A historic North Florida city along the St. Johns River, Palatka is located just a few miles east of the Florida Trail and a fifteen minute drive from the Ocala National Forest, providing a great gateway to outdoor adventures.
Exploring Palatka
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Putnam County Bartram Trail
Inaugural Bartram Adventure Tour
Ravine Gardens State Park
Historic Palatka Water Works
Beecher Run Nature Trail
Mud Spring Trail
William Bartram St. Johns River Loop, Welaka State Forest
Palatka-Lake Butler Trail: Palatka to Carraway
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Trails and Parks near Palatka
40 Acre Park- A community park in Welaka, 40 Acre Park is a great stop for birding, with little-used trails that ramble around a series of wetlands once used in the fish hatchery.
Beecher Run Nature Trail- A stop along the Bartram Trail, the Beecher Run Nature Trail at Welaka National Fish Hatchery provides a walk beneath ancient pines along the edge of the hatchery ponds, which are fed by historic Beecher Spring.
Davenport Landing Trail- Deep in the Ocala National Forest, the Davenport Landing Trail leads you on a scenic loop to a historic landing and archaeological site along the Ocklawaha River.
Dunns Creek State Park- Walking along a sand road crunching oak leaves underfoot like cornflakes, you'd hardly believe Dunns Creek State Park is along a bend in the St. Johns River. But it's easy to miss the state's biggest river when you have 6,200 acres to roam. 
Dunns Creek Yellow Trail- Dunns Creek State Park protects sandhills and scrub along a sharp bend in the St. Johns River and is home to the rare Etonia rosemary (Conradina etonia) along its trail system.
Florida Trail, Buckman Lock to SR 20- 7.3 miles. A rough and swampy connector through timber lands, the Florida Trail between Buckman Lock and SR 20 west of Palatka is an often muddy ramble down old forest roads.
Florida Trail, Buckman to Rodman Dam- Paralleling a segment of the Cross Florida Barge Canal, the Buckman Lock to Rodman Dam hike on of the Florida Trail sticks to a high berm for most of the 5.3 miles.
Florida Trail, Etoniah West- On this 3.5-mile segment of the Florida Trail in Etoniah State Forest, you'll encounter the rare Etonia rosemary and a number of sinkholes in the pine forests and scrub
Florida Trail, Ocala National Forest- 72.2 miles. Of all of the sections of the Florida Trail statewide, the Ocala National Forest is both the oldest section of the trail and the most compelling for backpackers.
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
Florida Trail, Rodman to Lake Delancy- Providing a fine balance between the Big Scrub habitats and breathtaking old-growth longleaf pines, the Florida Trail from Rodman to Lake Delancy is simply superb.
John’s Landing Trail- Following a series of forest roads through the heart of Welaka State Forest, the John's Landing Trail has several scenic spots along its 4.3-mile loop, from bluffs along the St. Johns River to shimmering lily-covered flatwoods ponds.
Mud Spring Trail- At Mud Spring, mud isn't what you'll see in the gently rounded basin that cradles an underwater garden. This glassy natural pool is the payoff halfway around a 1.7-mile hike that is one of the highlights of Welaka State Forest.
Murphy Creek Conservation Area- With hiking in scrubby flatwoods and sandhills above forested slopes draining to Murphy Creek, as well as on Murphy Island in the St. Johns River, this water management preserve provides two places to explore.
Palatka Riverfront Park- Recently re-imagined to showcase the beauty of the St. Johns River, Palatka Riverfront Park offers a quarter-mile riverfront walk with panoramic views. 
Palatka Water Works- On the grounds of the Water Works Environmental Education Center, explore the historic Palatka Water Works and a short interpretive trail dedicated to William Bartram's travels as Puc Puggy, the Flower Hunter.
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
Ravine Gardens Hiking Trails- While the hiking loop at Ravine Gardens State Park is just 2.2 miles long, it’s a challenging and fun hike that clings to ravine slopes while showcasing bubbling springs and tunnels of azaleas, plus two picturesque suspension bridges.
Ravine Gardens State Park- Known best for its hillsides of blooming azaleas each February, Ravine Gardens State Park melds historic planted public gardens with the intriguing setting of a deep steephead ravine above the St. Johns River in Palatka. 
St. Johns River Center- A destination for environmental education with a dash of regional history, the St. Johns River Center in downtown Palatka tells the story of Florida's longest and most storied river.
Tanglewyld Nature Park- Perched on a bluff above the St. Johns River north of Palatka, Tanglewyld Nature Park is a patch of public land along the horseshoe bend that River Road follows through Bostwick.
Welaka State Forest- Protecting more than four miles of deeply forested waterfront on the St. Johns River across Little Lake George from the Ocala National Forest, Welaka State Forest offers both natural beauty and a deep subtext of cultural history. 
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 the natural wonders that botanist William Bartram documented in 1774.
Related Articles
Paddling the Bartram Trail in Welaka Apr 2019- 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.- OGT Palatka Visitor Center closed Nov 2008- In a related story, I found out this weekend that the Office of Greenways and Trails quietly closed their Visitor Center at Buckman Lock for budget savings. This is the northernmost of the two visitor centers they operate, and marks the northern extent of the Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway. In addition to casual visitors […]
Nearby: Bunnell, Gainesville, Ocala, Palm Coast, Salt Springs, St. Augustine, Welaka