• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Florida Hikes LOGO

Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

  • Trails
  • Maps
  • Guidebooks
  • Search
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
    • National Trails System
    • National Parks
    • State Parks
    • Travel Gear
    • Follow our Journeys
  • Gear
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
    • National Trails System
    • National Parks
    • State Parks
    • Travel Gear
    • Follow our Journeys
  • Gear
Ancient Dunes Trail

Ancient Dunes Trail

At Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine, the Ancient Dunes Trail leads you on a short scramble up and over relict dunes deeply shaded by ancient live oaks

Anastasia State Park  |  St. Augustine
( 29.866475, -81.276222 )      0.7 miles

Share
Tweet
Pin
Share
Email
182 Shares

Many footsteps have pressed into the sands of Anastasia Island, from the most ancient peoples who thrived on its bountiful shores to the Timucua who explored the coastline in their canoes, and the Spanish explorers who claimed this coast for Spain in 1565, establishing what is now the oldest continually occupied European settlement in America, St. Augustine. Anastasia State Park is a favorite for my family and many others, a destination for outdoor recreation along the beach, with a lengthy lagoon for windsurfing, miles of beaches for strolling, sandbars and shallows for swimming, and a campground tucked neatly under the canopy of windswept sand live oaks. Although there are three potential hikes in this park – including a beach walk and an exploration of the old Spanish quarries – The Ancient Dunes Trail is the official nature trail at the park. It starts at the back of the campground, and provides an up-close look at the native habitats that flourish on this windy shore.

Resources

50 Hikes in North FloridaHiker's Guide to the Sunshine StateExplorers Guide North Florida and Panhandle

Overview

Location: St. Augustine
Length: 0.7 mile
Lat-Long: 29.866475, -81.276222
Type: loop
Fees / Permits: state park entrance fee
Difficulty: moderate
Bug factor: moderate to annoying
Restroom: yes

The trailhead is well-hidden. If you aren’t permitted to park there – or there aren’t enough spaces – use the beach parking and walk back to the trailhead entrance. Although mosquitoes can sometimes be a problem, it’s usually breezy enough to keep the bugs at bay.

Directions

From downtown St. Augustine, cross the Bridge of Lions to follow A1A south. Just past the St. Augustine Alligator Farm, the road curves; the park entrance is on the left. Once you’ve paid at the ranger station, continue down the park road towards the campground. Turn right where you see a “Nature Trail” sign, and drive into the campground. After you pass the camp store, continue straight. The road ends at a “No driving beyond this point” sign, with several parking spaces on the right for the trailhead of the Ancient Dunes Trail.

Hike

Starting at the trailhead, turn right to follow the loop counter-clockwise through the maritime hammock. This coastal habitat supports a variety of salt-tolerant species, including yaupon holly, with its dark serrated leaves and bright red berries. The Timucua once lived along this shore, and used the yaupon as the basis of their “black drink,” a purgative for religious ceremonies. The canopy overhead is tightly knit by the branches of the gnarled and windswept sand live oak and red bay trees that thrive here. A salt breeze riffles through the branches. The trail continues into an open area, where pine duff from slash pines carpets the footpath. Interpretive markers help point out plant life and potential for wildlife.

Ancient Dunes Trail
Embrace the downhills on the Ancient Dunes Trail

The trail becomes strenuous, thanks to the steep ups and downs through sandy bowls in the ancient dunes. It wanders along the edge of a dune filled with saw palmetto, then drops into it. At a T intersection, there is a sign pointing to various campsites at this end of the campground, off to the right. Turn left. The trail skirts around a very large sand live oaks. Inside it, you’ll see a deep hollow, where the glowing form of witches’ butter brightens the interior, the brain-like fungus as orange as a jack-o’-lantern.

More side trails lead off to individual campsites on the right as you continue down the trail beneath the June blooms of southern magnolias, which flourish in the damp spots of the hammock. After you pass a bench, the trail drops down another steep slope and turns to the left, leading to a staircase down the next dune. You’ve walked half a mile. Look for American beautyberry showing off pink flowers in summer as you climb up out of the dune, pass another bench, and walk down the next staircase. After 0.7 mile, you’re back at the trailhead.

Trail Map

Website

Category: Day Hikes, Hikes, Loop Hikes, Nature Trails, North Florida, TrailsTag: Anastasia State Park, Atlantic Ocean, Birding, Dog-friendly, Hilly, St. Augustine

Previous Post: «National Parks Passport The Well-Traveled National Parks Passport
Next Post: The Rainbow Swamp »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

NORTH FLORIDA

NORTH FLORIDA OVERVIEW
East Coast Greenway. Florida Trail

Amelia Island. Branford. Bunnell. Cedar Key. Chiefland. Fernandina Beach. Flagler Beach. Gainesville. Green Cove Springs. High Springs. Jacksonville. Lake Butler. Lake City. Live Oak. Mayo. Micanopy. Osceola National Forest. Palatka. Palatka-Lake Butler Trail. Palm Coast. Perry. Salt Springs. St. Augustine. Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. Timucuan Preserve. Trenton. White Springs

Our Newest Books

Florida Trail Hikes
50 Hikes in Central Florida
Explorers Guide North Florida Panhandle
Florida Trail Guide
Five Star Trails Gainesville & Ocala
Five Star Trails Orlando
The Florida Trail coffee table book

Florida Trail App

Guthook GuidesGuthook Guides Comprehensive logistics and offline maps for the Florida National Scenic Trail.

