The Greater Jacksonville Paddling Guide focuses on the stretch of the St. Johns River that passes through downtown Jacksonville, as well as its many creeks and tributaries. This guide is the third in a series of companion pieces, following the Jacksonville Intracoastal Salt Marsh Paddling Guide, which focuses on the Intracoastal Waterway and associated waters from the St. Johns River south to the Duval County/St. Johns County line, and the Timucuan Trail Waterway Paddling Guide, which details the Intracoastal Waterway and associated waters from the St. Johns River north to the Nassau River.

We hope our guide and this website will encourage people to use and enjoy the natural resources of the area. The areas depicted on the map are accessible by both the experienced and novice paddler, and may be enjoyed for anywhere from an hour to a full day. The many parks highlighted in the guide can also be enjoyed on foot.

The map includes launch points, amenities available at the parks, GPS coordinates for the trail, and various points of interest along the St. Johns River. Some of the areas have strong currents and/or heavy boat traffic, so be careful! Watch the tides carefully, as some of the waterways leading to launch points become dry during low tides, and paddlers may become stranded until the tide comes in again. (See link to tides on this website, and note the caution areas on map.)

The creation of the Greater Jacksonville Paddling Guide was made possible through a grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Coastal Management Program, and the generous assistance of our supporting partner and friends. Many thanks go out to our Partner – The City of Jacksonville. Without their support in the form of documents, equipment, knowledge and financial assistance, this project would not have been nearly as successful. And we are much obliged to the Durbin Creek Wilderness Society, whose experts Eric Bersinger and Chris Naff led our groundtruthing efforts and provided much of the historical and cultural information that brings life to the paddling guide.

Thank you as well to these friends who helped in the following ways: Patti Cross with Tom Cross, Inc., for creating this masterpiece of a guide; Steve Carey with Ocean Web Design, for designing and hosting this website; Mick Shea, Craig O'Neal and Eric Bersinger for donating numerous stunning photographs. All photographs and illustrations are owned and copyrighted by the artists. These photographs and illustrations may not be used without the express permission of the artists.