The Trout River is a quiet and easy to reach area off the St. Johns River just north of Jacksonville. The Trout River is about 15 miles west of the St. Johns River Entrance at Mayport and five miles north of the Jacksonville waterfont. The Intracoastal Waterway is also close by, crossing the St. Johns River at Sisters Creek and Chicopit Bay about 10 miles to the east.

The image above is a view from the southwest looking northeast over the opening of the Trout River. Three of the area marinas can be seen (two to the right [east] and two in between the bridges. Just to the left in the image, the old bascule span (permanently open), the SAL Railroad Bridge and a 29-foot fixed vertical clearance bridge can be seen.

Use NOAA Chart 11491.

The Trout River is approached from the east off the St. Johns River. From the St. Johns River Channel, exit toward the east at flashing green buoy “64,” and then set an approximate course of 258 degrees magnetic to intercept red daybeacon “2” and green daybeacon “3” (visible in the image above) at the mouth of the Trout River. Once you have cleared the introductory marks, the channel opens up without any aids to navigation and depths of seven to 10 feet. The fixed bridge across the river limits overhead clearance to 29 feet farther up, but the railroad swing bridge is normally left in the open position unless rail traffic is approaching. Depths in the upper reaches shallow to seven- to nine-foot depths, but if you can clear the fixed bridge, the area offers an opportunity for peaceful exploration.

There are four marinas on the south side of the Trout River. Three of them are before the bridges, and one is located just on the other side between the fixed bridge and the railroad swing bridge. Seafarer’s Marina, located below the bridges on the south shore, has a limited amount of transient slips if you are arriving from the Intracoastal Waterway or offshore via the St. Johns Entrance and need to tie up for the night before heading to Jacksonville or points south on the St. Johns. Anchorage is available outside the marinas to the north; be sure to keep clear of the arrival and departure areas for the marina, though.

Local Notices to Mariners are now exclusively available online from the U.S. Coast Guard.

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