Fort Clinch overlooks the Cumberland Sound
on the northern tip of Amelia Island.
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     One of the best times to visit the fort is the first weekend of any month. This is when volunteers join the park rangers in reenacting life in 1864 during the occupation by Union troops. They fire the cannons, demonstrate woodworking and laundry, cook and eat food of that era, and only speak in the vernacular of that time.
     There is much more to the park than the fort itself. There is a fishing pier and a beautiful stretch of beachfront perfect for swimming and shark tooth hunting.
     If water activities do not appeal to you, there are 1,400 acres to explore by land. Bikers can enjoy tree-canopied paved roads winding through beach hammocks and for more adventuresome peddlers, try six miles of off-road bike trails through the hammocks along salt marsh and beachfront.

Visitors to Fort Clinch can observe what life was
like in 1864. Here, a young visitor observes the
technique of a blacksmith.
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     Hikers may use the bike trails, too, or explore the Willow Pond Nature Trail, reserved just for those on foot. Guided tours of the Willow Pond area are available every Saturday morning at 10:30. Tour guides bring your attention to many ordinary-looking flora and fauna, easily missed by hiker and predator alike.
     Fort Clinch State Park offers campsites in two areas, beachside or riverside. Sixty-two camp sites have water and electricity, and primitive camping is available at the Youth Camp for youth groups. Camping areas are also equipped with restrooms, hot/cold showers, laundry facilities and telephones.
     The park is open daily from 8 a.m. to sundown. The fort itself is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Park entrance fee is $3.25 per vehicle for up to eight people. Admission to the fort is $2. For more information on special events, including candlelight tours of the fort, please call 277-7274.