Two State Parks · One Island

State Parks of Amelia Island

Amelia Island is bracketed by two Florida State Parks — one anchoring the north end with a 19th-century brick fortress, miles of preserved oak canopy, and beachfront camping; the other defining the south end with sweeping dunes, the only beach in Florida where you can horseback ride on the shore, and one of the East Coast's longest fishing piers.

Wild Coast, Preserved

The North End and the South End

Between Fort Clinch on the north end and Amelia Island State Park on the south, more than 1,600 acres of beach, dune, marsh, and maritime hammock have been preserved as protected public land. For residents and visitors alike, these two parks are the reason Amelia Island doesn't feel like the rest of Florida's developed coastline — and why deer, raccoons, shorebirds, dolphins, and migrating sea turtles are part of everyday island life.

North End · 1,400+ Acres

Fort Clinch State Park

Civil War Fort · Camping · Beach · Trails · Wildlife

Crowning the northernmost tip of Amelia Island where the Atlantic meets the Cumberland Sound, Fort Clinch State Park is one of Florida's most diverse and historically significant coastal parks. At its heart is the historic brick fortress — construction began in 1847, the fort was occupied by both Confederate and Union forces during the Civil War, and it remains one of the best-preserved 19th-century forts in the Southeast. Regular living-history demonstrations bring the era back to life.

Beyond the fort, the park offers two campgrounds in completely different settings — one along the Amelia River tucked into a shaded oak hammock, and one directly on the Atlantic beach. Both are among the most desirable state park camping reservations in Florida.

Hiking, trail running, and mountain biking trails wind through ancient live oak canopy, with sweeping marsh views from the riverside boardwalks and observation points. Wildlife sightings are everyday — white-tailed deer, raccoons, marsh rabbits, and shorebirds at every turn. And on the Atlantic side, oceanfront shore fishing brings anglers in for redfish, whiting, pompano, and trout right off the beach.

Acreage1,400+

Historic FortBuilt 1847

CampgroundsAtlantic · River

Sites Total62 RV / Tent

TrailsHiking · MTB · Running

Beach AccessAtlantic Oceanfront

The Fort · 1847

19th-Century Brickwork

The Fort Gates

A Coastal Preserve

🏰

Historic Fort

19th-century brick fortress with living history

⛺

Camping

Sites on the river and on the Atlantic beach

🚴

Trails

Hiking, trail running, mountain biking

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Marsh Views

Sweeping vistas of the Amelia River salt marsh

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Wildlife

Deer, raccoons, rabbits, shorebirds

🎣

Shore Fishing

Oceanfront surf casting — redfish, whiting, trout

South End · 200+ Acres

Amelia Island State Park

Horseback on the Beach · Shoreline Fishing

Defining the southern tip of Amelia Island, this 200-acre coastal preserve protects some of the last truly undeveloped shoreline on Florida's Atlantic coast — and offers two of the most distinctive outdoor experiences anywhere in the state.

Horseback Riding on the Beach. Amelia Island State Park is the only state park in Florida where you can ride a horse on the beach. Guided rides leave through shaded maritime hammock — past ancient live oaks, palmettos, and the occasional armadillo — before climbing the dunes and emerging onto open Atlantic sand. Outfitters like Kelly Seahorse Ranch run rides multiple times daily, and it remains one of the most bucket-list-worthy experiences on the East Coast.

Great Shoreline Fishing. The park's beach and adjacent George Crady Bridge Fishing Pier together make this one of the most productive shoreline fishing spots in the region. Surf casters work the beach for redfish, whiting, pompano, and trout. Anglers on the pier pull in flounder, sheepshead, and seasonal runs of mackerel. Both are accessible to anyone with a pole and a license — no boat required.

Acreage200+

Horseback RidingOnly FL state park

OutfitterKelly Seahorse Ranch

Shoreline FishingSurf · Pier

BeachUnspoiled Atlantic

WildlifeShorebirds · Dolphins