A Week at Florida's Little Talbot Island State Park

Talbot Island State Park is made up of seven state parks and historic sites.  Little Talbot Island State Park is the only one with campground sites with RV hook-ups. As I see it, the primary users of this park are fishermen, beach goers, and those, like us, that use it as a base for day travel to attractions in the area:  Jacksonville, Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach.

The campsites are all packed sand and are level with plenty of shade and most with privacy on the sides.  Nice, quiet little park.  The shade was welcomed when the sun was out.  It was in the high 90s, heat index 105-110, and very humid all week despite being overcast most of the day.

The campground road is gravel with several potholes filled with loose pearock.  Not good for bikes.  The layout of the campsites is kind of different as there are no official loops.  More like three branches of the main entrance road.  But, the branches are connected at the ends by, essentially, service roads.  Makes for interesting biking or walking through the campground.

 

  The park has an unimproved marina on Myrtle Creek for launching mainly  fishing kayaks.  The water depth is greatly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean tide.  Near the marina is a playground, group tent camping area and group campfire/amphitheater area.

Some fish from the dock and shore using rods or nets. At low tide fishermen can get to other places along the creek.

 

The Myrtle Creek marsh area at high tide.

  

The park has two hiking trails.  One starts at the campsite and is a 3/4 mile nature trail through the woods with some elevation changes and along the marsh.  For kids, the rangers have set up a scavenger hunt.  They get clues to find small boxes attached to trees along the trail that contain prizes such as a compass, and magnifying glass. Fun and instructive. 

A red cedar tree.  A lot of #2 pencils there. 

Low tide at the dock reveals many empty oyster shells, barnacles, and......

.....crabs.  Hundreds of crabs scurrying about and popping in and out of their holes.  Many different colors.

Even on the nature trail tiny crabs can be found.

Other visitors to the dock.  In the marsh Plovers, Osprey and Egrets are readily seen.

On the other side of FL A1A from the campsite is the beach.  Past the ranger station there is one of three parking lots with pavilions and showers/rest rooms for campers and day visitors.  Boardwalks lead across the dunes to about four miles of white sand beach.

 

Looking north at low tide.

Looking south toward Mayport.  Many freighters appear on the horizon during the day. Mayport is a large terminal and Naval Air Station. 

When not at the marina they are on the beach.  Or, vice versa.

At the ranger station there is the start and finish of a 3.8 mile beach trail.  Supposedly one can bike this trail. A lot of very soft sand.  Better to walk it.  It starts out through trees and shrubs....

....meanders through the dunes, and ends up on the beach to return to the ranger station via the boardwalk.  Strenuous hike.

Passing the first picnic area you begin an excellent 2 mile bike trail that follows the road to the most south picnic area.  Good exercise trail.  Paved and flat.

Some sights along the way.