The Kiplinger Nature Preserve Park is a 164 acre natural area in Stuart. The land used to belong to…read morethe Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. and the Kiplinger Foundation Inc. until Martin County purchased it to preserve the land. In 2020 the Kiplinger family donated another 7 acres to the preserve protecting it from retail development. Ecological communities making up the preserve include freshwater and mangrove swamps, wet prairie and estuarine river. The preserve contains stands of sand pine and scrub oak as well as pine and scrubby flatwoods. Animals that have been spotted here include the Great Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, the Golden Silk Spider, raccoons, and alligators. In the past I have seem sandhill cranes and this time I spotted a marsh bunny hopping across the trail. The trail that runs through Kiplinger is an easy one mile loop. It runs behind condos, past wetlands, across some raised boardwalks and back along the river. The nature center was closed for improvements to the parking lot and I was delighted to see that they are back open although parts of the trail were muddy. In addition to the trail there is a free parking lot, three foot bridges, a floating fishing dock, and a place to launch a kayak or a canoe. It is a great place to enjoy nature, get some exercise and fresh air.

This park is a natural area in Stuart. The 164 acre mangrove area is located in the South Fork of…read morethe St. Lucie River. There is easy public parking at the entrance and a picnic pavilion. I walked the easy picturesque hiking trail and crossed two of the three footbridges before reaching the river. There is a floating dock for fishing. I only spotted one ibis and the crabs in the mangrove and a variety of Florida wild flowers.

Gorgeous nature preserve. A wonderful walk to the water that loops around. I've taken many friends…read morehere over the years and have always enjoyed it. I would suggest this to anyone who loves to be outside. There is a floating dock by the water and it's pretty fun to pretend it's gonna detach every time a fast boat passes by and sends it tumbling in the waves. 10/10 nature preserve

The Kiplinger Nature Preserve Park is a 157 acre natural area in Stuart. The land used to belong to…read morethe Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. and the Kiplinger Foundation Inc. until Martin County purchased it to preserve the land. Ecological communities making up the preserve include freshwater and mangrove swamps, wet prairie and estuarine river. The preserve contains stands of sand pine and scrub oak as well as pine and scrubby flatwoods. Animals that have been spotted here include the Great Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, the Golden Silk Spider, raccoons, and alligators. On my visit I spotted a Sandhill Crane but it was too far away to take a picture. I was excited because I have seen the large birds all over the campus at UCF when I visit my daughter but we don't have them in Broward County. They are funny because when I see them they are usually blocking traffic and they do not care. The cranes will nest here in the prairie in the late spring. The trail that runs through Kiplinger is an easy one mile loop. It runs behind condos, past wetlands, across some raised boardwalks and back along the river. In addition to the trail there is a free parking lot, three foot bridges, a floating fishing dock, and a place to launch a kayak or a canoe. It is a great place to enjoy nature, get some exercise and fresh air.

Tucked away off the interstate exit, Halpat is the quintessential outdoor space of Stuart, FL. I…read moreonly used the nature trail while there so I can only comment on that. The trail is mostly flat and sturdy ground and is a wide walking path. Folks like to take their dogs there so you'll likely encounter some while there! The trail is clean of litter and other major debris and is mostly shaded. It also runs pretty closely with the disc golf course. Amenities seen at the park: - Tennis and pickleball courts - Baseball field - Soccer field - Covered roller hockey rink - Park shelters with picnic tables - Air pumps for bikes and balls - Parking throughout the expanse of the park

Halptiokee is a regional park in Stuart Florida. This park has everything including disc golf,…read morebatting cages, athletic fields and walking trails. This park is very dog friendly nearly everyone I encountered during my walk had at least 1 dog, all on leases. This is a very friendly park, nearly everyone I passed by had a friendly greeting. When I was there, I saw several sports teams practicing, as well as what appeared to be a CrossFit group working out. I went specifically for the walking trails, I had high expectations, they fell a little short. I expected more and longer trails. There were a lot of signs on the paths but most were very faded and you could barely read them. This park is great for families. If you live in the area and have children, I bet they are practices and games are held at this park.

Haney Creek Trail is actually two trails. The trails are primarily used by dog walkers, people…read morelooking to exercise, bird watchers, and nature photographers. Some of the wildlife that had been seen along the trail include foxes, turtles, black indigo snakes, and butterflies. Some of th plants you will find here are sweetbay magnolias, dahoon hollies with red berries, white water lily, and tarflowers. Amenities at the trail include restrooms, pavilions with picnic tables, water fountains, and trail maps. The north track is a 1.1 mile loop trail that goes through scrub habitat around wetlands and through sandy pine trails. This is the trail that takes you to the dog park. In 2017 Stuart completed a water restoration project involving 153 acres of wetlands that created a fresh water and tidal wetland that cleans storm water run off and improves water quality in the St. Lucie estuary. It improves the health of the ecosystem. The water in the ponds remove pollutants and provide a habitat for wildlife. The project also added 1/3 of a mile to the nature trails. The southern trail requires you to cross over roads and is not very clearly marked. This trail goes through a pine woods habitat. I only had time to visit the north trail and had a pleasant walk. If I lived nearby I would be a regular visitor. I applaud Stuart for working to preserve the wetlands to ensure the health of the nearby St. Lucie River.

