William Bartram Scenic and Historic Trail
Florida Scenic Byway 17 mi in Florida.
About the William Bartram Scenic and Historic Trail
The William Bartram Scenic & Historic Highway – State Road 13 (SR 13) – winds its way along the St. Johns River through pine and palmetto barrens, oak hammocks, and swamps, often canopied with lush trees. The byway is in the northeast part of Florida, south of Jacksonville. Wide trails parallel the byway, and numerous parks and cultural destinations along the corridor are accessible and welcoming.
This byway tells the story of the region’s first Native Americans, the European pioneers, and renowned naturalist William Bartram, who attempted to establish a plantation on the banks of the St. Johns River. Bartram wrote Florida’s first “tour guide” in the late 1700s. His book , Travels, details his experiences journeying through and documenting the southeastern U.S. in the 1760s.
The poetic writing and stunning illustrations of Travels captivated readers’ imaginations across Europe, helping to introduce the world to the charms of Florida.
Florida Department of Transportation, Florida Scenic Highways Program's own description, in its words. Byway page on floridascenichighways.com.
Camping along the byway
- Mile 7 · 2.7 mi offCamp Chowenwaw Tent Campgrounds · City, county or regional park · reservable
- Mile 13 · 3.1 mi offJP Hall Bayard Point Conservation Area Site 2 Hike-In SJRWMD · City, county or regional park · 1 sites · reservable
- Mile 13 · 2.8 mi offJ.P. Hall Bayard Point Conservation Area – East Campsite · City, county or regional park · 1 sites · reservable
Public campgrounds within 5 miles of the road as the crow flies, in order along the byway; each one's page has its facts, season and weather by month.
About this page's facts
The line is the Federal Highway Administration's scenic byways layer (HEPGIS, a snapshot of 2022-06-24, a US government work), cut at the state line and simplified for the map; the length is the line's. The designation is the program's own: the national tiers from FHWA's America's Byways roster, the rest from the layer's designation field. Road conditions, closures and seasonal gates change: check the agency's own page and the state's road conditions before you go.