A primitive camping site at the District’s Moses Creek Conservation Area in St. Johns County.

Fall is a great time of year to visit one of the conservation areas owned and managed by the St. Johns River Water Management District across northeast and east-central Florida. This weekend in particular offers two opportunities to participate in national observances connected with public lands.

Nov. 17 is National Take a Hike Day and Nov. 19 is National Camping Day. We have more than 770,000 areas of conservation lands across our 18 counties where you will find many miles of hiking trails and a variety of primitive camping options.

We purchased these lands to support our core missions, which include the protection of water quality, water supply, and natural systems while providing flood protection. Beyond supporting our core missions, many of these lands are open for the public to enjoy. In addition to hiking and camping, visitors may enjoy other recreational activities that are compatible with conservation, such as wildlife viewing, canoeing and more.

We invite you to visit one of these special public lands. It’s likely we have a conservation area not far from your neighborhood. Before you go, visit our website to find information such as property descriptions, driving directions, downloadable trail maps, and a camping reservation system.

Helpful links to visit before you go:

• List of lands
• Announcements