OUTdoorsy: Jacksonville LGBT Outdoors Adventure Team

If you don't have a bike, there is an option for rentals at Hanna Park through Adventure Kayak Florida.

(Just be sure you reserve for the correct date/time!)

Click here for more information or call 904-252-7024 regarding Adventure Kayak Florida.

If there are members who have additional bikes to lend, please engage/chat with others to help each other out!

Please note, many of the trails are deemed "difficult" due to tree roots and the elevation of the trails as these are non-paved trails. Helmets and/or protective gear are required, per the park's website.

We will meet at the trailhead parking just as you enter the park (first parking area you will see when entering on the left). Trails and Map

We suggest bringing plenty of water, a snack and bug spray.

If there is interest, we will go to a local restaurant for lunch afterward.

Fees:

• Park entry - Ticket required for early bird entry 6 am - 8 am (early bird tickets may be purchased in sets of $50)
• Active duty military and veterans half off admission with military ID or DD214 ID
• $3 per pedestrian and bicyclist 8 am to close
• $5 per car (up to six people) 8 am to close
• Bus entry fee - $46.73 plus tax
• Annual pass fee - $92.52 plus tax. Annual passes can be purchased online via the online reservation system

NOTES: Entry fees can now be paid by cash, credit card or debit card. No military discounts on annual pass purchase or facility rentals - for more information, please contact jaxparks@coj.net.

Located just outside of nearby Keystone Heights, Florida, Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park has many miles of beautiful hiking trails. The park is hidden away within the rolling, piney sandhills of north central Florida and contains an extensive ravine system created by the Gold Head Branch stream. Clear, cold stream water flows from a headspring near the descent and meanders through the seepage slope ecosystem, eventually reaching Big Lake Johnson.

Several hiking trails pass through and above the ravine system, providing an intimate view of this unique Florida feature. We will be hiking the 3.2 mile Ridge Trail to Loblolly Loop trail, with a 167 foot elevation gain. The trail traverses the upper ridge of the ravine, passing at times only feet from the slope, making one feel as if they are on a mountain trail. Within the ravine, an entirely different ecosystem seems to exist, one characterized by shade-tolerant plants and animals hiding from the heat of the sun apparent atop the ridge. This lush hardwood forest attracts lizards, snakes and deer but most noticeably is a haven for many birds, including migrating warblers, thrushes and bright cardinals that flit about in the brush.

The entire hike can be done in just over an hour but we’re going to take our time as we explore the different topographies and the natural beauty of the park. The drastic habitat change from ravine system to the open sandhill and then prairie and provides for a unique hiking experience. I can honestly say this might be the most beautiful park I’ve seen in northeast Florida.

And the OUTdoorsy group is going there at 9:00 AM on Saturday, January 25, 2025.

For additional information on the park, it’s history and geology, visit the official Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park website. Further information can be found at Clay County Parks and TripAdvisor Gold Head Branch State Park.

AllTrails map of the Ridge Trail to Loblolly Loop.

Here is short 1.75 minute video of Gold Head Branch State Park.

Here is an 11 minute video of the Ridge Trail to Loblolly Loop.

PLEASE READ:

1. Meeting location: Mike Roess Gold Head State Park at 9:00 AM, Saturday January 25, 2025.
2. Driving directions to the park entrance: 6239 State Road 2, Keystone Heights FL 32656. It's about an hour drive southwest of Jacksonville.
3. Entrance Fees: $5 per vehicle (2 to 8 people), $4 for a single occupant vehicle. Unless you have a Florida State Park Pass.
4. After you enter the park, drive about 3/4 of a mile to the Ravine Stairway parking area where we will meet. This parking area will be on the left side of the road and you can’t miss it, it will be the first parking area you see as you drive into the park. The stairway down to the ravine consists of 81 moderate steps. We will be climbing back up the stairway at the end of the hike.
5. Facilities: restrooms are located at various locations throughout the park but there are none at the Ravine Stairway trail head.
6. Pets: well-behaved dogs are welcome at Mike Roess Gold Head State Park. They must be kept on a 6-foot leash at all times.
7. Bring sturdy shoes, bug spray, sun screen, plenty of water, trail snacks, camera and/or mobile phone.
8. You may want to bring a spare pair of socks and shoes as part of the trail is sometimes partially flooded, just in case.
9. Dining: the park has picnic facilities with tables and grills. You may bring a picnic lunch or we may decide to meet up at restaurant in nearby Keystone Heights afterwards.
10. Carpooling: If you’d like to carpool, and there is sufficient interest, we could designate a carpooling meet up site. Please indicate in the comments if you’re interested in sharing a ride.

Check out the map and brochure for more information.

This is an easy trail for all to enjoy!

We will begin at 1800 Imeson Road and travel to the town of Baldwin and back. In all, we will bike approximately 30 miles. Bring plenty of water, a snack and protective gear, if available.
BYOB: Bring Your Own Bike

If there is interest, we can enjoy lunch afterward.

Here are a few bicycle rental locations around the area:

• Bicycle, Seats & Wheel Rentals - Bicycles Etc. Jacksonville Florida
• East Coast Sport Rentals -Bicycle Rental Service in Jacksonville Beach , FL , 32250
• Bike Rentals - Open Road Bicycles | Florida