
Experiences & Amenities
Experiences
Bicycling can be enjoyed throughout the park, whether you prefer to stay on the paved 2.5-mile Park Drive Timucuan Trail segment, or ride off-road through the maritime forest on the Dune Ridge trail or along the hard-packed sand of the beach.
At the south end of the island there is a bike trailhead for the paved multiuse Timucuan Trail, part of the national East Coast Greenway Trail from Maine to Florida, that offers a shaded pavilion with benches, a water fountain, interpretive panels and free air to fill up your tires.
A newer section of the bike trail has been completed that connects Little Talbot to Big Talbot. The new section is almost 2 miles of continuous trail.
Bikes are perfect for overnight campers whose sites are an easy half-mile trip from the beach. At low tide, ride 2 miles north to reach a strikingly gorgeous part of the park, the northern sand spit. Search for shells, sand dollars and sharks teeth, and watch the shorebirds foraging in the mud flats.
- Helmets are highly recommended for all cyclists and Florida law requires helmets for cyclists age 16 and under.
Little Talbot Island State Park is the perfect place for bird-watching. Whether you prefer seeing shorebirds along the Atlantic coast, wading birds in the marsh or songbirds in the maritime hammock forest, bring your binoculars on your next visit.
From migrating red knots and piping plovers to great horned owls and painted buntings, even the occasional and rare snowy owl, Talbot does not disappoint. Make sure and visit in the late spring and early summer to catch rare glimpses of nesting shorebirds and their young, such as least terns, Wilson’s plovers and black skimmers.
- Ask at the ranger station on your way in for a bird checklist.
Little Talbot Island State Park is located near Jacksonville on one of the few remaining undeveloped barrier islands in Florida. The campground is nestled among ancient dunes in a lush maritime hammock of live oaks, American holly and Southern magnolias.
Our newly remodeled campground will have 20 campsites, including 20- and 30-amp electricity, fresh water, fire ring and picnic table. The campground includes two bathhouses with hot showers. Both restroom facilities are ADA accessible. A dump station is available at the campground exit for RV campers.
- Winding tidal creeks border the western edge of the campground where a canoe/kayak launch is available near a short dock into Myrtle Creek. Please note that Myrtle Creek is tidally dependent, and launching may be difficult at low tides when oyster beds are exposed. Bring your own equipment or visit PADL for daily boat rentals or guided tours.
- For children, there is a playground, a campfire circle for group use and the ¾-mile Nature Loop trail that offers self-guided Hike and Seek interpretive programs. Junior Ranger activity booklets are available at the ranger station, and kids can earn badges and pins for completing a variety of activities. Kids also can participate in the park trash patrol and help collect a bag of litter in exchange for a prize.
- Beyond the camping area, visitors find 5 miles of undeveloped coastal beaches, a 4-mile hiking trail, and a paved path perfect for bicycling and in-line skating.
- Well-behaved, attended and leashed pets are welcome in our campground, on the trails and paved areas. They are not allowed on the boardwalks or beaches.
- Maximum RV length = 30 feet.
- Hammocks – day use and camping styles – are allowed in designated sites if they are hung using 1-inch-wide (minimum) tree-hugger straps from trees 6 inches in diameter or larger.
- Reservations can be made up to 11 months in advance for Florida residents and 10 months in advance for non-residents. For reservations, visit the Florida State Parks reservations website or call 800-326-3521 or TDD 888-433-0287.
With over five miles of beach, Little Talbot is a surf fishing paradise. The list of species caught from this beach is long. Check with the ranger at the gate or strike up a conversation with one of the regulars; either should know what is biting and where. Pick up a copy of FWC’s Fishing Regulations Magazine at the ranger station to get the inside scoop on angling.
The coastal salt marsh on the back side of the island offers superb light tackle angling. From tailing redfish to bottom-hugging flounder, ambushing trout to hard-pulling black drum, you are sure to find something.
