Fort Caroline National Memorial
The trailhead for the Spanish Pond Path is right inside of the gates and can be used from sunrise to sunset. The Theodore Roosevelt Area hiking trails are also open during the same time period. This is part of the Timucuan Preserve.
Fort Caroline National Memorial marks the first French settlement in what is now the United States’ general location. The exact location is no longer known to 100% certainty, which explains the reason why the park has been designated as a “Memorial” and not as a “Historical website.” From the 450 years since the settlement has been launched (June, 1564), man and nature have eroded and reshaped the property along with the Fort Caroline coastline. The fort is currently considered to be somewhere at the bottom of the St. Johns River. French existence was short lived, for only a year after arriving in Florida that the fort had been sacked and nearly all settlers were massacred by the Spanish headquartered in St. Augustine.
An adjoining parcel of land known as the Theodore Roosevelt Area was acquired by the National Park Service for the Timucuan Preserve at 1990. It was given to the Nature Conservancy in 1969 by Willie Brown. Two hiking trails can be found within this region and the Spanish Pond Trail connects the two parks together.
The grounds of Fort Caroline National Memorial are available from 9 AM to 5 PM Daily except for Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s Day. The entry gate is locked after hours, so be sure to get your car from the parking lot prior to closing time.
The Ribault Monument is located down the street and is available from 9 AM.
OPERATING HOURS
Even though Fort Caroline National Memorial is its own entity, it now lies within the boundaries of this Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve, that was created in 1988 and is a part of the National Park system. Most people, including the National Park Service employees, make no distinction between both. The National Memorial opened in 1953 and includes the reproduction exhibit of the Spanish Pond, the Hammock Trail, Fort Caroline, and the property on.