There’s no better way to spend a lazy afternoon on a glorious spring day, than visiting Fort Clinch State Park on Amelia Island. This wonderful nature preserve of over 1,100 acres is a must-see attraction for anyone visiting Amelia Island. Whether you enjoy hiking in the woods (there’s six miles of off-road trails for hiking), bird watching, bike riding, fishing, relaxing on the beach, picnicking, camping, or learning about history with a tour of the brick fortress itself, visitors to Amelia Island need to put Fort Clinch on their itinerary. The expansive waterfront vistas are second to none on Amelia Island. The beachfront is as good as it gets on the island.
I am somewhat bewildered when I spend time at Fort Clinch, wondering why I don’t frequent the park more often. The scenery is fantastic, the waterfront views, the massive dunes, the maritime forest, and the antiquated, historic fort itself. It’s so peaceful there, you feel close to nature in the surroundings of the park.
Even though I reside in such a place as Amelia Island, a barrier island full of attributes, life’s everyday tasks often takeover, and us “locals” often don’t spend enough time enjoying our home town and its assets. I’ll say it myself (and I’ve heard it from other “locals”) -- we live at the beach but don’t get there nearly enough, considering it’s literally steps away. Tourists visiting for a week or two may actually enjoy better “quality time” on our island, than some of us “locals” do, it appears.
I took some time with my family on a lazy Sunday afternoon in late April, to visit Fort Clinch State Park. My husband’s goal was to catch some Flounder, since word was that they’ve been catching them off the Fort Clinch shoreline. Much to my husband’s delight, he cast his line off the old boat ramp at Fort Clinch and reeled in a nice Flounder in the first five minutes. But that was it -- those Flounder got wise and none were to be caught for the rest of the afternoon. But we did enjoy a taste of fresh flounder fillets for dinner. Thus, our $5 fee to enter Fort Clinch was already well worth the trip in a matter of minutes.
This April day rated 10 out of 10, with mild temps in the mid-70s, bright sunshine, light sea breezes and no bugs (mosquitoes, at times, can be an annoyance at Fort Clinch). It’s always good to be prepared when you visit, especially if you’ll be hiking in the woods, and bring some bug repellent.
There were others at Fort Clinch on the Cumberland Sound side (facing Cumberland Island), also trying to catch some dinner, without much luck, it appeared. There were a few folks in boats anchored just off shore, plus a handful fishing from the Fort Clinch shoreline. While Fort Clinch also offers a half-mile-long fishing pier, we were not on that side of the park – it is a vast state park with roughly 8,400 feet of shoreline and about 1,153 acres of maritime hammock, moss-draped live oaks, and coastal grasses. From the park’s entrance at Atlantic Avenue, it’s about a 3-mile drive through shady, wild tree canopy to reach the brick fortress, Fort Clinch, perched at the island’s northern tip on the Cumberland Sound. There’s plenty of parking, public restrooms, wooden dune walkovers to the beach, and picnic areas with picnic tables and barbeques.
THE BRICK FORTRESS
The fort itself was built in 1847 at the mouth of the St. Mary’s River for protection of Fernandina Harbor’s deepwater port. Fort Clinch was a military post during the Civil War, Spanish-American War, and World War II. The fort is a third system fortification, and can be toured daily.
CUMBERLAND ISLAND, GEORGIA
Cumberland Island, Georgia is just across the Cumberland Sound from Fort Clinch State Park, Florida. A gem of Georgia, Cumberland Island is a National Seashore, most of the island preserved as it was centuries ago, and another "must-see" attraction for visitors to the area who love nature and serenity. You can catch a ferry from St. Mary's, Georgia to visit Cumberland Island, with daily visitors limited to about 300 per day. Learn more about Cumberland Island by reading Amelia Island Living's article, "Is Tranquility the Tonic You Seek? The Awe of Cumberland Island...".
WILD AMELIA NATURE FESTIVAL
It’s worthy to note that Amelia Island will be hosting its first annual “Wild Amelia Nature Festival,” in May 2007, with many activities taking place at Fort Clinch State Park. Experience local nature and learn about our local “bioregion.” Take eco-tours, participate in seminars and workshops, and explore local nature and the history of the Amelia Island area. The Wild Amelia Nature Festival will be held May 18 to 20th, 2007.
The opening event of the Wild Amelia Festival is in the evening at Fort Clinch on Friday, May 18, 2007. Take a blanket, lawn chair and picnic basket to the park for an evening of music and star gazing with friends and family. Listen to folk band music by Lauren Fincham and when the sky’s dark, enjoy the stars with local astronomer Link Cooper, who will present “Star Talk. ” The event starts at 6pm and runs until 10pm. Registration is required, with entry fee of $5/person with children under 6 free.
A Fort Clinch “Owl Prowl” will be held Saturday evening, May 19, 2007 from 7-9 PM led by Carole Adams. Described as being “a hoot,” participants will take a short walk in the darkness (no flashlights, please), and learn about the night eyes of owls. Registration required, the fee is $20, maximum participants is 20.
Some of the workshops to be held at Fort Clinch during the Wild Amelia Nature Festival include:
-- Exploring and Preserving Amelia Island's Wild Spaces
-- Sea Turtles and Amelia Island
-- The Art of local Barrier Islands and Rivers
-- Florida Public Archaeology Network
-- Migratory Patterns along the Atlantic Flyway
For further Wild Amelia Nature Festival information, visit the festival’s official website at www.WildAmelia.com.
CAMPING AT FORT CLINCH STATE PARK, AMELIA ISLAND
Fort Clinch State Park also offers a campground. The park has built a brand new bathhouse facility, currently sparkling clean with showers, two washers and two dryers for laundry, soda machines and a pay phone. Both RV camping and tent camping is available at Fort Clinch. Note -- the park is popular for camping and reservations should be booked well in advance of your trip. People can check availability and book camping at Fort Clinch online through www.ReserveAmerica.com.
If you need a hotel room for your visit to Amelia, enter the lodging guide below to book reservations online at some of Amelia's most popular hotels -- the Ritz Carlton, Amelia Island Plantation, the Comfort Inn & Suites, and Best Western.
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About
the author -- W. B. Lawson has lived on Amelia Island fourteen years,
and writes tourism, lifestyle, and real estate articles. Send eMail to contact@ameliaislandliving.com.