry fee |
| Ocala NF - Silver Glen Springs Recreation AreaU.S. Forest Service · Spring swimming off Lake George (check status; flood closure noted Oct 2024)Temporarily closed per the U.S. Forest Service; check statusVia concessionaire Naventure | 1 h 30 | Via concessionaire Naventure |
| Big Shoals State ParkFlorida State Parks · Paddling, Hiking, Biking, HorsebackNo fee | 1 h 30 | No fee |
| 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)Temporarily closed per the U.S. Forest Service; check status$5/vehicle day use | 1 h 32 | $5/vehicle day use |
| Gainesville-to-Hawthorne State TrailFlorida State Parks · Hiking, Biking, HorsebackEntry fee | 1 h 33 | Entry fee |
| Blue Spring State ParkFlorida State Parks · Swimming, Tubing, Snorkeling, Diving, PaddlingEntry fee | 1 h 34 | Entry fee |
| 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 |
| Devil's Millhopper Geological State ParkFlorida State Parks · Hiking, WildlifeEntry fee | 1 h 35 | Entry fee |
| O'Leno State ParkFlorida State Parks · Paddling, Camping, Cabins, Fishing, WildlifeEntry fee | 1 h 36 | Entry fee |
| San Felasco Hammock Preserve State ParkFlorida State Parks · Hiking, Biking, Horseback, WildlifeEntry fee | 1 h 36 | Entry fee |
| Lower Wekiva River Preserve State ParkFlorida State Parks · Paddling, Camping, Hiking, Biking, HorsebackEntry fee | 1 h 37 | Entry fee |
| River Rise Preserve State ParkFlorida State Parks · Camping, Horseback, FishingEntry fee | 1 h 37 | Entry fee |
| Suwannee River State ParkFlorida State Parks · Paddling, Cabins, Hiking, Wildlife, HistoryEntry fee | 1 h 38 | Entry fee |
| Laura S. Walker State ParkGeorgia State Parks · Georgia · Lake near Okefenokee; camping, golf (Lakes Golf Course), fishing$10 per vehicle ParkPass parking (gastateparks.org/ParkPass) | 1 h 39 | $10 per vehicle ParkPass parking (gastateparks.org/ParkPass) |
| 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 |
| Ichetucknee Springs State ParkFlorida State Parks · Swimming, Tubing, Snorkeling, Diving, PaddlingEntry fee | 1 h 40 | Entry fee |
| Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State ParkFlorida State Parks · Hiking, History, GardensEntry fee | 1 h 41 | Entry fee |
| 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 |
| Hontoon Island State ParkFlorida State Parks · Paddling, Boat tours, Camping, Cabins, HikingNo fee | 1 h 44 | No fee |
| Ocala NF - Lake Dorr Recreation AreaU.S. Forest Service · Big lake camping and boating (temporarily closed per USFS)Temporarily closed per the U.S. Forest Service; check statusn/a | 1 h 44 | n/a |
| Paynes Prairie Preserve State ParkFlorida State Parks · Camping, Hiking, Biking, Horseback, FishingEntry fee | 1 h 44 | Entry fee |
| Rock Springs Run State ReserveFlorida State Parks · Camping, Hiking, Biking, Horseback, HistoryEntry fee | 1 h 46 | Entry fee |
| Canaveral National SeashoreNational Park Service · Undeveloped beaches, Mosquito Lagoon, Turtle Mound$25 per private vehicle | 1 h 46 | $25 per private vehicle |
| Ruth B. Kirby Gilchrist Blue Springs State ParkFlorida State ParksEntry fee | 1 h 47 | Entry fee |
| Price's Scrub State ParkFlorida State Parks · Hiking, Biking, Horseback, WildlifeNo fee | 1 h 47 | No fee |
| 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 |
| Silver Springs State ParkFlorida State Parks · Paddling, Boat tours, Camping, Cabins, HikingEntry fee | 1 h 48 | Entry fee |
| Madison Blue Spring State ParkFlorida State Parks · Swimming, Diving, Fishing, WildlifeEntry fee | 1 h 49 | Entry fee |
| Fort Morris State Historic SiteGeorgia State Parks · Georgia · Revolutionary War earthwork fort on the Medway RiverHistoric Site Admission Adults (18–61): $5.00 Seniors (62+): $3.75 Youth (6–17): $3.50 Children (under 6): $1.50 All rates are plus tax. Group rates available with advance notice. His | 1 h 50 | Historic Site Admission Adults (18–61): $5.00 Seniors (62+): $3.75 Youth (6–17): $3.50 Children (under 6): $1.50 All rates are plus tax. Group rates available with advance notice. His |
| Dudley Farm Historic State ParkFlorida State Parks · Hiking, History, GardensEntry fee | 1 h 51 | Entry fee |
| Wekiwa Springs State ParkFlorida State Parks · Swimming, Snorkeling, Paddling, Camping, CabinsEntry fee | 1 h 51 | Entry fee |
| 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 |
| Troy Spring State ParkFlorida State Parks · Swimming, Diving, Fishing, WildlifeEntry fee | 1 h 53 | Entry fee |
| Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenways State Recreation and Conservation AreaFlorida State Parks · Camping, Hiking, Biking, Horseback, FishingNo fee | 1 h 53 | No fee |
| 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 |
| Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State ParkFlorida State Parks · Swimming, Snorkeling, Diving, Hiking, WildlifeEntry fee | 1 h 55 | Entry fee |
| Okefenokee State ParkGeorgia State Parks · Georgia · Western (Fargo) gateway into the Okefenokee Swamp; boat tours, paddling, dark-sky camping$10 per vehicle ParkPass parking (gastateparks.org/ParkPass) | 1 h 58 | $10 per vehicle ParkPass parking (gastateparks.org/ParkPass) |
The map
SpringsBeaches and islandsForts and historyRivers, swamps and forestsShowing 83 of 83
Four kinds of treasure
Springs (16)
Clear, spring-fed swimming holes and runs to the west and south: the Ocala National Forest springs, De Leon, Blue Spring, Ichetucknee and Silver Springs.
