• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main 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
  • 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
Bridge over a tannic waterway

Willow Pond Trails

Tackle two nature trails totaling less than a mile to discover a wildlife haven amid the forested dunes of Fort Clinch State Park.

Fort Clinch State Park  |  Fernandina Beach
( 30.698357, -81.443379 )      0.9 miles

In the heart of the peninsula protected by Fort Clinch State Park at the north end of Amelia Island, a series of depression ponds is the focal point of the Willow Pond Trails.

The ponds may have been used for indigo dye processing in the 18th century, but were further enlarged during the 1930s.

At that time, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) dug out rocks and other materials to construct park roads, leaving what are now water-filled pits.

Collectively, these are now referred to as Willow Pond, and provide a freshwater haven on a peninsula surrounded by saltwater.

Pond with greenish coating Willow Pond


Resources

Resources for exploring the area

50 Hikes in North Florida book cover North Florida Panhandle Explorers Guide book cover Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover

Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.


Overview

Location: Fernandina Beach
Trailhead: 30.698357, -81.443379
Address: 2601 Atlantic Ave, Fernandina Beach
Fees: $6 per vehicle or $4 single occupant; $2 pedestrians and cyclists
Restrooms: None at trailhead. Located at fort visitor center and beach parking lot.
Land manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 904-277-7274

Park open 8 AM to sunset daily. Leashed pets welcome on this trail. Pets are otherwise prohibited on beaches, in buildings, and on boardwalks.

Be alert for alligators lounging along the ponds, especially at the “Alligator Crossing” sign, where they do indeed cross from pond to pond. For your safety, do not approach within 20 feet of an alligator.

Hill climb between live oaks

 
The Magnolia Loop may be inaccessible at times during the rainy season due to high water on the trail and over the footbridge at the far end of the loop.


Directions

 
From Jacksonville, follow Interstate 95 north for 20 miles to exit 373. Head east on SR 200 / A1A (Buccaneer Trail) for 10 miles, passing through Yulee and crossing the Intracoastal Waterway into Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island. Continue 2 miles as A1A curves north and merges onto South 8th St. Continue north on South 8th St for 3 miles to Atlantic Ave and turn right. Head east on Atlantic Ave for 1.5 miles. The entrance to Fort Clinch State Park will be on your left. After you stop at the ranger station and pay your park entrance fee, continue 2.3 miles along the main park road to the Willow Pond trailhead on the left. There is room for six to eight cars.

Hike

Both short tangent loops, the 0.4 mile Willow Pond Trail and the half-mile Magnolia Loop share their first tenth of a mile before diverging.

At the “Alligator Caution” sign, take a left to hike clockwise around the Magnolia Loop.

The trail soon curves to the right and follows the path under a canopy of sable palms and live oaks, with depression pools on either side.

Listen for the sounds of frogs, insects, osprey, and perhaps the distinctive “gwunk-gwunk, gwunk-gwunk” of baby gators calling to their mothers.

Trail next to a greenish pond The trail runs between depression ponds here.


When you come to a bench, an unmarked trail turns right. It’s a crossover between the ponds to the Willow Loop.

At 0.2 miles there is a “Highwater Bypass” sign and a second trail that turns right. This one is also a crossover to the Willow Loop.

A footbridge crosses a small waterway that drains water from the ponds to the Egans Creek Marsh. Keep an eye out for alligators here.

Crossing the bridge, you’ll leave the lush green of the palm trees, duckweed and saw palmettos, and climb ancient sand dunes.

Wooden footbridge over tannic waterway Footbridge on Magnolia Loop


The forest shifts to mostly live oaks, magnolias and a myriad of holly trees. Note the resurrection fern, orchids and Spanish moss in the canopy above.

At 0.4 miles, there is an intersection with a sign marking the exit to the left and the Willow Loop on the right. Bear left and continue along the dune ridge.

This is a good section for seeing armadillo, woodpeckers, squirrel and other small wildlife. At just over a half mile, the Magnolia Loop ends at the Willow Pond parking area.

Florida State Park sign for the nature trails Trailhead sign at Willow Pond parking area


To tackle the Willow Pond Loop, take a right at the “alligator caution” sign and hike in the counter-clockwise direction.

The trail climbs up the gentle dune ridge into a forest dominated by live oak, holly and magnolia.

After a tenth of a mile, take a left at the next trail intersection to follow the Willow Loop. The trail goes over and around several small dunes until you come to a “T” in the trail.

The Willow Loop goes both right and left at this intersection. Take a right, and meet the connector to the Magnolia Loop at the “Highwater Bypass” sign at 0.3 miles.

Take a left here and follow the trail between depression ponds on either side.

