Jacksonville on Foot: Cedar Point Preserve Branch Trail Hike

Last week, my husband and I wanted to do an easy hike close to home as part of our recovery from a challenging backpacking trip in South Carolina along the Chattooga River. We know it is best to follow strenuous exercise with some easy to moderate activity in order to maintain a certain level of fitness as well as to relieve any soreness that might be present.

We decided a trail hike in the Cedar Point Preserve would be a good outing for what we had in mind. It is part of the City of Jacksonville Preservation Project and is located in Oceanway on Cedar Point Road close to the Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park and the city's Betz-Tiger Point Preserve.

You will turn right off Cedar Point Road into the parking area just after the brown approach sign for Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve. Watch for Darcy Drive, the last road on the right just before arriving at Cedar Point Preserve. There may be other vehicles speeding along right on your tail, so give yourself enough time to slow down before exiting Cedar Point Road.

There is no entrance fee, and trails can be accessed from sunrise to sunset. For additional information call (904) 630-CITY (2489).

Cedar Point Preserve Trail Access

Distance:

5 miles

Terrain:

Wide flat pathways. Some sections could have standing water following rain or be a bit mucky. There is no problem with large roots crossing over the trail and no apparent elevation gain.

Amenities:

Ample parking, but there are no picnic & restroom facilities or potable water. Treat this hike as a wilderness experience where you bring what you need for personal needs, and be willing to "rough it" a bit even though the walking will be easy.

Pets:

Leased pets are allowed. Please bring a bag for waste out of consideration for other hikers.

Wheelchairs:

The area does not specifically have a designation for wheelchairs, but the trail could be navigated with big wheels. It would be wise not to take a wheelchair on the trail alone in case there are areas where it would be best to be pushed along for awhile.

Modifications:

The Branch Trail "branches off" in many places, so it is easy to make the hike longer or shorter to suit your needs. The shorter Main Trail (2.1 miles) is another option.

Cedar Point Preserve Informational Kiosk

The Hike

BRING INSECT REPELLENT!

I will seldom "scream" at a reader using bold letters in one of my posts, but you will thank me for telling you to remember to have insect repellent ready to use. Unless it is a cold day, there will be mosquitoes and lots of them. Insect repellent can make the difference between having an enjoyable hike or a miserable one.

We took the time to study the map on the kiosk at the trailhead. It is not easy to access detailed maps for trails in the area, but what I call a "stick map" displayed at the kiosk is better than most. My husband and I are out & about so often we have invested in a GPS that definitely makes our hiking easier. At the very least, it is advisable for any hiker to pack a compass and know how to use it.

The kiosk map showed the Branch Trail to be marked with double blue blazes and the Main Trail to be marked with a single blue one. Initially, we had to walk along the Main Trail in order to access the Branch Trail.

Cedar Point Trail Blazes

We did not see as many birds & other wildlife as we do on most of our hikes, but we did spot a raccoon as we approached from a curve along the trail. I believe this may have been the first time I ever saw a raccoon really run. There was also a squirrel up a tree close by. We expected to see a lot of birds with the trail system bordering an estuary, but I only recall seeing one fluttering around in the bushes on this visit. Perhaps we will see more next time.

The Cedar Point Preserve consistently offers beautiful scenery and the opportunity to enjoy a Florida wilderness experience encompassing approximately 631 acres within the city limits. It can be appreciated for it's solitude and a place to breath fresh air.

Saw Palmetto

Of course, we saw an abundance of saw palmetto. It grows like a weed in Florida forests, but it was a very useful plant for the Timucuans (also called Timucua) who inhabited the area long before the Europeans arrived. Today, it provides a habitat for birds & animals. It is also important for erosion control.

Most of the Yellow Branch Trail is under a canopy of trees, but there are many areas where we were able to veer off the main part of the trail to view the estuary. The salt marsh ecosystem of the estuary provides an important habitat for wintering & migratory birds.

Tree Canopy

Cedar Point Preserve Estuary

Our November hike allowed us to see fall colors and a plentiful amount of Spanish moss along with other plant life.

Tree Ferns

Fall Leaves

Spanish Moss

Remember the mention of mosquitoes? Well, we left the house without our insect repellent. I actually forgot to pack it, but we really expected to be okay on a cool morning. The mosquitoes immediately found my husband's exposed hands as soon as we hit the trail. Fortunately, I was wearing gloves, and both of us were wearing long pants with a long sleeve shirt. This saved the day as far as completing our hike, but we ditched the idea of a picnic along the trail and opted to dine in the van after our hike.

We were lone hikers in the woods on this trip although we are aware of recent organized group hikes. During our previous stops to view the kiosk and trailhead we have not seen evidence of anyone else using the trails, which leads us to believe personal space on the trails would never be an issue.

We learn something on all our hikes, and we try not to make the same mistake twice. Now, we know NEVER to hit the trail without insect repellent in Florida.