Finding this state park was a very cool discovery. It is located about a mile north of the Fort…read morePierce Inlet. You go down a road and there is a small parking lot at the end. The cost to use the preserve is $2 cash on the honor system. From the parking lot you cross over a bridge that takes you over the Indian River lagoon on to the preserve. In the summer you can see manatees swimming but on the day I visited the waterway was being enjoyed by paddle boarders. This 1,342 acre preserve has been managed by the State of Florida since 1963. It has more than 4 miles of dirt and grass trails along mangrove lined canals. I saw so many mangrove crabs scuttling around. Little blue herons fly overhead and I also saw great blue herons, great egrets, snowy egrets, wood storks, and ibises. Osprey and roseate spoonbills have also been noted in the preserve, There are two trails to the the observation tower. A one mile direct trail or a two mile perimeter trail. I opted for the direct route to avoid an impending rain storm. The tower has stairs that take you 30 feet above the lagoon. From the top you can see the bird rookeries on surrounding islands. As you hike the island you will see culverts that are part of a system for flushing mosquitoes from their breeding areas. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in mud along the island and water is released through the big metal pipes to flood the areas normally used by the mosquitoes for breeding from April to October. Two other islands make up the preserve, Kings and Queens but they have to be explored from the water. Jack Island is the only one that offers hiking trails. Since Jack Island is located on the lagoon it gets fewer visitors than other state parks on the beach. I had the whole preserve to myself. I saw so many birds, it really is a paradise for bird watchers and photographers. The hike is an easy one and I would have stayed longer if it wasn't for the lightning. The island is also popular with anglers who fish for mullet, snook, and sheepshead and runners. You can walk for miles and never encounter any one else. Jack Island is the perfect place to enjoy Florida the way Mother Nature intended it to be.

Good hiking spot, there's multiple length hikes to choose from. You can either take a direct one…read moremile (one way) walk to the observation tower or take the loop which is 2 miles either way. The tower provides a 360 lookout over the mangroves and the river. Saw herons, crabs, butterflies and large flying fish. Dogs are allowed on short leash. Path is sandy and currently muddy due to afternoon showers today. If you're coming from Ft Pierce Inlet SP or the Avalon State Park this is a 10 minute drive from either one and is worth a stop. We created a state parks map and this was not on it. We saw a state park sign (pictured) and whipped a U-ie to check it out. Glad we did. It is a $2 honor system admission fee payable at entrance. Entrance is where a residential street dead ends and you'll see a McMansion on your left. Park anywhere, pay the fee and walk toward the bridge. No amenities. No restrooms or water fountains. If you're an outdoor person consider getting the Florida state park pass. It's $120 per family and lasts 12 calendar months.

Opened in 2008, George Lestrange Preserve is named for Mr. George E. Lestrange (1912-1962) who was…read morean avid fisherman and nature lover. He used to own the land and his family sold it to the county. This site will connect several miles of proposed trail along Ten Mile Creek and the North Fork of the St. Lucie River. The 94 acre preserve is located at the end of an abandoned neighborhood building project, It has a 37 acre lake that was formed from an old sand mine. The area was restored by taking out exotic plants and replacing them with hundreds of slash pines and some palmetto. The lake has steep slopes and possible alligators so no wading or swimming is allowed. Boaters can launch canoes, kayaks, and boats with electric motors. If you are fishing the lake is catch and release only. Around the lake is a one mile hiking trail and there is at the north end of the preserve there is an additional one mile looping interpretive trail through makes a loop through pine flatwoods, palm hammocks, and floodplain forest. The preserve is home to ospreys and bald eagles. On my visit I saw rabbits, gopher tortoises, and a peacock. If you love nature and wildlife this is the perfect spot to feel removed from the stress of everyday life and experience the way Florida used to look.

This is the perfect quiet spot for nature lovers, fishermen, walkers or runners. There is a path…read morearound a lake that is about a mile. It is a catch and release lake. I've seen people kayaking and fishing. It is not very crowded... probably because it is a very tucked away place (around an abandoned neighborhood development and in the back corner of a seemingly residential road. There are natural trails also... but be sure to stay on the right path. No bathroom though.

