The Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens is Jacksonville’s best-kept secret! Seven easy to navigate trails surround a beautiful lake and wind through this 120-acre urban park. Believe it or not, the Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens is located in Arlington near the Regency Square Mall. It’s hard to imagine this tranquil space is located so close to the bustling Atlantic Boulevard and the surrounding shopping malls!
We have been visiting the Jacksonville Arboretum for years now. In fact, it’s one of our favorite places to spend time with our dogs, Lady Belle and Parker. Now that we have adopted our three little ones, we are excited to be able to share this park with them as well! It’s a great place to get in touch with nature and to take a quiet stroll.
The Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens features three miles worth of trails that surround a beautiful lake filled with turtles and alligators. There are hundreds of signs along the trails that identify many of the plants that make up this gorgeous park.
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What is an arboretum?
An arboretum is a specialized botanical garden that features trees and other woody plants but may also include other kinds of plants. They are a place where many varieties of trees are grown for research, educational, and ornamental purposes.
What is there to do at the Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens?
This is the perfect place to hang out with your pups! They are sure to love all of the gorgeous trails! Aside from taking a stroll, this is a great place to enjoy a picnic. Many local artists also flock here to paint the stunning landscape. You may even be able to spot some of their works of art (sculptures and even paintings) along some of the trails.
Hiking Trails at the Jacksonville Arboretum
The Jacksonville Arboretum has 7 main trails. Admittedly, the trails aren’t very well marked and it is easy to jump from one trail to another without realizing it (especially in the Aralia Trail, Upper Ravine Trail, Lower Ravine Trail area of the park. Fortunately, the trails aren’t very lengthy so it’s easy to make your way out of the woods and back to the Lake Loop.
Lake Loop Trail- This is the easiest tail in the park. It is 0.3 miles long and encircles Lake Ray. The paved Lake Loop connects to several other trailheads.
Sand Ride Trail- This one-mile winding dirt trail crosses over several different habitats including a rosemary/oak scrub, and marshland. The trail connects to the Live Oak Trail via a boardwalk that traverses a small stream.
Aralia Trail- Theis trail offers a view of the tranquil Jones Creek and several large Aralia spinosa (Devil’s Walking Stick) trees. There are some grade changes that makes this trail a little more difficult than some of the others. The trail lies just south of the Upper Ravines Trail and the trailhead is located near the Mormon Bridge. The Cascade Loop and Sugarberry Trail also branch off the Aralia Trail.
Live Oak Trail- This moderate trail is 0.5-miles long and his home to the National Champion Loblolly Bay (a white flowering tree) and several live oaks that are more than a hundred years old. This trail is exceptionally beautiful in the spring when the azaleas are in bloom and the blueberries are abundant.
Jones Creek Trail- This is one of our most favorite trails at the Jacksonville Arboretum. It has many grade changes and follows Jones Creek. The water in Jones Creek is a freshwater creek that flows north into the St. Johns River. We do not swim in the creek, but we can’t seem to keep our dogs out of it when we visit! This trail is not stroller friendly due to the sand.
Upper and Lower Ravine Trails- The Lower Ravine Trail winds alongside the outside edge of a man-made island at the bottom of the ravine. The trail is only 800 feet and is prone to poison ivy. The Upper Ravine Trail branches off the Jones Creek Trail and connects to the Aralia Trail, and Lake Loop Trail.
When is the arboretum open?
Monday-Thursday 8 AM to 7 PM
Friday – Sunday 8 AM to 5 PM
The entry gates are locked promptly at closing so plan your visit so that you exit the Jacksonville Arboretum prior to closing. Trust me, you do not want to be at the park when it’s closing. We went there one evening and the ranger laid on the horn of his car until we exited the trails.
Our Thoughts on the Jacksonville Aroboretum
We absolutely love visiting the Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens. It is a great little place to escape the craziness of our day to day lives. We love taking the dogs and the kids to the park to enjoy the trails year-round.
The Jacksonville Arboretum is a popular spot for hiding painted rocks. If you plan on hiding a rock, make sure you do it on the Lake Loop Trails only. The park’s trails are short and easy to navigate. Our favorites are the Lake Loop Trail, the Jones Creek Trail, and the Upper and Lower Ravine Trails.
The park has plenty of picnic spots tucked away in the shade if you’d like to enjoy a picnic there. The volunteers who work at the park have done an amazing job transforming it into an incredible greenspace.
Our Jacksonville Arboretum Essentials
Dazzling Nights
In 2021, the Jacksonville Arboretum launched a brand new fundraiser event called Dazzling Nights. During the holiday season, the park turns into a Winter Wonderland complete with dazzling light displays, an impressive laser display (in the forest, no less!), Christmas jingles, an awesome interactive path, and SNOW!
When the cost of tickets was released, there were several remarks about how costly the event is. It’s important to note that this event serves as the arboretum’s annual fundraiser. The money raised from the event will go towards keeping the Jacksonville Arboretum beautiful all year long.
We are excited to see what this event evolves into and we can’t wait to check it out again next year!
Click to learn more about Dazzling Nights at the Jacksonville Arboretum.
Where is the Jacksonville Arboretum Located?
The Jacksonville Arboretum is centrally located in the heart of Jacksonville, Florida wedged in between downtown and the beaches. It is easily accessible from the 295 beltway via the Monument Rd exit. The physical address is 1445 Millcoe Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32225.
Nearby
If you’re looking for more things to do in the area, the Jacksonville Arboretum & Garden is very close to Ft. Caroline and the Ribault Monument. The Fort Caroline National Memorial is a replica of the structure that was once inhabited by the French Huguenots during the 16th century. The Ribault Monument commemorates the landing of Jean Ribault in 1562.
The Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens is also only 11 miles away.
We also suggest spending some time at the nearby Castaway Island Preserve or Tree Hill Nature Center. Both spots have kid-friendly hiking trails with beautiful views. The Ed Austin Region Park, offers sports fields, a paved loop trail, playgrounds, and a dog park.
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