Bait fish like mud minnows and finger mullet may be caught using a cast net in the shallows. Shrimp, fiddler crabs and artificial lures are also popular options. The closest bait shop is 12 miles south off Heckscher Drive.
For a real experience, try a guided fly fishing or flounder gigging trip.
- Fishing is permitted in accordance with Florida state law. Please go to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to obtain the most current saltwater fishing regulations and to obtain a fishing license online.
- The park does not sell fishing licenses.
- All fishing within the park must conform to the regulations concerning size, number, method of capture and season.
Little Talbot offers the opportunity of sampling a complete cross-section of a coastal barrier island by foot.
The Campground Nature Trail is located at the southern edge of the campgroud close to the kayak launch and provides a comfortable 1-mile walk. Beginning next to the salt marshes of Myrtle Creek, it traverses the gentle hills of ancient dunes through the live oak maritime forest.
Stop to read about the local flora and fauna at interpretive signs. For kids, pick up the Hike and Seek adventure bag from the ranger station then search for hidden clues along the trail with your supplies. Campground is restricted to registered campers only. No day-visitor use.
The Dune Ridge Trail loop winds 4 miles through five distinct natural communities, including maritime hammock, beach dune and depression marsh, and finishes its last mile-and-a-half with a stroll on the sandy beach. Keep your eye out for colorful painted buntings from late spring to early fall that nest in the scrubby flatwoods.
- If you choose to hike the trails, always check in at the ranger station and remember your water, sunscreen and insect repellent. Sturdy shoes are recommended. Bring binoculars, a camera and a field guide to get the most out of your experience.

PADL is Talbot Island State Park's canoe and kayak visitor service provider located on AIA between Little Talbot and Big Talbot islands. PADL offers everything from basic rentals to special focus guided trips.
The facility provides local information including maps, safety information and possible routes. Inside the concession, you'll find a quaint gift shop that offers earth-friendly products including clothing made from organic cotton, hemp and bamboo; DEET free insect repellent; fair trade necklaces; natural handmade soaps; and healthy snacks and beverages.
- Canoe and kayak rentals are available, or if you have your own, there is access to a hand launch ramp for a $1 launch fee. Please check in before leaving.
Few modes of dining are as enjoyable as eating seaside and al fresco, enjoying the cool breezes off the Atlantic Ocean. Six large, covered beach-side pavilions are available for small groups of fewer than 12 people for under three-hour duration.
Pavilions 1 to 6 are located at the North Beach parking area. Several small mini-pavilions are available near the North Beach on a first-come, first-served basis.
Several small mini-pavilions are available near the North Beach on a first-come, first-served basis. All pavilions are conveniently located near parking areas, beach boardwalks and restroom facilities.
For more impromptu picnicking, pack a basket and blanket, and walk the trail or the shoreline to reach a perfect secluded picnic spot in paradise. Make sure to pack in and pack out all of your trash. Take only pictures and leave only footprints.
Shelling is a favorite pastime of many visitors, and the beaches of Little Talbot Island are a great place to find them. Collectors can find a multitude of species, including clam, scallop, oyster and periwinkle, as well as fossilized sharks teeth.
Plan your shelling around the low phase of the tide, which exposes the most beach area. Look in the shell line, where the highest waves stop as they come upon the beach and deposit groups of shells.
Please be aware that most everything you find on the beach was, is or still could be alive and should be returned to the water if an animal is using it. Pick up a shell and sharks teeth handout at the ranger station to help identify your beach treasures.
- Please remember that driftwood is a protected feature of the park and collection is strictly prohibited.
The north beach area of Little Talbot offers one of the best surfing beaches in Northeast Florida. While there are 5 miles of beach on Little Talbot Island, the northern section of the beach offers the best surf, with plenty of space to catch your own wave.
Please be aware of other swimmers and always use caution while enjoying the ocean. There are no lifeguards on duty.
