Blackrock Beach
The Jacksonville area is full of so many neat things to see. I was a bit overwhelmed with all the places on the map that one could explore. The other day we went to a beach which was recommended by my sister-in-law. It was about 20-25 minutes from their home. As we were leaving that beach I scanned the map for any other cool places to see and we found a spot that had such a unique look we just couldn’t pass it up. So the next day before the debut, we decided to visit this area called Blackrock beach. When we arrived at the parking lot it was empty, it’s just off the main road with a handful of spots for people to park and then continue with a short hike.
The hike didn’t take too long. It was a very easy hike, especially for families with children. No steep inclines, just a wooded area with a very obvious trail. It probably took 10 minutes or less to get from the parking lot to the beach. To be fair, I was jogging while pushing the stroller, so this probably isn’t a hike by definition but more of a walk through the woods to the beach. Every time we go hiking, it reminds me of one of the kids’ favorite books, “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” by British poet and author Michael Rosen.
We're going on a bear hunt. We're going to catch a big one. What a beautiful day! We're not scared. We can't go over it. We can't go under it. Oh no! We've got to go through it!
When we arrived at the beach we were greeted by a fallen tree that naturally made a very welcoming entrance as the arch drew our attention to the sand and shoreline. It was at that moment, upon setting foot on the beach that we were able to see such a unique landscape. It was definitely otherworldly, like you were on a different planet. There were so many trees that were dead and have fallen over revealing their roots. Some sticking out of the sand. I’m guess as the sand continued to march up to the woods and over the years it would cause the trees to die and fall over. Never seen anything like it before. The kids enjoyed running around and climbing up the driftwood. It was a pretty long beach actually. We walked north following the shoreline and it transitioned from sandy areas covered by fallen trees and driftwood to an almost moon like landscape with black rocks that contrast so well with the white sand. WE went on for a good length of the beach before heading back so that we could get ready for the evening event.
On our way back we spend some time going on the rocks and the kids were so intrigued by the small tidal pools left behind, at least that’s what I thought it was, or it could just be water left over from rain. Not sure if the tide goes that high. It was probably one of the highlights of our Jacksonville trip and our family enjoyed ever moment of it. We made our way back to the parking lot and passed another family that had just arrived. Before heading back to home base we thought of exploring a little further up north. When we were on the beach I noticed a bunch of cars parked on another beach in the distance. I quickly checked google maps and sure enough there was another area where you could take your vehicle and park on the beach. I wish they had those in NY. The area was easy to find but the sign recommended 4×4 vehicles and I didn’t want to take the risk so we backtracked and headed home. Overall a great outing with the whole family and we’d recommend it to anyone planning to go to the Jacksonville area.
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