Resources
Resources for exploring the area
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Exploring Palatka
Spending a week in Palatka to explore the Bartram National Recreation Trail on a Bartram Adventure Tour gave us a new appreciation for this city on the St. Johns River.
Having embraced their historic significance through the visits of naturalists John and William Bartram in the late 1700s, Palatka has improved its waterfront and added interpretation from these early explorers of Florida.
Restoration of its riverfront now includes a ribbon of green leading south from the Memorial Bridge that US 17 and SR 100 use to cross the St. Johns River.
A riverwalk connect a kayak launch, fishing pier, nature center, Bartram-themed playground, and the marina.
Multiple long bike paths meet here, and the Florida Trail passes through public lands only three miles west of the city, so both hikers and cyclists consider this a trail town, an important stop for rest and resupply.
Add in nearby state parks, state forests, water management areas, and the Ocala National Forest, and the sheer volume of public lands around Palatka make this a great base camp for outdoor recreation.
The Bartram Trail in Putnam County
A National Recreation Trail, the Bartram Trail in Putnam County is made up of interpretive sites based on the writings of John and William Bartram.
Father and son naturalists from Philadelphia, they came to Florida to collect botanical specimens and reconnaissance on this new land under British rule.
John Bartram was the designated Royal Botanist for King George III when the duo made an expedition starting in 1765.
John’s Journal recounts following the St. Johns River up to its assumed source, 215 miles upriver from the Atlantic Ocean.
In 1774, William Bartram returned to the river and retraced the route under the patronage of Dr. John Fothergill, who paid handsomely for botanical specimens.
His Travels, more well known than his father’s published work, defined many Florida creatures and flowers for the first time.
Some of his new-to-biology discoveries included the gopher tortoise and Ixea caelestina, now called Bartram’s Ixia.
In 2018, we participated in a week-long guided tour led by local Bartram experts, and learned more than we ever knew before about the Bartram’s influence on the world’s earliest perceptions of Florida.
The local Bartram Committee puts on an annual Bartram Frolic, loosely based on the “Indian Frolic” William Bartram describes at Palatka in the fall of 1774.
On a Bartram Adventure Tour On a guided Bartram Adventure Tour, we hiked, biked, and paddled to follow the travels of William and John Bartram along the St. Johns River in Palatka, Florida
Paddling the Bartram Trail in Welaka Learning how botanists William and John Bartram traveled along the St. Johns River in the 1700s, I followed an experienced river guide for a look at part of the Bartram National Recreation Trail from the water on our Bartram Adventure Tour in Palatka.Trails and Parks Around Palatka
Best Trails Around Palatka
These are our top picks for hiking and biking in the Palatka area
Florida Trail, Rice Creek Home of ancient cypress trees and the remains of a 1700s rice plantation, Rice Creek Conservation Area has a fascinating loop trail along the statewide Florida Trail.
Palatka-Lake Butler Trail With a corridor spanning nearly 50 miles through North Florida, the Palatka-Lake Butler State Trail provides paved trail for riders and an unpaved corridor used by the Florida Trail
Palatka to St. Augustine Trail Connecting two of North Florida's most historic cities, the Palatka to St. Augustine Trail follows the route of Henry Flagler's East Coast Railway through rural farming communities.
William Bartram St. Johns River Loop Discover the beauty of Welaka State Forest on a 5 mile footpath that winds along ecotones and hugs the bluffs of the St. Johns River to showcase natural wonders that botanist William Bartram documented in 1774.Important Public Lands Around Palatka
You’ll find multiple recreational opportunities on these public lands near Palatka
Cross Florida Greenway Spanning 110 miles between the St. Johns River near Palatka and the Gulf of Mexico, the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway is a mile-wide recreational corridor with trails, campground, and boating access.
Dunns Creek State Park Notable for its habitat diversity, Dunns Creek State Park protects a vast landscape along the south shore of its namesake, a major tributary of the St. Johns River.
Ocala National Forest Established in 1908 as the first National Forest east of the Mississippi, the Ocala National Forest is a mecca for hikers and campers, and the birthplace of the Florida Trail.
Ravine Gardens State Park With swinging bridges over a deep ravine painted in bright colors by azaleas each February, Ravine Gardens State Park offers hiking and biking loops in Palatka
Welaka State Forest Protecting more than four miles of deeply forested waterfront on the St. Johns River, Welaka State Forest provides a glimpse at a Florida that botanists John and William Bartram saw on their 1700s expeditions.Related Articles
National Forests in Florida Implement New Fees (7/24/2019) Effective July 26, 2019, fees go up at many National Forest campgrounds, boat ramps, and recreation areas
On a Bartram Adventure Tour (4/19/2019) On a guided Bartram Adventure Tour, we hiked, biked, and paddled to follow the travels of William and John Bartram along the St. Johns River in Palatka, FloridaNEARBY: Bunnell, Green Cove Springs, Keystone Heights, Salt Springs, St. Augustine, Welaka | ALONG: Florida Trail, Palatka-Lake Butler Trail , Palatka to St. Augustine Trail, St. Johns River | PART OF: North Florida