At just under 0.4 miles, the Willow Loop curves to the left and exits back at the parking area, wrapping up this hike just shy of a mile.

TRAILNAME Clambering up an ancient dune on the Willow Loop


Trail Map

Fort Clinch State Park Trail Map
Red: Main Loop. Blue: Beach Walk. Green/Yellow: Willow Pond Trails.

Explore More!

Learn more about Fort Clinch State Park

Beach with historic fort behind

Fort Clinch State Park

With 1,100 acres of pristine beaches, towering dunes, maritime forest, and estuarine tidal marshes, Fort Clinch State Park is one of Florida’s paramount recreational areas.

Explore the other trails of Fort Clinch State Park

Oceanfront at Fort Clinch

Fort Clinch Beach Walk

Explore a wave-tossed beach shoreline while searching for sea shells along the northernmost stretch of the Atlantic Coast in Florida.

Hiking trail amid large trees

Fort Clinch Main Loop

Extending the length of the peninsula defining the north tip of Amelia Island, the 5.7-mile Main Loop is surprisingly hilly and challenging.

Slideshow

See our photos of Fort Clinch State Park


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Canal along Egans Creek Greenway

Egans Creek Greenway

Northeast of Jacksonville in Fernandina Beach, Egans Creek Greenway is a protected area of over 300 acres that runs north to south along Egans Creek.

Dense upland forest

John Muir Ecological Park

John Muir Ecological Park in Yulee connects you to an important and mostly forgotten chapter of Florida history: our role in John Muir’s “Thousand Mile Walk to the Gulf.”

Black Rock Beach on Big Talbot Island

Black Rock Trail

An unusual and picturesque geologic anomoly, Blackrock Beach at Big Talbot Island is covered with formations that look like black lava rocks but are made of sand

Jones Cut Trail

Jones Cut Trail

The 1.5-mile Jones Cut Trail provides a meander into the heart of the maritime forest that carpets Big Talbot Island State Park, but it’s not the easiest trail to find

Trail Map (PDF) Reserve Campsite Official Website

Category: Hikes, Loop Hikes, Nature Trails, North Florida, TrailsTag: Amelia Island, Dog-friendly, Family-Friendly, Fernandina Beach, Florida State Parks, Fort Clinch State Park, Wildlife Viewing

Have an update? Contact us.

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

The Florida Trail Guide

The Florida Trail GuideOur definitive guidebook to planning backpacking trips on the Florida National Scenic Trail, now in its fourth edition. Full data charts and maps. B&W, 356 pages. $19.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now


Florida Trail Hikes

Florida Trail Hikes 2nd edition coverFifty of the best day hikes, overnights, and weekend trips on the Florida Trail. Full hike descriptions and maps, full color. 376 pages. $24.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now


Discovering the Florida Trail

Florida Trail mini coffee table book cover of trail into palm hammock
A visual journey the length of the Florida Trail, covering more than 1,500 miles from the Everglades to Pensacola Beach. Hardcover, 196 pages. $24.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now


50 Hikes in Central Florida 3rd edition
Explorer's Guide North Florida & The Panhandle guidebook
Five Star Trails Gainesville & Ocala guidebook

Florida Trail Apps

Farout GuidesFarout Guides Comprehensive logistics and offline maps for the
Florida National Scenic Trail (1,500 miles), the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail (108 miles), and the ECT Florida Connector (92 miles).

Explore More

Our recent park & trail updates in this region

Sinkhole pond with cypress knees and duckweed

Manatee Springs North End Trails

Manatee Springs North End Trails
Morning light in the upland forest at Manatee Springs

Manatee Springs Scenic Trail

Manatee Springs Scenic Trail
Grassy path edged by dense diminutive scrub forest

Cedar Key Scrub East Loop

Cedar Key Scrub East Loop
Archway at Fort Clinch

Fort Clinch Walking Tour

Fort Clinch Walking Tour

Footer

FIND A TRAIL OR PARK

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. Quincy. Sopchoppy. South Walton. St. Marks. St. Marks NWR. Tallahassee. Vernon. Wakulla. Wewahitchka

NORTH FLORIDA
Alachua. Amelia Island. Baldwin. Branford. Bunnell. Cedar Key. Chiefland. Crescent City. Dowling Park. Ellaville. Fernandina Beach. Flagler Beach. Gainesville. Green Cove Springs. High Springs. Jacksonville. Keystone Heights. Lake Butler.Lake City. Live Oak. Mayo. Macclenny. Micanopy. Olustee. Orange Park. 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
  • Vimeo

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. Northeast Everglades Natural Area. 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
©2006-2022, Sandra Friend & John Keatley | Disclosure | Site Index | Work with Us | Advertise with Us
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy | Florida Hikes PO Box 93 Mims FL 32754| Contact