Boneyard Beach
Visit a secluded beach, full of driftwood trees
What
Boneyard Beach is a secluded, natural beach that is three miles long, and full of trees that have fallen on to the beach, and into the water. Storms and changing currents and tides all erode away at the cliffs on the island, washing away the sand under the trees’ roots, causing them to fall. Over time, as the contour of the land keeps changing, more trees may get washed away and crash on to the beach.
Where is it?
Boneyard Beach is located in Big Talbot Island State Park, just north of Jacksonville, Fl. The beach is actually on Nassau Sound, a part of the Nassau River, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The area is still very natural and beautiful, since it has been preserved and protected as part of the larger federally protected area of the Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve.
If You Go:
Unless you arrive by boat, you will need to park your car or bicycle in the day-use area in the state park. The cost is $3.00, and that area is cashless, so be prepared to pay with your phone. There are nice picnic tables nearby, and portable toilets. Even though you can look down from the bluff there and see some of the beach and downed trees, you cannot get to the beach from there. The beach access is by way of a trail from the parking lot, and is about a 10 minute hike. Be prepared to hike with whatever you need for your trip down to the beach.
Another thing to consider is the tides. Since the beach is eroding away, the water comes up high and right up to the bluffs. Best time to visit is during low tide. If you stay on the beach too long and the tide comes in, and you’ve walk down the beach away from the trail, you may have to climb on top of a driftwood tree and wait it out…
Check the tides here, before you visit:
https://www.tidetime.org/north-america/united-states/amelia-island.htm
The wind and water and weather have created beautiful pieces of driftwood, over time. You can look, and admire, and touch, and climb on, and take pics, but do not remove any.
Other things to do:
You could spend a day or two in that area. Here are a few of my suggestions of things to do and nearby places to visit:
Swim, sunbathe, fish, shell, and have a picnic
Hike the Blackrock or Big Pine Trails
Rent a kayak https://kayakamelia.com/
Bike, skate or walk https://www.floridastateparks.org/learn/bike-timucuan-trail
Visit the Fort George Island Cultural State Park https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/fort-george-island-cultural-state-park
Take a step back in time, and visit a former plantation https://www.nps.gov/timu/learn/historyculture/kp_visiting.htm
I spent the night in Fernandina Beach, just to the north of Boneyard Beach. Plenty of nice lodging choices, from small bed and breakfast places, to the swanky Ritz Carlton, Amelia Island.
Visit Florida’s oldest lighthouse, the Amelia Island Lighthouse (only on Saturday) https://www.fbfl.us/1097/Amelia-Island-Lighthouse
Live the Wayfarer Life! What’s your next adventure?