Adventure Series: Riding on the Beach

If you don't have a motorcycle capable of operating in sand, DO NOT attempt the beach portions of this ride.

Seeing motorcycle riders in photos or videos where they are riding along a vast, empty beach always stirred up a lot of envy in me. A Google search for "motorcycles riding on the beach" yields a plethora of images of people that appear to be living their apparent best life and generally having a great time. Needless to say, I really wanted to find a place around here where a photo like that could be taken. Amelia Island and Huguenot State Park are the only places that you can take a vehicle out on the sand here in Jacksonville, so that's where we're headed.

A few important things to keep in mind...
- These are both popular beaches. It's recommended to get out there early or later in the day so you don't have to deal with regular beach-goers. If you do try to go in the afternoon, mentally prepare yourself for crowds.
- During certain times of the year, both parks have sections of beach roped off for shore bird nesting season. Respect those boundaries since we're already basically trespassing on their home turf anyway. If you do visit when the birds are nesting, you can walk these areas. I highly recommend it as the volume and variety of birds is quite amazing.
- The tides play a role in how many routes are available, especially at Amelia Island. High tide usually means a single route of nasty, loose sand close to the dunes. Low tide means more beach to be utilized. Plan accordingly.

The track starts at Amelia Island State Park, the northern-most point for this particular ride. If you're trying to find the park's entrance by sight alone, make sure you're paying attention because the sign is rather hidden.

Keep an eye out. This sign is rather tucked away.

Since we enjoy our state parks and want them to stay around for a while, make sure you pay your dues at the booth ($2.00 a person, I think) and head on out to the beach. The sand here is very loose right off the bat, so don't go charging out like a hooligan. Yet another reason to take it easy is that many people park out on the beach to fish or swim and I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate someone barreling around scaring the fish away or interrupting their good time.

You'll have to deal with loose sand right away at Amelia Island.

There is currently a dredging operation going on at the Southern end of the point to try and help with beach erosion, so there is a section that isn't accessible at the moment. Small pass-through trails will allow you to get to the east side for now. Once you're around the point and heading north again, you can only go so far before seeing the signs that indicate the start of American Beach, which does not allow regular vehicle traffic. Take care on this entire stretch before American Beach because the sand is going to be very loose and could make for quite the workout if you don't know how to properly manage it.

Who needs a gym when you have sand to tackle!?!

I find the height difference between these two signs amusing.

Once you're done at Amelia Island, simply double back the way you came and head on out to A1A. Our next stop will be Huguenot Beach, which is a little easier to ride.

Huguenot Beach is only ten or fifteen minutes south of Amelia Island. The entrance is easy to find and is well marked. While Amelia Island kind of operates on the honor system for park dues, Huguenot does not. You will have to pay a whopping $5.00 to gain access to the beach, but this gives you access to picnic tables, a family beach area, and a small nature center.

Huguenot's sign is much easier to see than Amelia Island's.

After you get through the gate, follow the signs for beach access. Views of the north side of Mayport Naval Station are abundant and very, very cool. Seeing all of the ships and helicopters on your way in could bring out the kid in the oldest individual. Take care to heed the speed limit as best you can since it is "strictly enforced." It would be nice of you to do so through the family beach area anyway, since, you know, it's the family beach area. Once out to the main beach, you'll have much more room to move around, and it is glorious.

Huguenot's beach is quite large. It will fit many rows of cars on the busiest of days depending on tide level.

The track I took first headed south to the rocks then looped around so I could rocket north and be close to the water. It's an awesome feeling, that. Since it was early in the morning, I practically had the beach to myself, but I was still respectful, as you should be too. Enjoyment was had, but within reason. In the non-nesting season for birds, you can ride all the way around the point, but be wary if the tide is out. There is a mini-flood plain on the west side that can sneak up on you, as it did me, where the sand is loose and wet. It looks easy enough to do, but if you find yourself on it, KEEP MOVING or your bike will sink into the muck. You won't lose anything, it'll just be a bear to get out.

While these may not be the world's biggest beaches, they're still relatively close to home and they'll get the job done if you happen to get the itch to ride your motorcycle close to or in the Atlantic Ocean. Amelia Island is the more advanced of the two beaches due to narrow passages and extremely loose sand, with Huguenot being more beginner to intermediate friendly with larger spaces and harder packed surfaces. If you're wanting to try these but have never really ridden on sand before, take some time and practice out at Imeson Park. You'll look a lot cooler to bystanders if you aren't flopping all over yourself trying to keep your machine underneath you as you make your way down the beach. If you need more information on Imeson, a link will be at the bottom of this post.

Oh. I also have my own motorcycle beach photo now...

A dream, realized.

- For more information on Amelia Island State Park, please visit their website.

- For more information on Huguenot Memorial Park, please visit their website.

- To find out more about Imeson Park, an excellent place to learn how to ride in deep sand, click here.

- This ride overlaps with The Fernandina Ride. For more information in it, click here.

- Follow this link to download the .GPX file for this ride on dualsportmaps.com.