Georgia · National Seashore trail

River Trail Stop 9

in Georgia · centroid 32 mi from Jacksonville

Stop #9: Wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera) Wax Myrtle is the small shrubby plant surrounding post number 9. Its leaves are light to dark green and are skinny, elongated leaves, with slight toothing near the edge. This evergreen shrub is found in the dunes as well as the forest.

It is salt tolerant and can be found living in coastal environments that are relatively harsh such as the marsh-forest transition zone. Aromatic wax myrtle leaves and aromatic and when crushed the oils were rubbed on the skin as an insect repellent. To protect against the salt spray, the berries of the wax myrtle are coated with a layer of wax.

Colonial Europeans gathered these berries and melted the wax layer off to make candles.

States: Georgia
Trail type: National Seashore trail
Centroid nearest city: Jacksonville, FL · 32 mi · ~55 min drive
Centroid coords: 30.7627°, -81.4710°

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-9.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 9 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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