OPERATING HOURS
Timucuan Preserve Visitor Center (Fort Caroline) and Kingsley Plantation Visitor Contact Station: • 9:00 am to 4:30 PM, Wednesday through Sunday. Closed Monday & Tuesday. • Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. • Fort Caroline grounds, Ribault Monument (4:45), and Kingsley Plantation grounds gates are locked at 5:00 pm. • Spanish Pond, Theodore Roosevelt Area, and Cedar Point are open sunrise to sunset 365 days unless closed by order of the park superintendent.
TOURS & PROGRAMS
Do you have guided tours? • We will be happy to arrange a guided tour for your group based on staff availability and available scheduling. Please submit group tour requests to TIMU_information@nps.gov. • Teachers inquiring about school field trips should email their request to TIMU_preserve_education@nps.gov. What programs do you offer? • Various programs are offered at Fort Caroline, Kingsley Plantation, Cedar Point, and Theodore Roosevelt Area throughout the year. Subject matter varies, but may include programs about Indigenous life and culture, the experiences of the enslaved population at Kingsley Plantation and Cedar Point, the colonial French experience at Fort Caroline, Spanish Mission systems, local plants and animals, the saltmarsh ecosystem, and a variety of other topics. Please check our calendar of programs.
PARK PASSES
What types of park passes do you sell? • We do not sell park passes. We do issue the active-duty military passes and ACCESS pass at no charge. For more information, visit https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/veterans-and-gold-star-families-free-access.htm
DOGS
Are dogs allowed in park? • Dogs are allowed on trails and on the grounds at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve (including Fort Caroline, Kingsley Plantation, Theodore Roosevelt Area, and Cedar Point) as long as they are kept on a leash no longer than 6 feet and pet waste is collected and disposed of in trash bins. • Only service animals are allowed inside the visitor centers, historic structures, or other NPS structures. Are dogs allowed in the visitor center? • We only allow Service Dogs. However, we do have a wonderful SELF GUIDED AUDIO WALKING TOUR that you and your dog can do together. This can be found in the NPS app with black background and downloaded to your phone: TIMUCUAN ECOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL PRESERVE pictured TAP ON PICTURE TAP ON “SELF GUIDED TOUR” Choose FORT CAROLINE AUDIO TOUR Are dogs allowed off leash? • No, for dog safety and visitor safety they must stay on 6ft leash. Are you and/or your dog allowed to go off trail? • No, for your own safety, your dog’s safety and safety of others.
ACCESSIBILITY
Do we have a cart or wheelchair available for use by visitors with a disability? • We do not offer park-provided wheelchair use or visitor transportation on the trails. What trail would be best for a disabled person to use? • We cannot recommend any specific trail for accessibility. Everyone is unique and has individual levels of mobility. Any recommendation we give would be seen as an endorsement or affirmation of the condition or suitability of the trail for their individual needs. Are there accessibility signs? • There are currently no accessibility signs along the trails. Some areas of the trails have roots and rocks. Some trails are terraced, and some trails are sandy. All are very well maintained but kept as natural as possible.
FISHING IN THE PARK
Can visitors fish here? • Fishing is prohibited everywhere at Fort Caroline National Memorial (includes dock and from boats secured to the dock) and Spanish Pond. • Anglers may fish at Kingsley Plantation along the natural shoreline, but not off of the dock, the sea wall in front of the main house, or any other areas designated by the superintendent. Fishing in the backwaters is encouraged and Cedar Point has a boat launch. Follow all state fishing regulations.
SMOKING IN THE PARK
Can anyone smoke in the park? • Smoking is prohibited in all preserve buildings. During periods of high wild land fire danger, smoking may be restricted or prohibited in all areas of the Preserve except designated areas. Recent Federal policy prohibits smoking in Federal buildings. In addition, park buildings contain artifacts, equipment and furnishings as well as staff members and visitors who may be affected by ambient smoke. During such high fire danger periods smoking is prohibited near and adjacent to any of the Kingsley Plantation historic buildings. The public will be notified when such restrictions exist, but this action may occur without prior public notice.
WEAPONS
Are concealed carry, personal guns or weapons of any kind allowed in the park? • Only law enforcement officers and persons possessing a concealed weapons permit issued by Florida or a state with reciprocity may carry concealed firearms on their persons. The government prohibits firearms and dangerous weapons in federal facilities. This is defined as a "building or part thereof owned or leased by the Federal Government, where Federal employees are regularly present for the purpose of performing their official duties.”
