The Timucuan Preserve; Jacksonville, FL

Description
Fort Caroline memorializes the short-lived French presence in sixteenth century Florida. Here you will find stories of exploration, survival, religious disputes, territorial battles, and first contact between American Indians and Europeans.

Contact Information
12713 Fort Caroline Rd.
Jacksonville, FL 32225 Phone
Visitor Information : (904) 641-7155
Headquarters : (904) 221-5568
Fax: (904) 641-3798

Operating Hours & Seasons
The visitor center and grounds are open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily; closed December 25, Thanksgiving, and New Years Day.

Getting There

Plane
Jacksonville International Airport is about 20 miles northwest of the park. Visitors must provide their own transportation (taxi or private automobile) to the park.

Car
Fort Caroline National Memorial is located near the intersection of Monument Road and Fort Caroline Road, approximately 14 miles east of downtown Jacksonville. For detailed driving directions, please refer to the Fort Caroline Visitors Guide.

Public Transportation
There is no public transportation to Fort Caroline National Memorial.

ENTRANCE FEES

Fees: Free!

ACTIVITY FEES

School Groups

Fees: Free!
Details
Reservations for school groups are taken in advance and are scheduled on a first call basis. Please call (904) 641-7155 to make your reservation.

SPECIAL USE PERMITS
Special Use Permits

Fees: Free!
Details
Written requests for special park uses, including ceremonies of any kind, are required and must be submitted at least 30 days in advance.

ACTIVITIES
Learning about the history of the St. Johns River estuary, from the time of the native Timucuans through four centuries of exploration, colonization, agriculture, and commercial exploitation is a primary activity.

The enjoyment of nature via a network of hiking trails and scenic overlooks is also popular.

FACILITIES
Fort Caroline Exhibit and Nature Trail
Open All Year 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
(904) 641-7155

Location
One quarter mile from the visitor center via an unpaved trail.

Closures
Closed Thanksgiving, December 25, and January 1.

Special Programs
As scheduled; contact visitor center

Exhibits
A near full-scale rendering of the original Fort de la Caroline illustrates the modest defenses upon which the the Sixteenth Century French Colonists depended. A nearby nature trail provides a close-up view of the environment, including saltmarsh and hardwood forest, as it may have existed when the first Europeans arrived.

Available Facilities
None; the fort exhibit and nature trail are self- guided.

Ribault Column

Open All Year 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
(904) 641-7155

Location
Fort Caroline Road, one-half mile east of Fort Caroline National Memorial Visitor Center.

Closures
Closed Thanksgiving, December 25, and January 1.

Special Programs
As scheduled; contact visitor center.

Exhibits
Reproduction of original stone column placed near the mouth of the St. Johns River by French explorers in 1562. Wayside exhibit describing the view from scenic overlook.

Available Facilities
Scenic overlook with view of St. Johns River and nearby saltmarsh.

Spanish Pond
Open All Year 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
(904) 641-7155

Location
Fort Caroline Road, opposite Fort Caroline National Memorial Visitor Center.

Closures
Closed Thanksgiving, December 25, and January 1.

Special Programs
As scheduled; contact visitor center.

Available Facilities
Scenic overlook with view of Spanish Pond, a freshwater pond environment rich in wildlife. Spanish Pond is so named because it may have been the site where Spanish soldiers camped the night before attacking Fort de la Caroline in 1565.

Theodore Roosevelt Hiking Area

Open All Year
from April 2 to Oct 28, 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
from Oct 29 to April 01, 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

(904) 641-7155

Location
The trailhead parking area is at 13165 Mt. Pleasant Road, approximately one and one-half miles east of Monument Road.

Closures
Closed Thanksgiving, December 25, and January 1.

Special Programs
As scheduled; contact visitor center.

Exhibits
The Theodore Rosevelt Area is a 600 acre coastal maritime preserve of hardwood forest, scrub vegetation, and saltmarsh. A network of primitive trails connects the upland and shoreline areas.

Available Facilities
Observation tower. Hiking trails. Limited picnic area (no fires or grills permitted). Restrooms.

VISITOR CENTERS

Fort Caroline National Memorial Visitor Center

Open All Year 9:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
(904) 641-7155

Location
12713 Fort Caroline Road Jacksonville FL 32225

Closures
Closed on Thanksgiving, December 25, and January 1.

Special Programs
As scheduled; contact visitor center

Exhibits
Exhibits tell the story of the St. Johns River estuary, where salt and fresh waters meet to form an environment well suited to sustain many life forms, including human life. The history of the area from the time of the native Timucuans, through periods of French, Spanish, and English rule, and continuing to the present day is described in a series of exhibits.

Available Facilities
Picnic area with shelter; fires or grills are not permitted.

WEATHER AND CLIMATE
Summers are hot and humid. Cool, damp, and windy conditions are common in winter.

http://www.nps.gov/timu/indepth/foca/foca_home.htm