Pretty area but a bit muddy with high puddles when we went and look out towers were closed. We…read morewill have to check it out again after good weather.

Fantastic place to walk the trails. You get to see different environments & topography. If you are…read morelucky, you see lots of birds & tortoises & and an armadillo or two. The nature center is great as well. They have a nice exhibit and resident ambassador animals. Tip: they recycle plastic bags and styrofoam here so I always save and bring to drop off. Thank you Oxbow!!!!!

North trail offers straight and firm opportunity to get a sweat via walk/run/bike…read more South trail offers scenic and partly rugged areas to stroll and leisurely pace through if desired. Plus, Indian burial mounds and pioneer cemetery adds to the enjoyment

Spruce Bluff Preserve is 97 acres. In the 1990's a community of more than 60 homes was planned for…read morethe area but in 1995 the St. Lucie County saved the historic spot by buying the land and making it into one of the county's first preserves, The hiking trail is on the marsh and scrub land in between the houses off Southbend Boulevard along the North Fork of the St. Lucie River. This is one of the more interesting hiking trips I have taken because there is so much history here. If you take the trail from the parking lot about half a mile down you will come to the site that was a pioneer settlement and cemetery along the banks of the St. Lucie River. The trail itself was the roadway for the development that never happened. The area was settled in 1891 after the Second Seminole War ended in 1842. Spruce Bluff founder John Enos Fultz Jr. came from South Carolina to farm pineapples which did well in the sandy soil. Spruce Bluff was a community of several families with a school, post office and sawmill. To make $10 a month Fultz rowed the St. Lucie River to Stuart to deliver the mail to Stuart. In 1894 and 1895 a winter freeze killed the crops and the families moved out of the area. Fultz moved to Ft. Pierce where he became the first Clerk of the Circuit Court for St. Lucie County when it was created in 1905. To find the cemetery look for the two wooden posts on the side of the right hand trail that leads to a sandy trail that takes you to it. The cemetery is surrounded by a fence with a monument. It is owned privately but you are welcome to visit. The seven headstones of the Spruce Bluff pioneers buried inside the fence were vandalized so one monument was put up instead. If you take the trail behind the parking lot it leads to an Ais midden which was their trash dump. Middens are important because they can tell you a lot about the people who lived in the area. This midden has yielded fish bones during excavations. To get to the site you travel along a one mile trail. As you make your way down you come to two boardwalks that cross over the wetlands. The Ais were a tribe of Native Americans who inhabited the Atlantic Coast of Florida from present day Cape Canaveral to the St. Lucie Inlet. They became extinct in the 1760's when they were sold off for slaves or succumbed to disease. The best knowledge we have of these people came from Jonathan Dickinson's journal when he was taken prisoner by them. There is no sign for the mound. It's 20 feet high and 180 feet wide and may be hundred of thousands of years old. If you didn't know it was back there it would just look like a hill. In addition to the hiking trails which can also be biked there is canoe access. A saw a lot of birds on the trail as well as many adorable rabbits. It's an easy hike and the history of this area makes it a very special place to visit.

Great smaller trail located just off of 25th St. We were on our way from lunch to our second stop…read morewhen we spotted this place right off of the main road. We decided to do an impromptu U-Turn and we are so glad we did. Parking is super easy, just park in the designated spots right in front of the start of the trail. It's a big circle, so whether you head right or left first, you'll end up doing the complete loop. If you were walking at a regular pace, the trail would probably take about 15-20 the whole way! At the furthest from the parking area, you'll see a surprisingly large body of water. This made for a nice stop to enjoy some scenery. There's even a picnic table to enjoy lunch! Some parts of the trail have a deck built over, and the trees are lush and beautiful. If you're ever in the area, I recommend a quick, fun stop here!

Sweetwater Hammock Preserve is a part of a string of preserves located on the North Fork of the St…read more Lucie River. The preserve has a looping quarter mile self guided unpaved trail that winds through a hammock. The flat wide trail and short distance makes it perfect for all hikers including small children. Half way down the trail you will come to the St. Lucie River. Amenities at this site include birding, fishing, hiking, and picnic tables. The habitat here is a young hammock containing live oak, laurel oak, and cabbage palm. Wildlife that has been spotted here includes armadillos, butterflies, anoles, rabbits, and birds such as the red-bellied woodpecker. Along the trail you will see seasonal wildflowers and native plants. It is not a good idea to visit if it has been raining. The parking lot and trails both flood. The best time to visit is during the dry season when you can appreciate how Florida used to look.