Get the App!

The Florida Trail

Florida Trail history book

A comprehensive photo-rich history covering 50 years of Florida's favorite hiking destination. 9x12", 228 pages, full color.

Get the Book!

Explore More

Florida Trail Big Scrub

Florida Trail, Eaton Creek North

Florida Trail, Eaton Creek North
Florida Trail Ocala West

Florida Trail, Eaton Creek South

Florida Trail, Eaton Creek South
Big Oak Trail

Big Oak Trail

Big Oak Trail
Simmons State Forest

Simmons State Forest White Trail

Simmons State Forest White Trail

Footer

FIND YOUR WAY

NORTHWEST FLORIDA
Apalachicola. Apalachicola National Forest. Blackwater River State Forest. Blountstown. Bonifay. Bristol. Cape San Blas. Carrabelle. Chattahoochee. Chipley. Crawfordville. Crestview. DeFuniak Springs. Destin. Ebro. Eglin Air Force Base. Fort Walton Beach. Freeport. Gulf Islands National Seashore. Madison. Marianna. Milton. Monticello. Mossy Head. Navarre Beach . Niceville. Panama City Beach. Pensacola. Ponce De Leon. Port St. Joe. Sopchoppy. South Walton. St. Marks. St. Marks NWR. Tallahassee. Vernon. Wakulla. Wewahitchka

NORTH FLORIDA
Amelia Island. Branford. Bunnell. Cedar Key. Chiefland. Dowling Park. Ellaville. Fernandina Beach. Flagler Beach. Gainesville. Green Cove Springs. High Springs. Jacksonville. Keystone Heights. Lake Butler.Lake City. Live Oak. Mayo. Micanopy. Osceola National Forest. Palatka. Palatka-Lake Butler Trail. Palm Coast. Perry. Salt Springs. St. Augustine. Starke. Steinhatchee. Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. Suwannee Springs. Talbot Islands. Timucuan Preserve. Trenton. Welaka. White Springs. Williston

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

MULTI-REGION
Big Cypress Swamp. East Coast Greenway. Everglades National Park. Florida National Scenic Trail

CENTRAL FLORIDA
Apopka. Belleview. Brandon. Brooksville. Bushnell. Canaveral National Seashore. Christmas. Chuluota. Clearwater Beach. Clermont. Coast to Coast Trail. Cocoa Beach. Cross Florida Greenway. Crystal River. Dade City. Daytona Beach. De Leon Springs. DeBary. Deland. Deltona. Dunedin. Dunnellon. Frostproof. Geneva. Inverness. Kenansville. Kissimmee. Lake Mary. Lake Wales. Lakeland. Largo. Leesburg. Longwood. Melbourne. Melbourne Beach. Merritt Island. Merritt Island NWR. Mims. Mount Dora. New Port Richey. New Smyrna Beach. Ocala. Ocala National Forest. Ocklawaha. Orlando. Ormond Beach. Osteen. Oviedo. Palm Bay. Ridge Manor. Sanford. Silver Springs. Spring Hill. St. Cloud. St. Petersburg. Tampa. Tarpon Springs. Titusville . Walt Disney World. Weeki Wachee. Winter Springs. Withlacoochee State Forest. Withlacoochee State Trail. Yeehaw Junction

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
Bradenton . Charlotte Harbor. Ding Darling NWR. Englewood. Estero. Fort Myers. Immokalee. Naples. Pine Island. Port Charlotte. Punta Gorda. Sanibel Island. Sarasota. Venice

SOUTH FLORIDA
Arcadia. Basinger. Big Cypress National Preserve. Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. Clewiston. Everglades City. Fisheating Creek. Lake Okeechobee. Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. Lake Placid. LaBelle. Lakeport. Moore Haven. Okeechobee. Pahokee. Port Mayaca. Sebring. South Bay

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
Big Pine Key. Biscayne Bay. Biscayne National Park. Boca Raton. Boynton Beach. Coral Gables. Davie. Delray Beach. Florida Keys. Fort Lauderdale. Fort Pierce. Hobe Sound. Hollywood. Homestead. Islamorada. Jensen Beach. Jupiter. Juno Beach. Key Biscayne. Key Largo. Key West. Marathon. Miami. Ocean to Lake Greenway. Overseas Heritage Trail. Palm Beach. Port St. Lucie. Redland. Sebastian. Stuart. Vero Beach. West Palm Beach

  • Trails
  • Parks
  • Beaches
  • Gardens
  • Springs
  • Ecotours
  • Attractions
©2006-2019, Sandra Friend & John Keatley | Disclosure | Site Index | Work with Us
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy | Florida Hikes PO Box 93 Mims FL 32754| Contact