More than 15 miles of trails interconnect Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park with neighboring public lands, enabling visitors to spend all day out on the woods.
Or spend it on the water, using their kayak launch to ply Pumpkin Creek and the tidal marshes of the Nassau River basin.
John photographs the estuaryResources
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Overview
Location: Jacksonville
Trailhead: 30.473874,-81.486535
Address: 13802 Pumpkin Hill Rd, Jacksonville
Fees: Free
Restroom: vault toilet at trailhead
Land manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 904-696-5980
Open 8 AM to sunset. Leashed dogs welcome. Most trails are multi-use. Expect to encounter equestrians and off-road cyclists along the trail system.
Much of the landscape is open scrub or scrubby flatwoods. Carry plenty of water for your rambles.
Use insect repellent and clothing appropriate for warding off ticks. We know someone who picked up a tick in this area and later tested positive for lyme disease.
Directions
From Interstate 295 north of the St. Johns River, exit on Hecksher Dr east. Turn left at the first traffic light onto New Berlin Rd. Follow it 4 miles north to a Y intersection; bear right. Continue 5 miles along Cedar Point Rd to make a left onto Pumpkin Hill Rd. The trailhead is on the left just after the residential area ends.
About the Park
Located north of the city along A1A, it’s one of a string of state parks where you can lose yourself in the landscape.
The bluffs provide a panoramic sweep of salt marshes where Pumpkin Hill Creek flows into the Nassau River estuary.
Explore miles of trails on foot, by bike, or on horseback through the scrub forest, pine flatwoods, and out to views from the river bluffs.
The Main Trail Loop includes an East Loop of 1.5 miles and a West Loop of 1.2 miles through this open landscapeHiking and Biking
An extensive network of multiuse trails connects from Jim Wingate Preserve to the west through Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve.
They extend up to the park boundary at Betz Tiger Point Preserve, where you can continue north on their trail system, and south to Cedar Point Preserve for even more mileage.
Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve Trails
With interconnections to adjoining public lands, the extensive trail network at Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park connects more than 15 miles of trails to many miles more
Paddling
The kayak launch is located at the north end of the park off Pumpkin Hill Creek Road down a side road to the right, just outside the gate of Betz Tiger Point Preserve.
It’s a beauty spot to visit for birding, a picnic, or just to enjoy the salt breeze off the creek. Launching here puts you right into Pumpkin Hill Creek.
Riverside picnic area and launchHead upstream to explore along the edge of Betz Tiger Creek Preserve, or downstream to the Nassau River estuary.
Be cautious of oyster bars in the estuary and oyster beds along the shorelines.
Oyster shells stud the approach at low tideTrail Map
Kiosk with trail mapExplore More!
Video
See our slideshow video from Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve
Slideshow
See our photos of Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve
Nearby Adventures
More worth exploring while you’re in this area.
Betz-Tiger Point Preserve
On a peninsula where the Timucua used the surrounding estuary for sustenance, Betz-Tiger Point Preserve provides more than six miles of breezy trails
Timucuan Preserve
A patchwork of public land on both sides of the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Timucuan Preserve encompasses sites of historic, cultural, and ecological interest scattered between Amelia Island and Mayport.
Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park
With cool ocean breezes and a plunge in the surf after your hike, the 2.7-mile hiking loop at Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park in Jacksonville is a great choice for a summer outing
Jacksonville-Baldwin Rail Trail
Following a historic railroad route that sparked the Battle of Olustee during the Civil War, the Jacksonville-Baldwin Rail Trail spans 14.6 miles from Jacksonville to Baldwin