Palmetto Leaves Regional Park - South Entrance Parking

Great kayak or canoe launch. Just a short paddle to the main branch of Julington Creek. (To the left of dock if you are looking at the water.) City has done a great job of clearing trees and branches after the hurricane, so you can access Julington Creek. Has a couple of sheltered picnic tables and open restrooms that are quite clean. Very quiet and peaceful paddle after you clear Old St. Augustine bridge if you are traveling south towards larger more open area of the creek. There are all different types of birds to see and hear. If you are going to be boating either have a friend or a wheeled cart to get your boat from the parking lot to the launch. It's approximately 50 yards to the water. If you want a challenge and are a seasoned paddler, you CAN navigate the felled trees to I-95 and kayak under the interstate. I would not recommend this to beginners as there are downed trees that present moderate problems on how to get around, under, or over them. See last video.

It's a great place to launch a kayak. But there is only 1 trail, it's right next to the busy road, so you hear and see the cars pretty much the whole time. We walked with our kids, and it was pretty, but we won't be going back for hiking. If we had a kayak or something small like that, we would go there.

Park is free to enter. The overall area of the park is very small. I can see this place used mainly as a kayak launch. The stream looks very natural and relaxing. Other than that, there's not much to do. Inside of the park is a bit too quiet and remote for my tastes. There are people just pulling into the parking lot and parking randomly. The water fountains were rusty.

At the end of the parking lot, on your right, is a dock to launch kayaks. It's not a ramp and not meant for boats. Behind the bathrooms is an unmarked trail. The only trail i found. It goes parallel with the street, so you can hear all the noise from the traffic. The bathrooms are disgusting, no picnic tables, no benches and i wouldn't trust the water fountain.