JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville just got one more beautiful place to spend the weekend -- or any day -- thanks to a lot of hard work by the members of the North Florida Land Trust.
The Trust worked for years to obtain the 75-acre Bogey Creek Preserve and finally was able to acquire the property with donations from the community in 2017.
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Since then, the nonprofit organization has been working hard to turn the gorgeous land into a public park, complete with walking trails and a picnic area.
The park off Cedar Point Road in North Jacksonville will open Saturday with a ceremony to mark the occasion.
“This is an exciting time as we are finally seeing years of hard work pay off with the opening of our first public park,” said Jim McCarthy, president of NFLT. “North Florida Land Trust began this journey back in 2006 with the purchase of the first piece of land from the Spencer family and we worked through the years to acquire the remaining property. We are now thrilled to be able to share this beautiful preserve with the public and to provide a natural space that can be enjoyed through future generations.”
The scenic preserve, which neighbors Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park and the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, consists of a mix of maritime hammock forest, seep-fed cypress swamps and mixed pine-oak forest. The preserve protects nearly 1 mile of critical marsh front on Clapboard and Bogey creeks.
Starting Saturday, the park will be open to the public seven days a week from sunrise to sunset.
To celebrate the opening on Saturday, several events are planned.
From 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday, guides will be leading a birdwatching trip through the preserve. Nature yoga and a hike will take place from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. A naturalist tour will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., guests can participate in a botany hike.
The events are free and open to the public, but space is limited. Guests must register at nflt.org/calendarofevents or email Stewardship Manager Emily Dunn at edunn@nflt.org.
Parking for Bogey Creek Preserve is located at 6141 Cedar Point Road, Jacksonville, FL, 32226.