Dutton Island Preserve

An Island you can drive to from Mayport Rd– A great way to experience the preserve is to park at the first part of the preserve outside the gate. Once there, you can walk past the gate and down a long road (great exercise!) and then across the bridge to the little island. The Trails will take you to several docks with panoramic views of the inter-​coastal waterways. These are spectacular vantage points to see up close and far away. My favorite part of the experience is the ever changing look of the inter-​coastal depending of the tides. The trails are good for walking and biking. There are also launching areas for small boats, canoes and kayaks. This is an opportunity for catching several different kinds of fish… trout and red, I believe. But also, there are Bottle nose Dolphin and manatees to the be spotted, if you are lucky… Once a year, tiny black crabs are in abundance. they are the size of large insects and run out in the road and scatter as you approach them. They are fierce little creatures that salute you with one claw in the air until you are upon them… then they are off to the puddles of water and into the thousands of small holes that house them… I am quite fond of the many raccoons that are unfortunately too tame and have become little beggars. They will not come very close but will stand on their hind legs waiting for handouts. There is a plaque marking the boundaries of what used to be the Dutton Island plantation. Camping areas are scattered throughout with one bathroom facility at the beginning of your hike. There is also ample parking available and seldom crowds to distract from the nature. A real almost secret gem!