Georgia · National Seashore trail

River Trail Stop 4

in Georgia · centroid 31 mi from Jacksonville

Stop #4: Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) The saw palmetto can be found surrounding post number 4. It is a small, scrubby plant that appears like the Cabbage Palm. To tell them apart, notice that saw palmetto’s stem ends where the leaves begin.

The saw palmetto gets its common name from little teeth along the leaf stem. These serrations help to protect the plant from predation. The plants typically grow in a horizontal fashion, with the main stem partially buried underground.

This helps protect the plant from fire. Fibers gathered from along the stem could be woven into cloth as well as rope. Berries the size of grapes are found in clusters that ripen in late summer and contain high levels of sugar and oil.

States: Georgia
Trail type: National Seashore trail
Centroid nearest city: Jacksonville, FL · 31 mi · ~55 min drive
Centroid coords: 30.7573°, -81.4717°

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-4.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 4 and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.

Stay nearby

Affiliate · disclosed

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.