Swimming is permitted in the Atlantic Ocean at Little Talbot Island except in the vicinity of the Fort George River Inlet at the south end of the island. Pay attention to closed-area signs south of boardwalk three, and enter water only through beach accesses one, two or three.
There is no further access to entering the water driving south of boardwalk three.
- Please pay close attention to conditions as the ocean always presents some degree of danger. The park displays a colored beach warning flag system at the park entrance that indicates general surf conditions. Swim at your own risk. No lifeguards are on duty.
- Restrooms with dressing rooms and outdoor showers are located at both the North and South beach parking areas.
Join our park rangers and volunteers for programs that will immerse you in the park.
We welcome school and scouting groups and offer educational programming for your next class outing.
- Contact the park for more information on upcoming programs, events, and projects or group tours at 904-251-2320.
The paved multi-use Timucuan Pathway is ideal for exercise, ranging 2.8 miles from the ranger station to the south end of the island. The forested middle section of the island where the trail begins is some of the oldest land here but as you travel south, the smaller dune hills and sparser vegetation are indicative of the recent growth of this area. Expanding south once the St. Johns River jetties were built in the late 1800s, the southern end of the island is newly accreted, or built up, within the past century. Pioneer dune plants like sea oats progress to more shrubby clumps of smilax, cactus and palm trees with a few pine and cedar trees establishing on the western side of the trail.
If you’re up for a longer jaunt, continue south another mile out of the park along the pathway to the Fort George Inlet Bridge and take in stunning views overlooking green sea and sand bars framed by the towering dunes of Jacksonville’s Huguenot Park beyond the bay. A new section of the pathway has been completed across the salt marsh through Long Island connecting Little Talbot and Big Talbot offering stunning views. With the completion of this section there is a continuous path from the St Johns River ferry through Ameila Island.
Check the tides and visit our 5.5-mile beach at low tide when vast hard-packed sand shores are exposed. Listen to shorebirds and sea gulls sing and enjoy the breezes off the Atlantic Ocean after parking at North Beach and accessing the middle of the island using of our boardwalks. North and south routes provide ample opportunity for exercise, solitude and scenery.
- Be sure to bring plenty of water, sunscreen and insect repellent.
Preserved as one of the last remaining untouched barrier islands in the area, the park's natural landscape provides a stunning wedding backdrop of windswept white sand beaches, cascading dunes, sparkling blue water, foraging shorebirds, live oak skeletons and amber seashell beds.
Opened in 1951, Little Talbot's beaches have hosted nuptials for decades.
- Park wedding permits are $50 plus regular park admission of $5 per vehicle for two to eight people or $4 for single person.
- Call the ranger station for details and availability, 904-251-2320.

Because Little Talbot is one of the few remaining undeveloped barrier islands, it provides many different natural habitats. These diverse habitats shelter a wealth of wildlife within the park.
Gopher tortoise and snakes can be seen throughout the park. Keep an eye out for raccoons, armadillos, opossums, white-tailed deer, marsh rabbits, and even bobcats, especially at dawn and dusk. The shoreline provides ample opportunity to view shorebirds, and the backside of the island is a haven for wading birds.
Follow the Little Talbot Dune Ridge Hiking Trail over a cross section of ecosystems, and you may be surprised at what you find!
Here are some additional tips to increase your wildlife viewing experience at the park:
- Wearing earth tones (khakis, browns, and/or earth greens) is best.
- Avoid wearing scented lotions or perfumes.
- Bring good binoculars. They are especially helpful for viewing shorebirds and wading birds from a long distance.
- Be patient. Wait quietly.
- Make sure to stay on the trails. Do not climb the dunes.
- Viewing them from a distance is the best way to experience wildlife in their natural habitat without disturbing them.
- Please do not feed or harass any wildlife at the park.
Amenities
Little Talbot Island State Park is committed to providing a variety of accessible amenities to all of its visitors. Those amenities include:
- Two beach wheelchairs.
- Six pavilions near beach with picnic tables and grills.
