Georgia · National Seashore trail

River Trail Stop 3

in Georgia · centroid 31 mi from Jacksonville

Stop #3: Red bay (Persea borbonia) When facing post number three, the red bay can be found just to the right of the post. It may have brown leaves and look dead. Smaller, younger red bay trees can also be seen further to the left and right of the post.

They have large dark green leaves that appear shiny and the central vein in the leaf has an orange tint. The crushed leaves are very aromatic and were used as seasoning when cooking. Please do not pick the leaves in the park.

The red bay produces round, single seeded, dark blue and purple berries in October. Many red bays have large areas of brown leaves. This is the result of an invasive beetle, the ambrosia beetle, that has introduced a fungal disease to the red bays called laurel wilt.

States: Georgia
Trail type: National Seashore trail
Centroid nearest city: Jacksonville, FL · 31 mi · ~55 min drive
Centroid coords: 30.7570°, -81.4721°

About Cumberland Island National Seashore

National Seashore

This trail is inside Cumberland Island National Seashore, a national seashore managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.

Entrance fee: $15 per vehicle (verify current rate on the park page). An America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) covers entrance to all NPS units.

Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/river-trail-stop-3.htm

Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/cuis/index.htm

Plan your hike

Practical notes

Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.

Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.

When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.

If you've hiked River Trail Stop 3 and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.

Stay nearby

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Driving in? The nearest documented metro is Jacksonville, FL — 31 miles away (~55 min drive). See accommodation in Jacksonville on Booking.com → RoamFound earns a small commission if you book through this link, at no extra cost to you. How we handle affiliate links.