This is an 80 acre hammock preserve. In the mounds here archeologists have found items evidence of…read morethe Native Ais people who lived in this area for thousands of years before the Spanish came. The Ais were wiped out by disease or were enslaved and sent to Cuba. It is against state law to remove or disturb artifacts. You can pick up a trail map at the kiosk adjacent to the parking lot. The preserve has a one mile trail that takes you through an elm, palm, and oak forest. There is an elevated tower overlook but all you can really see is the tops of trees. The trail goes on to take you through a depression marsh and basin swamp. Plants that have been found on the preserve include hickory, Florida elm, live and laurel oak, and sugar berry. Deer , turkey, ibis, heron, Barred Owl, cardinals, and mockingbirds are some of the wildlife that have been spotted on the preserve. This is a lovely, peaceful preserve filled with butterflies. The trail is natural ground which is not wheelchair accessible but it is an easy hike for most people. The area is very remote and and I didn't have a cell signal for a couple of miles surrounding the preserve. There is no water or bathroom so plan accordingly. The major detractor for me was the amount of flying insects dive bombing my head. I will try again in the winter when the temperature is more conducive to hiking and there is hopefully less insect activity. Rangers occasionally lead hikes which is a wonderful way to see the preserve.

My favorite trail around is the teague hammock trail. If you cross the road to the east from the…read moreparking lot the trail head starts. Very easy, grassy trail that is so beautiful at sunset. Just make sure you get back to the parking lot before dark because they close the gates at dusk and reopen at dawn. Go on a nice cool day and you wont regret it. No bathroom or water available. There are trail maps.

When the temperature drops and I don't have to be at work you will find me hiking the lesser known…read moretrails of Florida which is how I ended up here today. The lovely Lake Indrio Preserve is off U.S. 1 across from Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. This property was purchased through a partnership between the Florida Division of State Lands, Florida Communities Trust and St. Lucie County's voter-approved land bond. It became the newest public conservation land in St. Lucie County when it opened in August of last year. While new to visitors, the county has maintained this land since 2010. This site was formed when the Anastasia Formation deposited white sugar sand and limestone during the Late Pleistocene period. This ancient sand dune is the base of the scrub habitat which is home to many endangered plants and animals including the scrub jay and gopher tortoise. Much of the scrub land in Florid was used for construction of home developments. Other wildlife that call Lake Indrio Preserve home includes the North American river otter, alligator racoon, six lines race runner, osprey, bald eagle, gray fox, and many species of wading birds. Lake Indrio Preserve is a habitat for the federally endangered Lakela's mint that only grows in endangered scrubland. The plant is a rare, aromatic scrub known for its lavender-hued flowers and mint-scented fragrance. This is the only place the plant can be found in St. Lucie County. The seven acre Lake Indrio Preserve is part of a larger 250 acre parcel called the Harbor Branch Preserve. The Harbor Branch Preserve is made up of Lake Indrio Preserve, Lakela's Mint Preserve, and 230 acres east of Old Dixie Highway that extends to the Indian River Lagoon. Lake Indrio Preserve has a trail head that connects it to the much larger 297-acre Indrio Savannahs Preserve to the south. This preserve is open for kayaking, picnicking, hiking, fishing, and birding. In the middle of the preserve is a scenic old sand mine lake that was dug in the 1970's by the Stewart Sand Mine Company. Mr. Stewart donated the land to the county in 1998 when it was in the early stages of becoming a housing development. Circling the lake are natural earth trails for hiking. The lake has a boardwalk that takes you to an upland island and a fishing pier where you can fish catch and release. There is a non motorized boat launch on to the lake. Also in this area is a large, brand new picnic pavilion with tables making this an ideal area to enjoy a meal before or after a hike. I loved my visit here and applaud St. Lucie County for preserving land to protect endangered plants and animals and to give future generations a place in nature to enjoy.