One of Florida’s top attributes is its wealth of outdoor recreational offerings and the tens of thousands of stunning acreage on which to enjoy them.
Its resident amenities are legendary and rightfully so. But Nocatee also is home to the Nocatee Preserve, an outdoorsy jewel that totals 2,400 acres. It’s nestled between Nocatee’s eastern boundary and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway — basically in your back yard if you own a new custom Florida home in a Nocatee neighborhood where ICI Homes is a preferred builder.
Here’s how to explore the Nocatee Preserve
The particulars
The Nocatee Preserve is an elongated tract that runs from Davis Park to the north, south to Nocatee Landing, forming an undeveloped barrier between Nocatee and the Tolomato River (which doubles as the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway). It was donated to St. Johns County by Nocatee’s developer, the PARC Group, in 2006.
Its unpaved trails attract hikers, mountain bikers, runners, walkers and equestrians, but there’s plenty of room for all to roam some of northeast Florida’s protected natural beauty.
The Nocatee Preserve trailhead and main entrance is located at 501 Davis Park Road, at the southern end of Davis Park, another St. Johns County facility. Here, trail users will find parking for vehicles and horse trailers, plus restrooms.
Exploring the Nocatee Preserve
Its terrain showcases both uplands and wetlands, offering pristine vistas of coastal forests and grasslands, with water never far away.
The wide main trail runs for 3.5 miles to the Nocatee Landing Trail, which hooks east to Nocatee Landing, a conservation area that offers non-motorized personal watercraft access to the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.
The Nocatee Preserve is splendid for bird watching and wildlife viewing. You’ll discover all sorts of critters — birds, snakes, alligators, otters, crabs and many others — but enjoy them with a safety-first approach while keeping your distance.
The Bike Skills Area offers mountain bikers an opportunity to show their stuff. From the trailhead, it’s located at the one-mile marker of the Nocatee Preserve’s main trail. Several trails fork off from there and are embedded with wooden tracks that climb, curve and twist in varying elevations and degrees of difficulty along the way. These features challenge a cyclist’s handling and riding skills, and are geared to various skill levels.
Some helpful tips
We mentioned one above — give Nocatee Preserve wildlife a wide berth.
Another tip is to dress for outdoor pursuits with sturdy hiking boots or running shoes, and a third is to carry water, sunscreen and bug repellent. A shady hat and/or bike helmet is always a good idea!
Combine the Sunshine State’s temperate year-round climate with a passion for outdoor exploits, and you’ll be right at home in your search for a new custom Florida home.
Ready for your Nocatee lifestyle? Talk to ICI Homes here.