- Beach-side outdoor showers.
- Benches, information kiosks and interpretive panels.
- A wheelchair-friendly, 2.5-mile segment of the paved Timucuan Trail multiuse pathway with covered bike pavilion, benches and interpretive displays.
- UTAP trail information for the Dune Ridge, Campground Nature Loop and Timucuan trails.
- Campground playground. Campground is restricted to registered campers only. No day-visitor use.
- Campground canoe/kayak launch. Campground is restricted to registered campers only. No day-visitor use.
- Park office buildings.
- Two paved ADA accessible campsites.
Little Talbot Island State Park offers over 5 miles of beautiful beaches. With two parking areas and three boardwalks, access to the beach is easy.

Two bathhouses with changing stalls and outdoor showers are provided for your beach enjoyment. Shell and surf along undeveloped barrier island coastline. Check out the northern shoreline and its skeleton cedar and palm trees; sand, salt and sun-bleached trees that have eroded from the dune bluff.
Take in sweeping views of the Nassau Sound and an old shipwreck at the northern sand spit or watch the chop of the Fort George River inlet as it snakes between the south end of Little Talbot and Huguenot Park.
Remember to pay attention to ocean conditions at all times, as the ocean always presents some degree of danger. The park displays a colored beach warning flag system at the park entrance that indicates general surf conditions. Lifeguards are not on duty and swimming is at your own risk.
Swimming and wading is not allowed at the south end of the park, south of boardwalk three due to drop-offs and dangerous currents of the Fort George River inlet. Ask at the ranger station for a map and more details.
All beach shoreline within the park is open to bicyclists and pedestrians but not to motorized vehicles. Please walk bicycles on park boardwalks. Metal detecting is permitted east of the dune vegetation on the beach.
- Collection of driftwood is prohibited.
- Pets are not allowed on park beaches.
Visitors to coastal parks are reminded to pay close attention to the Warning Flag Signs posted at welcome stations and on the beaches. These flags indicate the swimming conditions at the beach:
- Double red flags mean absolutely no swimming because of high winds and undertow currents
- Yellow flag means swim with caution and stay close to shore
- Green flag means that the waters are safe
- Purple flag means that marine pests are present.
Little Talbot Island State Park is located near Jacksonville on one of the few remaining undeveloped barrier islands in Florida. The campground is nestled among ancient dunes in a lush maritime hammock of live oaks, American holly and Southern magnolias.
Each of the campsites has 20- and 30-amp electricity, fresh water, fire ring and picnic table. The campground includes two bathhouses with hot showers. Both restroom facilities and two paved sites are ADA accessible. A dump station is available at the campground exit for RV campers.
Winding tidal creeks border the western edge of the campground where a canoe/kayak launch is available along with a bait cleaning station and short dock into Myrtle Creek. Please note that Myrtle Creek is tidally dependent and launching may be difficult at low tides when oyster beds are exposed. Bring your own equipment or visit PADL, a quarter-mile north of the campground, for daily kayak rentals or guided tours.
For children, there is a playground and the 0.75-mile Nature Loop trail that offers self-guided Hike and Seek interpretive programs. Junior Ranger activity booklets are available at the ranger station, and kids can earn badges and pins for completing a variety of activities. Kids also can participate in the Park Trash Patrol and help collect a bag of litter in exchange for a prize.
Beyond the camping area, visitors find 5 miles of undeveloped coastal beaches, a 4-mile hiking trail, and a paved path perfect for bicycling and in-line skating.
- Well-behaved, attended and leashed pets are welcome in our campground, on the trails and paved areas. They are not allowed on the boardwalks or beaches.
- Maximum RV length = 30 feet.
- Hammocks – day use and camping styles – are allowed in designated sites if they are hung using 1-inch-wide (minimum) tree-hugger straps from trees 6 inches in diameter or larger. For a list of designated sites, please refer to our hammock camping map.
