OUTdoorsy Adventure Team - NE Florida's LGBTQ Explorers

Bring your food and hygiene donations for JASMYN and I will collect all items after the hike. Please see the list of food & hygiene items needed in the photo section of this event page.

This hike is an Outdoorsy group favorite, one of the best hikes in the NE Florida area! NO DOGS are allowed on the beach portion of this hike, leave the dogs home for this event. With more than five miles of beautiful, white sandy beaches, Little Talbot Island is one of the few remaining undeveloped barrier islands in Northeast Florida. Maritime forests, desert-like dunes and undisturbed salt marshes on the western side of the island allow for hours of nature study and relaxation. The diverse habitats in the park host a wealth of wildlife for viewing, including river otters, marsh rabbits, bobcats and a variety of native and migratory birds.

Once we arrive at the park, parking is $5 per vehicle and then we will make our way to the Dune Ridge Trail, which winds 4 miles through five distinct natural communities.

For more information about the park, visit https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Little-Talbot-Island .

PLEASE READ:

1. We will meet at the first big parking lot near the beach. Go past the little parking lot near the entrance.

2. Get driving directions here: https://goo.gl/maps/NjCAaevvDb72

3. If anyone is interested in carpooling, please leave a message below to begin a conversation.

4. Highly recommend bringing bug spray and perhaps a bottle of water.

5. For those who are interested in going to lunch after the hike, we will be eating at Sandollar Restaurant.

One of our best hikes with planned garden landscapes...a must see!
Although the formal gardens are the centerpiece of this park, Washington Oaks is also famous for the unique shoreline of coquina rock formations that line its Atlantic beach. Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the Matanzaus River, this property was once owned by a distant relative of President George Washington. The gardens were established by Louise and Owen Young who purchased the land in 1936 and built a winter retirement home. They named it Washington Oaks and, in 1965, donated most of the property to the State. The gardens make remarkable use of native and exotic species, from azaleas and camellias to the exquisite bird of paradise, sheltered within a picturesque oak hammock. Visitors can picnic and fish from either the beach or the seawall along the Matanzas River. A number of short trails provide opportunities for hiking and bicycling. Visitors can learn about the park's natural and cultural resources in the visitor center.

We will start the day by hiking along the 3 mile trail system exploring the gardens and adjoining park grounds located on the west side of the park. After that, we will cross over to the east side of the park and check out the beach and tide pools.

For more information about Washington Oaks State Park, visit https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/washington-oaks-gardens-state-park and http://www.washingtonoaks.org/.

The park charges an entrance fee of $5 per vehicle, 2-8 people per vehicle. $4 if the vehicle has a single occupant.

To view a map of the park, visit https://ca.dep.state.fl.us/mapdirect/?focus=parksmain&querytype=park&queryvalues=Washington-Oaks

PLEASE READ:

1. Park at the visitors center parking lot on the left, after you enter the Park.

2. Get directions here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/N49VYNd25Ndeanv4A

3. If anyone is interested in carpooling, please leave a message below to begin a conversation. Please share the cost of gas.

4. Bring bug spray, water, and possibly a snack. Bring a hat for the beach and water shoes in case you want to explore the tide pools

If there is interest, we can go to lunch as a group afterward.