Castaway Island Preserve - Cradle Creek
Northeast Florida · Duval County · Cradle Creek and the salt marsh off the Intracoastal Waterway
A protected salt-marsh and tidal-creek paddle from a dedicated kayak dock in a 235-plus-acre Jacksonville preserve, with a board-rental kiosk, restrooms and picnic facilities at the launch and a tide window to plan around.
Map position was derived from this record’s sources and is awaiting confirmation against the research directory.
Why paddle here
- Nature-forward tidal-creek water close to Jacksonville from a launch built for paddlers, with rentals, restrooms and picnic facilities on site.
Launches, parking and access
Where you actually put the boat in, how far you carry it and over what. This is the part official sources are worst at, so it is the part we say most plainly — including where we do not know yet.
Castaway Island Preserve kayak dock
- Launch type
- Non-motorized launch with kayak dock
- Access
- Public access
- Parking
- Medium confidence
- Carry to the water
- Carry not yet measured
- Carry from parking to the dock is not established.
Nobody has checked this yet.Report the carry — How far did you carry your boat from the parking area to the water?
- How hard that carry is
- Not yet assessed
Nobody has checked this yet.Rate the carry — How hard was that carry with a loaded boat?
- Ground you cross
- Not yet recorded
Nobody has checked this yet.Describe the ground — What did you cross on the way — pavement, sand, stairs, loose trail?
- Boat cart
- Not yet assessed
Nobody has checked this yet.Report cart use — Could you use a boat cart the whole way, or did you have to carry?
- Unloading
- Not yet assessed
Nobody has checked this yet.Report unloading — Could you unload beside the water before parking, or carry the whole way?
- Restrooms and rinse
- Not yet measured from the launch
Nobody has checked this yet.Report facilities — How close are the restrooms and showers to this launch?
Routes
Difficulty belongs to the route, not the location. One place can offer a beginner loop and an advanced crossing.
Cradle Creek and salt-marsh out-and-back
Not yet ratedOut and back· Timing mattersPut in at Castaway Island Preserve kayak dock.
Access is limited at low tide according to the official Florida DEP trail guide, so plan the launch and the return around the tide.
Help verify this route
Have you paddled Cradle Creek and salt-marsh out-and-back?
- How difficult did this route actually feel?Rate the difficulty — How difficult did this route actually feel?
- How far was this route if you tracked it?Report the distance — How far was this route if you tracked it?
- How long did it take you, and at what pace?Report the time — How long did it take you, and at what pace?
- How much did wind, current or tide shape this route on the day?Report conditions — How much did wind, current or tide shape this route on the day?
- Did tide, current or closing times decide when you could paddle this?Report timing — Did tide, current or closing times decide when you could paddle this?
What conditions do here
How much each factor typically governs a trip at this location.
These are not live conditions. This describes how much each factor typically governs a trip here. Always check the current forecast, tide table and river level before you launch.
- Wind
- Not yet assessed
- Current
- Not yet assessed
- Tide
- Not yet assessed
- Boat traffic
- Not yet assessed
Planning
- Exposure
- Sheltered tidal creek and salt marsh
Hazards
Tidal timing matters
Access limited at low tide
Plan the launch and the return around the tide: the official trail guide says access is limited at low tide.
Amenities and craft
Craft suited to this water
Bringing your own boat: Yes
Amenities
- Restrooms
- Showers — not recorded
- Picnic area
- Food nearby — not recorded
- Drinking water — not recorded
What you will see
Rentals and outfitters
No outfitter recorded here. Bring your own boat, or check nearby locations.
PaddlePin tips
Check the tide before you go; low tide limits access here. No canonical route mileage has been established, so treat it as an out-and-back you can turn around on at any point.
Medium confidenceSafety Notes: Plan the launch and the return around the tide: the official trail guide says access is limited at low tide.
Medium confidence
Been here? Help keep it accurate
PaddlePin is researched from official sources. Paddlers who have actually been are how it stays true.
Contributions are reviewed before anything on this page changes. PaddlePin stays the researched directory — your report is evidence we check, not an edit to it.
Sources
Where this information came from, and when we last read it.
- Primary source — jacksonville.gov, read
- Secondary source — boatlaunchmap.com, read
Nearby paddling
Northeast Florida · Duval County · Dutton Island tidal creeks
A marked tidal-creek paddling trail of roughly one mile among unspoiled marsh islands, from a non-motorized launch with a floating dock, parking, restrooms and picnic facilities.
Northeast Florida · Duval County · Hanna Park lake (60 acres)
A 60-acre protected freshwater lake inside Hanna Park with a hand launch, an adaptive kayak launch, rentals, restrooms, picnic shelters and a playground, and no tide to plan around.
Northeast Florida · St. Johns County · Guana River / GTM estuary
A tidal salt-marsh paddle from GTM's Guana Dam, with direct estuary access, on-site rentals and a very real need to plan around the tide.