- Reservations can be made up to 11 months in advance for Florida residents and 10 months in advance for non-residents. For reservations, visit the Florida State Parks reservations website or call 800-326-3521 or TDD 888-433-0287.
For those bringing their own kayaks or canoes, the fees for using the hand-launch at PADL is $1 per person. PADL is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the year; however, it is closed on Wednesdays, December through February.
- For more information, contact PADL at 786-749-6730 or Little Talbot Island State Park at 904-251-2320.
The ranger station lobby holds a variety of taxidermy, including bobcats, raccoons, red foxes and brown pelicans. Shells, sharks teeth, sea turtle skulls and nature guides are available as well. Chat with the ranger on duty to learn more.
Interpretive ranger programs are offered at the Talbot Islands State Parks every Saturday. The topics and locations of programs vary. Programs include Florida sea turtles, astronomy, nature photography and more.
- Please call the ranger station of Little Talbot Island State Park at 904-251-2320 for program information.
- A self-guided interpretive program along Campground Nature Loop trail called the Hike and Seek is available for our campers. Please ask a ranger for details.
Onsite interpretive programs for groups are available by request. We will do our best to accommodate all requests. Due to staffing constraints, Fridays are typically the best day for us. Please contact the ranger station at 904-251-2320 or a park services specialist at 904-251-2811 to make a request.
Once you pass through the ranger station at the main entrance of the park, a large beachside parking lot provides direct access to boardwalks, to the shore and restroom facilities. The Main Beach parking lot is a quarter-mile south of the ranger station on Park Drive and is our most popular spot. From here you can access the beach and the Dune Ridge hiking trailhead. Boardwalk 3 is located just past the main parking area and is the most accessible for visitors with mobility limitations and has several small pavilions.
- Please ensure you secure a designated parking spot.
- Parking on the grass and vegetation is strictly prohibited.
Little Talbot has areas that are sensitive to potential pet disturbances, such as the park shoreline and beaches where endangered nesting and resting shorebirds or turtles can easily be disturbed. Signs in designated locations indicate where pets are not permitted.
Well-behaved pets are welcome on all nature trails, hiking trails, paved roads, parking lots, campground, pavilions and picnic areas. They must be kept on a 6-foot leash at all times and cannot be left unattended. Pets are not permitted in buildings, on boardwalks or on the beach.
- For more information, see the Pet Policy.
Six large, covered, beach-side pavilions are available in the picnic areas adjacent to the beach parking areas. They are shared use and non-reservable. Each has several picnic tables and two grills.
All pavilions are conveniently located near parking areas, beach boardwalks and restroom facilities.
Little Talbot Island State Park offers two fully accessible beachside bathhouse facilities for day visitors. Located between the north parking area and the beach, follow the boardwalks to either wooden building where women and men’s restrooms with running water, sinks, toilets and changing stalls are available.
Outdoor showers are conveniently located along the boardwalks.
The bathhouse on the northern side of the parking area also has a beverage vending machine. Open-air breezeways in the middle of the buildings offer water fountains, benches and informative kiosks.
Little Talbot Island State Park has several RV camping sites at the campground that can accommodate lengths of up to 30 feet. Sites have both 20- and 30-amp electricity, fresh water, a fire ring with a flip-down grill, picnic table and clothesline. A dump station is available at the campground exit. Images of each site can be seen on the reservation website when you book your stay.
The ranger station at the main entrance of Little Talbot Island State Park serves as an information hub for all seven parks.
The station is open from 8 a.m. to sunset during the summer months. Winter hours are 11 a.m. to sunset. Rangers are available to answer questions, provide trail maps and brochures and provide recommendations for local activities. We invite you to stop by and view the interpretive displays of local wildlife, get your park passport stamped, shop for a park souvenir or chat with staff.
- Call the ranger station for more details at 904-251-2320.
- If you are looking to hold your special event at Little Talbot Island State Park, talk with a ranger at 904-251-2811.