Little Talbot Island State Park

Just twenty miles from downtown Jacksonville, lies one of the most beautiful, undeveloped barrier islands off the coast of Florida. While not well known outside of Florida, this is an attraction that most people would thoroughly enjoy visiting.

Little Talbot Island is one of the few barrier islands that has not been developed. All 2500 acres are designated as a state park and it has a diverse variety of vegetation and landscapes. There are five miles of wide, undisturbed white sand beaches on the east, salt marshes on the west and rivers and vegetated dunes in the interior. Since this area is untouched and the state protects the natural systems, there is an amazing amount of wildlife that can be seen. River otters, marsh rabbits, and many kinds of migrating birds are regularly seen.

What to Expect

The Little Talbot Island attraction is being upgraded and construction has started on a two mile nature trail along the coastal area which will increase access to all habitat areas. Typically, the area is not intolerability crowded so this will make the trip even better.

The number of things to do on Little Talbot is incredible. For the campers, there is a campground located on the island that offers, especially at night, views that are sensational. Picnic locations are conveniently located throughout the park for those who want to stop for a serene bite to eat.

There is a vast array of outdoor activities available that will appeal to those in any age group. With the beautiful white sand beaches, there is sunbathing, swimming and snorkeling. For the more adventurous, there is great surfing but, if boating is more in line with your interests, canoeing, kayaking, along with various other types of watercrafts are available. The shelling is also excellent especially after a storm.

The fishing is also outstanding, whether it is from the ocean or from the rivers. The water is abundantly stocked with many species of fish that can be caught including trout, bluefish, and stripped bass.

There are a lot of nature activities offered including hiking, biking, and wildlife viewing. With so many types of landscapes and habits on the island, it is not unusual to see an incredible amount of different varieties of fish, animals, and birds; the island boasts of over 200 different types of birds.

If you are looking for a more structured type of attraction, Little Talbot Island has that also. One of the more unique activities is a guided Segway EcoMotion tour. These two wheelers travel all over the island and, with the wireless headsets, the leader can point out many important points of interests. There are numerous other guided expeditions including a paddle boat tour around the island.

Tips for Visiting

If you are planning to visit Little Talbot Island, there are a few pieces of advice that should be considered. If the visit is planned for the spring or summer, be sure to come prepared for warm weather. Typically, the temperature is in the nineties so bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and, for sure, bug spray. In addition, because of sudden rainstorms, it would be wise to include a poncho or lightweight raincoat. Many of the activities require special clothing so be sure to include those. For example, if water activities are on the schedule, make sure to bring along swim gear.

If you are planning on camping at the park, be sure to call well in advance and reserve a spot. There are only 40 spots available so call early to save one. Make sure to view the map and select a safe location because some spots are susceptible to flooding.

The last piece of advice is to carefully plan your time at the park. With many activities open, be sure to allocate enough time so that everything can be included and, don’t forget, the rangers have many interesting exhibits so don’t miss out on any of these.