Experiences
Fort George Island Cultural State Park offers a loop bicycle ride through history. Pick up a copy of the Fairway Loop Trail guide at the Little Talbot Island Ranger Station or in the brochure rack in front of the Ribault Club on Fort George Island. The loop is 4.4 miles and consists of paved road and hard-packed gravel.
- For off-road bicyclists, there is a 3-mile biking/hiking trail that traverses the interior of the former Fort George Island golf course. The trail is suitable for large-tire bikes.
- Helmets are highly recommended for all cyclists and Florida law requires helmets for cyclists age 16 and under.
Shorebirds fill the tidal shoals behind the Ribault Club at low tide. Bring binoculars to catch a close-up of least terns, royal terns and black skimmers. Wading birds like wood storks, great blue herons and snowy egrets fish along the salt marsh of the Fort George River. A roost for night herons adjacent to a freshwater pond can be viewed along the Fairway Loop trail.
Pileated woodpeckers, great horned owls and bald eagles can be spotted among the live oaks.
Fishing the Fort George River from the shoreline is a popular activity.
- All fishing within the park must conform to regulations concerning size, number, method of capture and season. A fishing license may be required. More information is available at the Florida Wildlife Commission’s Fishing in Florida.
Explore the park in a new and challenging way. Experienced geocachers have requested permission to hide caches containing trinkets, treasures, or information in various places around the park. Please check the geocaching website for the most up-to-date information and clues to locate these caches.
There is a 3-mile hiking/biking trail loop on Fort George Island called the Fairway Loop Trail. The trail runs through the interior of the former Fort George golf course. A successional process is returning the golf course land back to its natural state and restoring the maritime forest habitat.
Park at the Ribault Club's Visitor Center and hike north to discover one of the tallest dunes on the eastern seaboard, Mount Cornelia, a true Florida hill. Approximately 3/4 mile north of the clubhouse, the trail comes to a T-junction. Head right to take in sweeping marsh views across the Fort George River at Point Isabel, a historic fortified inlet where goods were ferried to and from the plantations. Or head left to link up to National Park Service trails that lead to the historic Kingsley Plantation, built in the 1700s and still standing at the water's edge.
If you head south from the Ribault Club, you will encounter a large freshwater pond that serves as a night heron rookery in the spring and summer. This trail is suitable for large tire bikes.
The park offers the shade of a live oak canopy, breathtaking marsh views of the Fort George River Inlet, and the attraction - the restored Ribault Club established in 1928.
The Ribault Club is known to be as simple as it is elegant, as comfortable as it is accommodating and as unpretentious as it is impressive. Our guests depart with a deep sense of belonging. Exchange vows against breathtaking waterfront or sprawling lawn views, inside – or out.
The 16,000-square-foot clubhouse has many neoclassical features including fluted pilasters, classic arches and entablatures above beautifully paneled doors.
- For pricing and availability, please contact Cape Leisure's Wedding Coordinator at 904-251-1050.
Amenities
Fort George Island Cultural State Park is committed to providing a variety of accessible amenities to all of its visitors. Those amenities include:
- Buildings and event facilities at the Ribault Club Visitor Center.
- Permanent interpretive display at the Ribault Club Visitor Center.
- Manual wheelchair inside Ribault Club Visitor Center.
- Self-guided CD audio-tour of the island along Fort George Road.
- UTAP trail information for the 3-mile Fairway Loop Trail.
- Large-print formats of park information and brochures.
The Ribault Club and Fort George Island Visitor Center serves as the gateway to the Timucuan Trail State and National Parks. The historic Ribault Club is open to the public every Wednesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The visitor center, located within the Ribault Club, has interpretive exhibits depicting the rich natural and cultural history of the area and the island.
The Virtual Ranger Tour of the Saturiwa Trail on Fort George Island is a self-guided tour through the history of the island. All you need is a car CD-player or a mobile internet device and an interest in "old Florida." The tour follows the narrow road around Fort George Island, a setting rich in natural and cultural significance.
The Ribault Club and Fort George Island Visitor Center serves as the gateway to the Timucuan Trail State and National Parks. The grand rooms of the club can be rented through The Ribault Club, a park visitor service provider who provides professional event management for private and business functions.
- For more information on club rental, call 904-251-1050.
Well-behaved dogs are welcome at Fort George Island Cultural State Park on our hiking trails, pavilions, paved park roads, parking lots and our multi-use trails. They are not allowed inside buildings or on shorelines. They must be kept on a 6-foot leash at all times and cannot be left unattended for more than a half hour.
- See our Pet Policy.
The Ribault Club and Fort George Island Visitor Center serves as the gateway to the Timucuan Trail State and National Parks. The historic Ribault Club is open to the public every Wednesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The visitor center, located within the Ribault Club, has interpretive exhibits depicting the rich natural and cultural history of the area and the island.
The grand rooms of the club can be rented through The Ribault Club, a park visitor service provider who provides professional event management for private and business functions. Proceeds from the events managed by The Ribault Club help support ongoing maintenance and protection of this architectural treasure.
- For more information on club rental, please call 904-251-1050.
