RT Fort Caroline National Memorial

Preserved colonial-era heritage site featuring archaeological remains, interpretive exhibits, and scenic riverfront landscapes commemorating one of North America's earliest French settlements.

General Information

Hours:

Daily: 9am to 5pm
Closed Thanksgiving, December 25, and January 1

Fees:

Free admission

Pet Policy:

Pets are allowed on trails and outdoor grounds when leashed; pets are not permitted inside buildings

Closest cities with hotels:

Jacksonville, Florida (approximately 10 mi)

Seasons:

Fall through spring offers the most comfortable temperatures, though the site is open year-round

Location:

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How to Get There

From Jacksonville (10 mi): Take FL-10A E and local roads toward the Timucuan Preserve area, follow Fort Caroline Road north, and continue to 12713 Fort Caroline Road at the entrance to Fort Caroline National Memorial.

Overview

Fort Caroline National Memorial, part of the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve near Jacksonville, commemorates the short-lived French Huguenot colony founded near the St. Johns River in 1564 by René Goulaine de Laudonnière, one of the earliest European attempts to colonize what is now the United States. Spanish forces from St. Augustine destroyed it in 1565. Walking trails cross maritime forest and salt marsh like that the settlers and the Timucua people knew, and exhibits explore contact between Indigenous people and the French.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles and official National Park Service pages for Fort Caroline National Memorial, released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.