Review Date
November 17, 2008

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 2 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 2 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: JaxRider ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
There had been some trails out here for hikers, but they have abandoned them a while back and timber harvesting destroyed what had not been grown over. Horse riders have stuck to the fireroads.
After seven years of riding together, I recently was the last of a few Mt. Bike buddies to get married and moved across town, away from the convenience of Hanna Park and Grahm Swamp. My friends are in Mandarin & St. Augustine and after a few parks in the area, a finnally explored John P Hall Conservation Area. Being just west of Fleming Island, and having less time to take of Mt. Biking. I was looking for a ideal centrailized place to ride some trials.
Since early summer, I have been clearing trails and patching deep ruts left by the harvest equipment. The ground has firmed back up and we are trying to cut some more trails. This place has a lot of potential for Mt. Bikers.
For now, there are a few singltracks with some good flow to them, but nothing technical or advanced yet. Of ocourse, their are no elevations in this area.
There is an observation tower, a primative camping on the banks of the St. Johns, and a couple of picnic areas. They have an outhouse, but I always bring my own TP just in case.
This place is full of wildlife.

Bayard's Website: http://sjr.state.fl.us/recreationguide/n01/index.html

Land Management: Different property Maps. Scroll through and select best maps:
http://sjr.state.fl.us/landmanagementplans/pdfs/2006_Bayard_CA.pdf

Recommended Route:
There are two entrances. Equestrians have more room on the west entrance, and we use the east entrance, closest to the Shands Bridge. This helps from spooking the horses tacking up or untacking. As soon as you enter the fence, there is an trail about 20' on your right to start. From there, we bounce around on jeep trails to other singletracks until we can connect more trails.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Grahm Swamp, Hanna Park, San Felasco, Santos, Fort Clinch. This would definelty be a great centralize place right between all of these other location.

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