I'm determined to try every walking/hiking trail around Martin County. I had to ask around to find…read morethis one. There are two trails, the North Trail and the South Trail. The North Trail, in my opinion is better. There isn't a lot of shade and most of it is sugar sand, but the sand isn't super soft so it's not that bad to walk on. It's impossible to get lost here. There are numbered markers everywhere along the walking path. There's also a small dog park near the parking lot with different sections for large and small dogs. Now, the South Trail is just bizarre. The first part of it runs along a busy road. Then you have to cross a busy street. Kinda strange, no? Then it loops around and you're in back of someone's house. There's also a lot of glass bottles people have thrown so be careful if you bring your dog here. Guess what? After that there's a SECOND busy road you have to cross. Well now I was just annoyed but the trail got better after that. If that section was longer, I would have enjoyed this trail more but it was wasn't long at all. All in all, I think the North Trail is a lot better, it's quieter and you don't have to cross any streets during your walk.

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!!!!!

Located 15 miles west of Stuart, the name of this natural area, Allapattah comes from the Seminole…read moreIndian word for alligator. Based on the name you might think this is an alligator filled swamp but it is quite the opposite. Instead you will find 13,000 acres of inviting natural habitat ideal for hikers, equestrians, and anyone who appreciates nature. This area used to be wet flatwoods that were drained and turned into open fields for cattle grazing. 6,700 acres of land has since been restored by filling in the old drainage ditches to bring back the wetland vegetation and by replanting thousands of pines. Today this area protects a large area of marsh that can clean and store about 3.7 billion gallons of water per year before flowing onto the St. Lucie River estuary, protecting it from stormwater runoff. The marsh and slash pine flatwoods once extended from the upper St. Johns River basin to the headwaters of the St. Lucie River. This is a protected site for rare wildlife which include sandhill cranes, wood storks and crested caracaras. You may also spot white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and wading birds. Natural areas such as the Allapattah Flats can get rid of the excess water in wet years and store water in dry years. There are several entrances into Allapattah Flats Wildlife Management Area. The hiking and bicycling trailhead on County Road 714 was developed in partnership with Martin County and the South Florida Water Management District. Here you can hike and bike along a 1.5-mile long shellrock road that leads to an open vista of marsh where you can view wading birds and alligators. At night this is a popular place for stargazing. Allapattah Flats also can be enjoyed by horseback. It is open for hunting between September and March. Small game season runs from mid-November through the first Sunday in January. Fishing is permitted all year. Camping is only allowed at the designated campsite and with a Special Use License from the South Florida Water Management District. Allapattah Flats Wildlife Management Area is a inviting place to enjoy a diverse range of outdoor activities in the "real" Florida.

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.

The Nathaniel P. Reed Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge is part of the U.S. National Wildlife…read moreRefuge System. It is located in the Town of Jupiter Island in Florida. This is the perfect spot to learn about the local animal habitats. This great for the kids to enjoy and explore nature at its natural beauty. The Staff and Rangers are very friendly and extremely knowledgeable. The trails are nice and lead to an amazing white sandy beach.

Nathaniel Reed Hobe sound National refuge is not far from Johnathan Dickenson state park. We decide…read morethat we would take a hike to discover more about nature. The center is closed but you can walk on the trail and get a sense of what old Florida was like. On our walk, we saw a pretty turtle that I named Anastasia she was a sport when it came to taking pictures with her. This trail led us to the beach with its beautiful pristine white sand that looked like snow. Many turtles come to nest at this beach I am told. About this Refuge. The National Wildlife Refuge, a part of the United StatesNational Wildlife Refuge System, is a refuge on Jupiter Island in Florida. Its official name as of 2019 is the Nathaniel P. Reed Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge. Part of the refuge is inside the town of Jupiter Island, while the rest is in the unincorporated areas of Martin County. The 1,035-acre refuge was established in 1969, to protect the loggerhead and green sea turtles. It is administered as part of the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge Within the refuge is the 173-acre Reed Wilderness Seashore Sanctuary, designated a National Natural Landmark in November 1967. According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, a significant amount of coastal erosion in Florida is directly attributable to the construction and maintenance of navigation inlets. In July 2013, approximately 200,000 cubic yards (150,000 m3) of beach-quality material was dredged from the St. Lucie Inlet Federal channel and impoundment basin and placed on the downdrift beaches of Jupiter Island in the vicinity of the Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge, with funding provided to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from the U.S. Congress. Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge was established on September 30, 1969. It is a coastal refuge bisected by the Indian River Lagoon into two separate tracts of land totaling over 1000 acres. The 735-acre Jupiter Island track provides some of the most productive sea turtle nesting habitats in the United States, and the 300-acre sand pine scrub mainland tract is valued because more than 90 percent of this community type has been lost to development in Florida. Sand pine scrub habitat is restricted only to Florida and an adjacent county in Alabama. Hobe Sound Nature Center The Hobe Sound Nature Center is a private non-profit nature center that cooperates with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to conduct environmental education and awareness programs about the Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge. The center was founded in 1973 by and continues to receive major support from the Jupiter Island Garden Club.