Coastal, River and Blueway Trails
St Johns River Trail
All Maps and Info Sheets are downloadable and printable in an 8.5 X 11" format. For more information on mentioned boat ramps and paddle launches, please see Launch Sites and click on the icons for additional details.
St John's River Trail Segment 25 Information
This last Segment consists of legs 17 through 21 of the Lower Basin of the 310 mile long north flowing river. It is the longest flowing river in Florida. The campsites at Exchange Island Park are now officially opened. The last phase of Park development included adding two primitive campsites with fire rings and picnic tables, and is now complete and available. Access to the small basin near the campsites has signage inside the basin, however the basin is only accessible at medium to high tide, so plan your entry accordingly. Exchange Island Reservations are required and can be made through the City of Jacksonville Parks and Recreation, which also handles the reservations for the Huguenot Memorial Park campsites at the rivers end. Please practice “Leave No Trace” principles when using all campsites. Water levels on the river vary considerably with rainfall amounts and tidal action. Some of these final legs are 20+ miles long and stronger tidal currents become an increasingly important consideration the closer you get to the mouth of the river. So, plan to use them to your advantage by riding the outgoing tide. It can be almost impossible to paddle against the tidal surge. Stay out of the channel and along the shoreline where possible. Remember to stay at least 100 yards away from military vessels. Wind can be an important factor on some of the wider parts of the St Johns. Always make sure to carry plenty of water and food. Make sure you leave a good float plan. Carry good maps, a compass and GPS. This Segment is recommended for advanced paddlers only due to strong tidal currents, heavy powerboat traffic and exposure due to the width of the river. Make sure you make reservations ahead of time at all State, City, and private campgrounds to make sure you have a campsite upon arrival. For the remainder of the St Johns River Trail, see Segments 22, 23, and 24.
NOTE : Great care has been taken to ensure this guides accuracy, but weather, tides, and water conditions can change rapidly and create hazardous conditions. These maps are for visual reference only, please consult NOAA Charts for navigation. Paddlers should have all proper safety equipment and check conditions before departure. All paddlers should always wear PFDs while on the water, and leave a float plan. There are inherent dangers in any paddle sport. There are special hazards along the Florida rivers due to shifting tides, changing wind and weather, water levels, and treacherous bottoms with soft mud, rocks, and possible deadfall. It is up to each paddler to be aware of these dangers, to accept and be prepared for the risks involved, and to be certain they have the skills to safely paddle in these conditions.
Download and Print Instructions:
Maps: To print out maps in full size, please left click on map below to pull up full size map, then right click on full size map and choose “Save Image As”. Save to your desktop or designated folder. Print from there.
Info Sheets: To print out Info Sheets, please click on the green Info Sheet button, then right click on the Info Sheet and choose “Save As”. Save to your desktop or designated folder. Print from there.
KMZ: To download the KMZ track file, click on the KMZ button. Once downloaded, locate the file on your computer and click on it. The file will then open in Google Earth. You must have the Google Earth or Google Earth Pro app on your computer or device. The downloaded KMZ file can also be directly uploaded to Garmin’s Homeport app (Garmin Explore app for Garmin InReach devices) and then downloaded to any Garmin GPS device. KMZ routes are for general navigation purposes only and may need to be adjusted for tidal and weather considerations.
