Something to add to the list of things to do in Jacksonville
This is the best time of the year to walk in the North Florida woods. But most of us need paths. Two of the best trails around, and right in town, are at the University of North Florida and Fort Caroline National Monument.
- The UNF trails start right behind the information booth on your right as you enter from St. Johns Bluff Road. You have several options back there, with Goldenrod Trail the longest with a 2.5-mile loop. A few exercise stations have been added recently, in case you're in the mood for crunches or pull-ups.
- There are about 7 miles of trails at the Fort Caroline monument and the adjacent Theodore Roosevelt Area. The personal favorite is the Spanish Pond Trail, which starts across Fort Caroline Road from the monument. It's about a mile in (and another mile out, of course), but connects to another trail to take you along the banks of the river, past the shell piles left by the Timucuans and their ancestors. They date back to 1500 B.C., so walk carefully.
I’ve never visited the UNF trails and I bet it’s been 25 years since I visited Fort Caroline. We need to take the girls to visit these trails.