Perched on a bluff above the St. Johns River above Palatka, Tanglewyld Nature Park is a patch of public land along the horseshoe bend that River Road follows through Bostwick. While it looks like someone’s backyard – and probably was – the park provides a pretty perspective on the river.
Resources
Overview
Location: Palatka
Lat-Lon: 29.71590,-81.62328
Fees: free
Restroom: vault toilet
Open sunrise to sunset. Managed by Putnam County Parks & Recreation.
Location
Details
A Putnam County park, this is a small one by park standards, 24 acres. Acquired in 2003, it just opened to the public in August 2015. An accessible picnic shelter and restroom sit next to the small parking area, which adjoins a home that occupied the property.
While there are no established trails, it’s an easy ramble down to the bluff above the St. Johns River, where a screen of tall bamboo makes for an interesting perspective. The bluff drops off to river level as you approach the southwest corner of the park, where you could slip a kayak down into the water if you pulled it down here to launch.
Osceola: Back in Time
“While it looks like someone’s backyard – and probably was –…”
It definitely was a private residence. I’m surprised the FL Wildlife Federation, who owned it prior to 2003, didn’t ask for a plaque or something to honor the woman who tried to hard to make this an outdoor educational facility for the public. I believe she called it Idlewyld.