Resources
Resources for exploring the area
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Exploring St. Augustine
Established in 1695 as a Spanish outpost in the Americas, St. Augustine lays claim to being Florida’s oldest continually occupied city.
With a compact core known as the Ancient City sitting inside thick coquina walls that attach to the fortress of Castillo De San Marcos that protected its early settlers, it is an extremely walkable destination.
A melting pot of cultures, with included Minorcans who left New Smyrna, the oldest free black settlement in the United States at Fort Mose, and waves of Spanish and British occupation, it feels like a corner of the Caribbean.
Natural lands protect portions of the beach and estuary frontage, providing launch points for paddlers and places for hikers and cyclists to explore.
Several pleasant waterfront campgrounds offer outdoorsy visitors a place to camp.
With a high concentration of bed and breakfasts in the Ancient City, it is also a place where you can sleep with history, and walk right out your door for an adventure on foot.
Parks and Trails in St. Augustine
Anastasia State Park Anastasia State Park is windswept and sandy, with an arc of beach that stretches four miles to Matanzas Inlet, curving in on itself to face the ancient city of St. Augustine. 
Anastasia State Park Ancient Dunes Trail Scramble sharp inclines and woodland staircases beneath a canopy of ancient oaks and magnolias on the surprisingly rugged Ancient Dunes Trail at Anastasia State Park.
Anastasia State Park Marsh Trail On the Marsh Trail at Anastasia State Park, sea oats sway in the breeze alongside a scenic path flanked by tall dunes and a saltwater lagoon teeming with wildlife. 
Bayard Conservation Area Bayard Point Conservation Area preserves an untouched riverfront forest on the St. Johns River. Follow this route through the John P. Hall Nature Preserve to visit the river.
Bella Vista Trail With a 1.8-mile loop through the uplands of Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, the Bella Vista Trail offers a close look at the variety of habitats found on this barrier island
Deep Creek State Forest Well hidden at the north end of St. Johns County, Deep Creek State Forest protects 379 acres along the flow of its namesake to where it meets the Tolomato River. 
Faver-Dykes Pine Loop Nestled in oak hammocks along Pellicer Creek, the Pine Loop Trail at Faver-Dykes State Park lets landlubbers trace the route of the creek through old-growth pines.
Faver-Dykes State Park At Faver-Dykes State Park, explore the estuaries of the Matanzas River and the uplands above Pellicer Creek.
Fort Matanzas National Monument On the shores of Fort Matanzas, a significant historic site south of St. Augustine, the dunes are now swaddled in maritime forest, a gentle place with ancient oaks and an accessible boardwalk.
Fort Mose Historic State Park A little-known chapter in Florida history is that of Fort Mose, the first free African settlement in the South in pre-Colonial America. The settlement site is preserved and interpreted at Fort Mose Historic State Park.
Fort Mose Nature Trails Two scenic overlooks at the end of two accessible trails highlight the location of the 1738 settlement of Fort Mose, the first colony of free Africans in the colonies before the United States was formed.
GTM Reserve Trails Circling a peninsula between the Guana River and the Tolomato River, the extensive trail system at GTM Research Reserve is one of Florida's most beautiful hiking destinations. 
Matanzas State Forest A system of linear and loop trails connected to a primitive campground offers scenic views of flatwoods, hammocks, and marshes alongside the Matanzas River.
Nocatee Landing Whispers of the past carry on salt breezes across a wild landscape once home to an ancient civilization straddling the bounty of the Tolomato River estuary.
Nocatee Preserve A linear buffer between a massive planned community and the Tolomato River in Palm Valley, Nocatee Preserve protects 2,400 acres of riverfront habitats north of St. Augustine. 
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.
Princess Place Preserve Gentle loop trails showcase wild spaces and cultivated grounds at Princess Place Preserve, an 1880s homestead at Cherokee Grove on Pellicer Creek. 
Stokes Landing Conservation Area Fronting a vast estuary along the Tolomato River basin, Stokes Landing Conservation Area contrasts deeply shaded maritime hammock and marsh rims with panoramic views.
Washington Oaks Gardens State Park Notable for its historic landscaped gardens under a canopy of ancient live oaks, Washington Oaks Gardens State Park is also the home of one of Florida's rare rocky shorelinesRecent Articles
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