Georgia · National Seashore trail

River Trail Stop 6

in Georgia · centroid 31 mi from Jacksonville

Stop #6: Red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) When facing post number 6, the red cedar is the large tree with flakey bark to the right of the post. The eastern red cedar is actually in the juniper family. Cedar trees, such as the one to the left, are an aromatic evergreen.

They are salt tolerant and are commonly found in the transition zone between the marsh and the maritime forest. The soft wood was often used to carve statues of animals as well as for canoes and pirogues. The flakey bark makes a good fire starter.

The red cedar produces gray, blue-green round berry-like fruit which is made of fused cone scales. The berries may have been used by the Timucuan to flavor food dishes.

States: Georgia
Trail type: National Seashore trail
Centroid nearest city: Jacksonville, FL · 31 mi · ~55 min drive
Centroid coords: 30.7586°, -81.4714°

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-6.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 6 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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