Closest from eTown: Ocala NF - Salt Springs Recreation Area (83 min); De Leon Springs State Park (88 min); Ocala NF - Silver Glen Springs Recreation Area (90 min)
The springs guide →Beaches and islands (14)
Undeveloped barrier-island beaches on both sides of the St. Johns, Cumberland Island’s wild shore across the Georgia line, and the coquina beach at Washington Oaks.
Closest from eTown: Guana Tolomato Matanzas Research Reserve (Guana) (37 min); Little Talbot Island State Park (38 min); Big Talbot Island State Park (43 min)
Every public beach access →Forts and history (18)
Four and a half centuries of forts, from Fort Caroline’s 1564 French colony and the Castillo to Fort Mose, Fort Clinch and the Olustee battlefield.
Closest from eTown: Yellow Bluff Fort Historic State Park (23 min); Timucuan Preserve - Fort Caroline / Visitor Center (27 min); Fort Mose Historic State Park (31 min)
The national park sites →Rivers, swamps and forests (37)
Salt marsh preserves, river ravines, the Okefenokee Swamp, the Osceola and Ocala national forests, and hundreds of miles of trail.
Closest from eTown: Timucuan Preserve - Theodore Roosevelt Area (26 min); Palatka-to-St. Augustine State Trail (33 min); Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park (36 min)
Kayak and paddleboard launches →The part nobody tells you: some of these parks are the neighbors
A home that backs onto a state park, a water-district conservation area or a national preserve backs onto land the public owns and manages for conservation, which is about as permanent a view as Florida offers. Those lots are rarer than they look, and they price accordingly. Every area page on this site lists its own closest parks, preserves, boat ramps and kayak launches, and the homes near the Guana preserve page shows the ones on the edge of the biggest preserve on the coast.
Homes for sale in eTown
25 of these parks within an hour.
Homes for sale in Julington Creek
The newest listings, live from the MLS.
Homes for sale in St. Augustine
The newest listings, live from the MLS.
This is the work I do every week. Want a home that puts the springs, the beaches or the trails closest? Tell me which ones you'd use every month. I'll show you the neighborhoods that are nearest to them, and the homes that back onto public land.
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Broker Associate · Christie's International Real Estate First Coast · 20+ years · 500+ closings
Common questions
How many state parks are near Jacksonville?
51 Florida state parks and state trails are within a two-hour drive of eTown on Jacksonville’s south side, plus 7 Georgia state parks and historic sites, 10 National Park Service sites, and national forest and wildlife refuge areas, 85 in all.
What national parks are near Jacksonville?
The Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve is inside Jacksonville itself (Fort Caroline, the Theodore Roosevelt Area, Kingsley Plantation and Cedar Point). Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas are in St. Johns County, Cumberland Island National Seashore is a ferry ride from St. Marys, Georgia, and Fort Frederica is on St. Simons Island. Canaveral National Seashore is just under two hours south.
What springs are within two hours of Jacksonville?
16 springs parks and recreation areas are within two hours of eTown, from Salt Springs and Silver Glen in the Ocala National Forest to De Leon Springs, Blue Spring, Ichetucknee and Silver Springs state parks.
Does living near parks actually matter?
The National Park Service’s health summary cites research that spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing, and that people exercise longer and more regularly in parks and green spaces. Close parks make those two hours easy to find.
Springs near Jacksonville →
Every spring within two hours, by drive time.
National parks near Jacksonville →
Timucuan, the Castillo, Cumberland Island and more.
Neighborhoods for outdoor life →
Where the trails and the water are closest.
Every public beach access →
Parking, fees and drive-on ramps.
Park list from Florida and Georgia state park data, the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Florida park activities from FDEP’s park points-of-interest layer. Drive times by Mapbox, without traffic. Fees and hours change; check each park’s own page before you go.
Where would you spend your Saturdays?
Tell me the parks you’d use most. I’ll find the neighborhoods closest to them.