PICNICS
Can visitors reserve a picnic pavilion? • No. All picnic tables and pavilions are first come, first served. Can you bring, and use, a grill in the park? • Lighting or maintaining a fire is prohibited, except by a park employee or resident in government housing, or as a portion of a park sponsored living history interpretive program. • Lighting or maintaining a fire with charcoal in a small grill is permitted at picnic tables. Ashes must be removed from park property. Ashes may not be dumped on park property or placed in park trash receptacles.
ALCOHOL
Can visitors use alcoholic beverages in the park? • The use of alcoholic drinks is prohibited in the park except in the Picnic Shelter.
MUSIC
Can visitors play music (boom box, etc.) in the park? • The use of portable radios, high performance auto sound systems and/or other non-period music producing devices (which emit a decibel level of 60 or higher measured at 50 feet) is prohibited.
WEDDINGS
Can visitors get married in the park? • This requires a permit. Contact: timu_information@nps.gov
PHOTOGRAPHY
Can visitors professionally photograph in the park (wedding, graduation, modeling, etc)? • Non-commercial photography is allowed in the park, as long as it is being done in accordance with other park policies (staying on trail, staying off historic structures, altering the natural landscape, etc). SOME commercial photography may require a permit. Contact: timu_information@nps.gov
VIDEO TAPING
Are visitors allowed to professionally video tape in the park? • Non-commercial video use is allowed throughout the park as long as it is being done in accordance with other park policies. Some commercial videography may require a permit. Contact: timu_information@nps.gov
SELLING
Are visitors allowed to sell things in the park? • This activity requires a permit. Contact: timu_information@nps.gov
DRONES
(or any remotely operated aircraft) Can visitors fly a drone in the park? • Drones: Launching, landing, or operating remotely operated aircraft from or on lands and waters administered by the National Park Service within the boundaries of Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve is prohibited. Contact: timu_information@nps.gov
DEMONSTRATIONS
Are visitors allowed to demonstrate in the park? • Public assemblies may require a permit. Contact: timu_information@nps.gov
RITUALS
Can visitors perform a ritual of any type in the park? • Burials, the scattering of cremated remains, and/or memorials need a permit. Contact: timu_information@nps.gov
BIKES
Are bikes, boards, motorbikes, motorized boards, scooters allowed in the park? • Bicycles are not allowed on trails or grounds at Fort Caroline National Memorial and Kingsley Plantation. • Bicycles are not allowed on the trails at Theodore Roosevelt Area with the exception of the Blue Trail (Willie Browne Trail). • Bicycles are allowed on the trials at Cedar Point. • “One-wheels” and other electric vehicles are treated the same as a bicycle. They can ride where bicycles are allowed and cannot where bicycles are not allowed. • All areas are closed to motorized vehicles except designated roadways, parking lots and administrative areas, but non-motorized bicycles are permitted in these areas. Vehicles may be authorized in appropriate locations, such as former roads and trails, when required for administrative or emergency activities. Segways, two-wheeled self-balancing electric vehicles are considered to be motorized vehicles.
COLLECTING IN PARK
Can you pick up, and take home, interesting rocks, shells, feathers, plants and flowers in the park? • ALL AREAS: Disturbance, collection, removal or destruction of any portion of any Shell Mound, Midden or Scatter is prohibited! • Taking of Saw Palmetto berries is prohibited! • A reasonable quantity - up to one gallon per group per day - of blueberries, grapes, hickory nuts and other fruits may be gathered for personal use. • Taking of edible plants, plant parts, stems, leaves, flowers, roots, tubers or other parts except seeds and seed-bearing parts as noted above is prohibited. Collecting seashells is prohibited except up to one gallon per group per day of unoccupied seashells may be gathered for personal use along shorelines of navigable waters in, or within 10 feet of the tidal zone.
ANIMALS IN THE PARK
Can you handle or touch animals in the park? • No, for their safety and yours.
WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED?
We are located in Jacksonville, Florida. The preserve emcompasses over 46,000 acres. See the Directions page for details about visiting sites within the preserve.
WHERE IS THE ENTRANCE GATE?
The preserve is unique in that the National Park Service owns about 9,000 acres of the land inside its boundaries. The remainder is state park, city park, non-profit agencies like the Nature Conservancy, and private landholders. There are many paths into the preserve. You may wish to begin at the Timucuan Preserve Visitor Center.
WHAT DOES IT COST?
The National Park sites within the preserve are open Wednesday-Sunday, except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. National Park sites within the preserve are free and open to the public. Other agencies within the preserve charge either a per person or per vehicle fee.
WHAT IS THE TIMUCUAN TRAIL?
The Timucuan Trail State and National Parks is a partnership between the National Park Service, Florida Park Service, and City of Jacksonville. It allows the parks to work together to provide great park experiences for visitors. For more information, click here.
