Located on the westside of Jacksonville on U.S. 17, Roosevelt Blvd., across from the Naval Air Station Jacksonville is Tillie K. Fowler Regional Park. This park features several hiking trails, biking trails, dog park, picnic area, restrooms and nature center. The park is free and open from dusk until dawn.
Take a Hike at Tillie Fowler Park
For an easy hike at Tillie K. Fowler Regional Park, there’s the 1.2-mile Tower Trail, which has an observation tower in the middle of the hike with views of the marsh and Ortega River. Another option is the Island Trail, which is 2.25 miles roundtrip. Both trail heads can be accessed near the back of the park. Both trails are great spots for hiking in Jacksonville, but they also allow bikes. However if you’re looking for bike trails, there are also a few off-road bike trails to try out.
Bring Your Bikes and Hit the Trails
One of the great spots to do some biking in Jacksonville, the trails at Tillie Fowler are worth a visit. These trails are not in the same area as the other hiking trails. They are closer to the front of the park. It’s best to park and then ride your back to the biking trails, which are past the North Florida Archers’ area. The location of the North Florida Archers is located within the park, surrounded by a fence.
There are three trails in this area, including the WKC Trail, Nipsy Dipsy and Hoosker Doo. The 1.5-mile WKC trail is easy and best suited for beginners while the Nipsy Dipsy and Hoosker Doo are a bit more challenging. The WKC trail is the main loop that takes riders to the other smaller loops. This trail is mostly flat and winds through the trees in certain areas. A more difficult trail is the Nipsy Dipsy at 0.7 miles. It is a single-track trail that can be ridden in either direction. For the more advanced rider, there is the Jumps and Drops area and the .3-mile Hoosker Doo. This trail has several drops and is a single-track trail that can be ridden in just one direction. On this trail, there is a long, skinny bridge, small jumps, log drop and stairs.
Explore the Tillie Fowler Nature Center
New to Tillie K. Fowler Regional Park is a recently renovated nature center. If you are there between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday, be sure to check out the nature center at the trailhead. There are lots of great specimens and kids can learn about many of the animals that live in the area. This is a great free little museum in Jacksonville.
In 1979, the city leased the land from the U.S. Navy. A decade later, then-Councilwoman Tillie Fowler pushed to develop the land. In 1996, the observation tower, nature center and outdoor classroom were dedicated. Recent additions include the off-road bike trails, dog park and kayak launch.
Visitors to the park might also notice remnants around the park of what looks like an old, red brick road. This road used to link Ortega to Jacksonville. The road was built prior to 1917 when it was used when Camp Johnston was built as part of the preparations to train American troops during World War I. Tillie K. Fowler Park is located at 7000 Roosevelt Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32244.
Jennifer wasn’t born in Jacksonville, but she claims it as her hometown anyways. Originally from Ohio, she moved to Jacksonville when she was only 8 years old, eventually leaving to pursue a degree in journalism from the University of Florida. After living in various places and pursuing a writing and reporting career, she eventually made it back to Jacksonville in 2013 and has been here ever since. She is self-employed as a freelance writer, editor and social media specialist. She is also a mom to two daughters, Chloe and Violet. They love to explore Jacksonville together, especially all the parks and outdoors spaces the city has to offer. You can check out her work and contact her at https://jenniferjensen.journoportfolio.com.
