JaxHikes.com

[kam311]

Just tossing out a shameless plug for a new website of mine...www.jaxhikes.com

I was born and raised in Jax, but as an avid hiker, I always traveled to the Great Smoky Mountains or Virginia to do any sort of camping or backpacking.  I figure I can, at the very least, use this site as a way to catalog local trails and hiking destinations in the Jacksonville area. Ideally, if this site generates enough traffic, I can generate some revenue off the site.  That being said, I'm trying to compile an extensive list of trails in the area - both day hikes and multi-day trips.  Anyone know of good trails in the area that perhaps I haven't heard of yet?  At the moment I'm lining up reviews of the Arboretum, the trails at UNF, Big Talbot Island S.P, and the Baldwin Trail.

Thanks! (and please let me know if you have any suggestions for the site) 

-www.jaxhikes.com

[stephenc]

Great Idea. I love hiking just not particularly here in Florida. Normally travel to the A.T. to do any. Was supposed to hike the GA section last month but broke my ankle playing softball a week before leaving. I've really enjoyed the Black Creek Ravines Conservation Area. It has about 9 miles of hiking and camping, great elevation change for the area and nice bluffs and overlooks over Black Creek. Decent terrain change as well. Here is a link to the site http://www.sjrwmd.com/recreationguide/blackcreekravines/index.html

[Joe]

Nothing wrong with a shameless plug! It sure beats some of the mindless ax grinding that often dominates discussion around here.

That's a good topic for a blog. Jax has lots of great trails that a lot of people don't know about (FYI the reason you probably hadn't heard of the arboretum is because it only opened very recently).

I see that you already did a great profile of the Arboretum. My suggestions for future profiles would include:
1) The Guana State Park Trails. Marshes and dunes and lots of wildlife.
2) The Baldwin Rail-Trail which can be hiked just as well as biked.
3) The Ft Caroline/Teddy Roosevelt Area trails, which have some cool Timucuan shell-mounds, confederate graves, and some actual hills.

[kam311]

Thanks!

@stephenc:  I hiked the approach trail up to Springer and beyond to the first couple of shelters on the AT in October.  Beautiful area up there.

@Joe:Thanks for the tips - I'm thinking of heading up to Cumberland Island as well, it's a little out of the way, but a great place to explore - once the mosquitoes start to die off....

[subro]

Kam311,

I liked your website and it motivated me to bring the family out to the Arboretum yesterday and it is a nice place to spend an hour or two on some great shaded trails. I saw that Metrojax had an old thread on it as well.

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,2653.0.html

The trails are pretty short but very scenic. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to get out of the heat.

Thanks for the tip.

[kam311]

Thanks, subro - love the pics.  I'd also recommend the trails we explored this weekend at UNF.  The trails are longer (maybe 6-7 miles total), and are an excellent place to find wildlife, being a nature preserve. (Watch for snakes )  I put up photos of our hike this weekend and a brief description of the trails on the site.  Check it out!

[kam311]

It's been awhile since I looked at this thread, but I thought I'd post here and see if anyone had input on the new design of jaxhikes.com.  It's been a little project of mine that I haven't had much time for, unfortunately.  Let me know what you think, and what needs improvement. :-)