Mike Pickering's Website

John P. Hall Nature Preserve

Note: this is also called the Bayard Conservation Area.

GPS files

• Aerial map of hike
• Topo map of hike
• Track file in gpspoint format
• Track file in gpstrans format
• Waypoint file in gpspoint format
• Waypoint file in gpstrans format
  • CAR is the parking area
  • OBS is the observation tower
  • XING is the crossing where the picnic tables and bathroom are

This hike would have been more enjoyable had I done more preparation, but it was a spur-of-the-moment decision. I had planned to hike in Jennings State Forest, but came here when I learned it was turkey hunting season there.

I normally scan and OCR the relevant portion of 50 Hikes in North Florida so I can carry them with me on my eBookMan, but since this was a last-minute decision, I quickly read the hike description, and left. The book showed it as a long, straight path southward, followed by a loop, and I figured I could make it OK, especially since I got a map at the kiosk.

Boy, was I wrong. The book said to follow the blue trail, which was not marked on the map at all. After walking a short way down the jeep road, I finally saw the blue trail, but it was tough going. It looked like it had been torn up by machinery. It went alongside the edge a golf course for a while, and finally started heading southeast.

I knew all the points of interest were southeast, so when the blue trail vanished, I kept striving to go southeast wherever possible. I finally ended up on the Legacy Trail (I didn't know it was called that until I reached the end), and many portions of it were swamped. I finally ended up walking through the woods for a while, parallel with the trail. I finally found the picnic tables, bathroom, and another kiosk (marked XING in the waypoints). The kiosk had another map, and there were some smaller loop trails, including the Cougar Trail, which I walked.

Coming back to the kiosk, I decided I didn't want to wander any farther south, and thought I'd try to get out to the river. I headed north again, and thought I'd be able to take a trail eastward to the river. I ran into a dead end, and went up an unmarked trail to finally find the observation tower (OBS). This was neat, but there wasn't a whole lot to observe besides the pine trees and the enormous treeless area that's visible on the aerial photo.

Starting north again, I tried a few other eastward ventures before finally making my way to Eagle Point. It was worth the trouble. Cypress trees and knees everywhere, and I noticed a sandbar in the river. I probably could have walked farther south, if I'd had time, but ended up returning at this point.

There is another outlet to the river, farther south than Eagle Point. This would be an interesting hike to do again, when I had more 50 Hikes information.