First Day Hike Along the Azalea Trail

Park Overview

Explore one of Florida’s first state parks, Ravine Gardens State Park, located in Palatka, Florida. This 152-acre park features historic structures, hiking trails, and an educational center. Follow a 1.8-mile paved loop with a view of the gardens or opt for a more strenuous trek up and down the steephead ravine by means of historic stone stairwells and suspension bridges.

The park is known for its formal gardens with stone terraces and limestone fountain. Natural gardens include moss, fern, live oaks, hickory, sweet gum, longleaf pines, cabbage palm, and cypress. The best time to visit is from late January through March to view the beautiful blooming azaleas.

Court of States entry to Ravine Gardens State Park

Park History

Ravine Gardens, one of nine New Deal-era Florida state parks, opened in 1933 as a Great Depression recovery effort for the city of Palatka. The Formal Gardens was one of Old Florida’s roadside attractions. Most of the park’s existing structures were constructed by the federal Works Progress Administration.

An obelisk dedicated to Franklin D. Roosevelt reaches 60 feet to the sky, and 48 state flags wave in the sunshine at the Court of States just inside of the park entrance, staggered along stone and wood pillars. The park became difficult for the city to maintain in the 1960s, and by 1969, the park was acquired as a Florida State Park. In 1999, the park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Today, visitors may enjoy two 120-foot deep, forked steephead ravines that continue to grow wider throughout the park. These ravines surround Whitewater Branch, a spring-fed creek that outlines the park and flows east into the St. Johns River.

Suspension Bridge

Our Adventure - The Azalea Trail

Our First Day Hike begins at the covered pavilions where we view a large stone fountain flourishing with rejuvenating spring water. We follow a brick walkway past the Formal Gardens to the first suspension bridge at the trailhead. The bridge stretches 120 feet with a view of the widening ravine below. We opt to hike the Azalea Trail, a 2.5-mile loop around the park. Over the suspension bridge to the right, there is the Springs Trail, opening with a steep, uphill stone staircase.

Veering left on the Azalea Trail, leaves scatter along the narrow path with pines stretched to the sky, clusters of sabal palm and cypress, and live oaks with Spanish moss draping over their branches.

Azalea Trail

Red blaze markers on moss spotted magnolias leads to a stairwell surrounded by sprouting fern. These stone stairwells were installed to thwart the effects of erosion. We hike uphill around wet areas, unyielding roots, and narrow footpaths until we find a side path to the Paved Loop, a 1.8-mile path that begins and ends at the park’s main entrance with stunning views of the ravine. Another side path leads to the Amphitheater, constructed in 1938 to host local beauty pageants.

Gentle streams flow around towering pines and trickle to a wider opening, where the rising sun basks through sago palm and sweet gum trees. Wild azaleas are beginning to bloom, unveiling their bright purple and pink hues, fall leaves are still strewn across the ravine, and pine needles form beds of walking paths beneath our boots. Past the Reflecting Pool, we hike back up to the Azalea Trail.

Azalea in bloom

Suspension Bridge

We climb a steep stone stairwell to the second pedestrian suspension bridge. Concrete pillars form bookends of this bridge connected by steel cables anchored in lime rock. Only the concrete masts are a part of the original bridge structure. Fern, cedar, and pine outline the stream.

Deciding not to venture to the other side, we hop back onto the Azalea Trail. A narrow path winds up and down around the ravine where tall banana trees, sabal palms, and citrus frame the sandy path and more azaleas bloom throughout the forest, eventually leading to a small boardwalk where two oak trees form an underpass. We follow the damp trail to a small pond covered in Lili pads and morning sun rays.

Suspension Bridge

Large citrus trees produce oranges dangling from their limbs and a few fallen fruits are strewn around wide, moss-spotted oak trunks. The uneven trail with protruding roots is canopied with tangled vines spiraling down from large magnolias and live oaks blanketed in green resurrection fern. Squirrels chase each other in this diverse jungle of brightly colored leaves that create a stark contrast from the browns and greys surrounding. A wooden stairwell leads back up to the Paved Loop and offers an overlook point to view the vastness of the fall-colored forest of green, yellow, orange, and red foliage. The same wooden stairwell travels back down to the Azalea Trail once more.

Wooden Stairwell along the Azalea Trail

Now on the opposite side of the park entrance, we follow three slanted boardwalks buried in luscious green fern and thorn bushes. The forest of oaks and palm transitions to a small wooden staircase covered in fern leading to more of the Azalea Trail. The path narrows and then opens to downed oaks covered in green moss with their thick, twisted stumps creating a resting point.

One last side path takes us back to the Paved Loop where there is another wooden overlook and picnic tables with grilling stations. The Azalea Trail loops back around to the second suspension bridge and a few stone stairwells down to the dirt road. Check out the Water Works Education Center, what once was a water supply facility in the 1800’s through 1986 that redistributed the natural spring flow and is now an environmental education center open to the public.

Bountiful Fern along the Azalea Trail

On the last segment of our hike, we travel uphill through forests of cherry laurel and resurrection fern to the top terrace where the fountain flows steadily once more and the pristine Formal Gardens blossom us back to solid ground.

Ravine Gardens Trail System:

• Azalea Trail – 2.5 miles

• Ravine Loop Trail – 1.8 miles

• Whitewater Path – 0.72 miles

• Springs Trail – 0.6 miles

• Paved Loop – 1.8-mile

Things to Do:

• Formal Gardens

• Historic Structures – Amphitheater

• Hiking Trails

• Water Works Education Center

• Picnic Pavilions

• Playground

• Gatherings – Roy E. Campbell Civic Center complex features a covered pavilion, auditorium, meeting rooms available for rent

Explore More:

Learn more about the formation of this steephead ravine:

Plan your visit to the Water Works Education Center: