This tiny park is located at the east end of Cove Road where it meets the Intracoastal Waterway …read more It is the kind of small waterfront park you see in Stuart that looks like it was going to be a house lot but the city somehow managed to save it for a park. The park only has three picnic tables and a dirt parking lot. Although the view is stunning, the real reason to come here is to launch your kayak. This park is part of the Martin County Paddling Trail. If you have your own kayak you can launch from the sand beach and head east across the 3/4 of a mile intracoastal to reach the St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park which is the northern tip of a barrier island, ending where the St. Lucie River meets the ocean. It is one of the few undeveloped barrier islands on the east coast of Florida. This state park can only be reached by boat but it has restrooms, a free tram, picnic shelters, a 3,300 foot boardwalk, and an unspoiled hidden beach, From Cove Road Park you can also paddle south to Pecks Lake or north to the St. Lucie Inlet. You can have a lot of paddling fun launching from the park but note that the small parking lot fills up fast.

At the dead end of Cove Road you'll find Cove Road Park. A lovely, very small park complete with…read moresea breezes, picnic tables, shaded and sunny spots, with a small sandy beach area. Launch your kayak here, and use their posted paddle trail map to navigate! A lovely spot to eat your lunch, too! No public restrooms, however.

Peck Lake Park is located south of the St. Lucie Inlet. When you drive in to the park there is a…read morepaved loop road lined with picnic pavilions and grills. There is also a restroom. At the back of the loop is a hiking trail that leads you through mangroves to the intracoastal waterway which runs between the park and the Hobe Sound Wildlife Refuge. The walk is about 15 minutes each way. Part of the path is gravel and part of it is an elevated wooden boardwalk that takes you over the wetlands. The 1/2 mile trail takes you through mesic flat woods, hard woods, mangrove swamps., and brackish slough. You cross over a spoil island that was created from the dredging of the intracoastal. There are interpretive signs along the way providing information on the Ais who were the Native people in this area thousands of years ago, and the plants and animals in the park. The park is a good place to spot birds during the spring and fall migration. You can find American Redstarts and Common Yellowthroats and Spotted Sandpipers along the shore in the winter.

Nice place to walk and take in the fresh air. Might get lucky and spot dolphins out by the…read moreintracoastal. Bug spray recommend.

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!!!!!

This is the nature center at the Nathaniel P. Reed Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge. Originally…read morenamed Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge, this preserve was established September 30, 1969. Nathaniel P. Reed's parents helped to create the preserve by donating swaths of land to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service near the Indian River Lagoon in the 1960s and early 1970s. On April 17, 2019, the name of the preserve was changed to honor their son environmentalist Nathaniel Pryor Reed who was the environmental advisor to Florida governor Claude R. Kirk Jr. in the 1960's. He also served as environmental advisor to Assistant Secretary of the Interior to presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford from 1971 to 1977. Reed was instrumental in drafting the Endangered Species Act and saving Big Cypress Swamp. The Clean Water Act is also part of his legacy. He was known for fighting for the environment before it was cool to do so. Reed was a long time Jupiter Island resident. He passed away in July of 2018 after falling and hitting his head after hooking a 16 pound salmon while fishing in Quebec. The refuge is located on the coast of Martin County and it is divided by the Indian River Lagoon into two separate tracts of land totaling over 1000 acres. The Jupiter land tract is 735 acres and is important to the environment because it contains the largest complete section (3.5 miles of Atlantic Ocean Beach) of undeveloped beach in Southeastern Florida. As a result of the uninterrupted beach it is one of the most productive sea turtle nesting areas in the Southeastern United States. The Refuge protects 40 species of sea turtles listed as either threatened, endangered, or of special concern. Florida is the only state where endangered Leatherback Sea Turtles nest. The 300 acre sand pine scrub area is rare because the high, dry land was ideal for building on, so more than 90 percent of this ecosystem in Florida has been lost to development. You only find sand pine scrub in Florida and Alabama. The preserve also contains 10 miles of mangrove communities along the Indian River Lagoon. This National Wildlife Refuge has a large biodiversity of plants and animals. The last time I visited this refuge in 2021, the visitors center was closed for renovations so I was interested in visiting this trip. The nature center is run by a private, non-profit organization, that is dedicated to promoting an environmental awareness in people of all ages. The nature center building is made up of a exhibit hall, classroom/ lab, and a gift shop. Exhibits in the nature center include the sand pine scrub, Indian River Lagoon, The Atlantic Ocean, Jupiter Island, protecting biodiversity, adaptions for survival, and information about the Hobe Sound National Wildlife Preserve. There are tanks with fish and reptiles to view. The nature center hosts turtle walks, summer camps, evening forums, scrub tours and more. It is free to visit the nature center but some of the events may have an additional charge. Check out their website for a complete list of upcoming events. On Earth Day April 22nd they will be offering free family activities, games and crafts. Before you leave be sure and check out the cute gift shop with an assortment of nature themed items. Next to the parking lot is a stairway that takes you down to a beautiful beach where you can swim. You can also hike the scrub surrounding the nature center. There is so much to enjoy at the refuge and I always enjoy my visits.

Nice trail heading to the beach and the nature center has lots of animals including fish, a snake,…read moreowl, salamander and hawk.

It is a bit of an adventure to get out here but the view makes it worth it. This park was named in…read morehonor of Sam J. Pendarvis who was born on November 1, 1888 in Florida. He was a pioneer who settled on the North Fork of the St. Lucie River about 1908. He died August 6, 1968. This park is also located on the north fork of the St. Lucie River in the area where Pendarvis lived. The park has picnic table pavilions, a restroom, and a boat launch. I loved catching site of an osprey high up in the tree. The park is kept in a very natural state. You can only go in one direction as you drive along the loop that encircles the park. Even though it seems very out of the way, I saw several people enjoying the picnic tables and sitting near the small beach area during my visit.

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.

If you are looking for something to do with the children free of charge, check out this park. This…read morepark has a few soft play areas that cater to different age ranges. There is also a small water play area that I would suggest doing last, so make sure to bring a change of clothes & a towel because the kids will want to get wet. On really hot days like today be careful because there is barely any shaded areas, some of the play areas will burn because of the direct sunlight. We usually bring water, snacks, a blanket, a portable fan & sunscreen. There are restrooms to be able to change. If you have a baby there is a baby changing table as well. There are water fountains. There are benches and little seating areas. The park is very clean & well kept. The staff that I've seen through the park are very polite. Every time we have come out, there has been a shaved ice mobile truck, they have all been very delicious and very refreshing, especially on sunny hot days usually they accept cash, cards and contactless payment. Most definitely would be perfect if it was more shaded but the kiddos would enjoy it no matter the weather.

I visited Pioneer Park a few days ago, and let me tell you, it's a little gem. Even though it's…read morereally small, it's so clean, tidy, and charming that it feels great to just sit and watch while your kids play -- or simply unplug for a bit from the rush of the day and breathe in some peace and quiet. I can't wait to see how the terrace project turns out, with its different spots to enjoy the evenings by the river.

Fletcher Beach is located one half mile south of Stuart Beach on A1A and just north of Gilbert's…read moreBar Refuge House Museum on Hutchinson Island. The Scott and Billie Fletcher Beach was purchased by Martin County in 1973. This is the only beach on this end of Hutchinson Island that I was easily able to find parking for. It does not have a lifeguard or restrooms so it is not as popular as some of the other beaches. While it may lack in amenities it is more secluded which is nice if you are looking for a more peaceful beach experience. From the parking area you just hike up a trail over the sand dune to the beach. The beaches on this part of Hutchinson Island have rocky looking outcroppings known as the Anastasia formation which was named by E. H. Sellards in 1912. The formation was deposited during the deposited during the late Pleistocene and the "rocks" are really sand and coquina limestone embedded with mollusk shells and sparry calcite. It forms cliffs and caves that form a habitat for sea life. It is not very comfortable on bare feet but it makes a lovely backdrop for pictures. If you are looking for a more off the beaten path beach, Fletcher Beach is ideal for sunbathing, beachcombing, wildlife watching, fishing, surfing, swimming, and photography.

This spot was a place that my parents decided to take me when I was visiting them in Florida for…read morethe holiday. They wanted to do something outdoorsy but safe so we decided to visit the beach for a bonfire. The beach was a quick drive from their condo and the parking was just off the road, and the parks department keeps the lot clean. You have to walk on a wooden path to get to the beach which is over a slight hill. The beach is large and well kept, we found a perfect spot to build a small fire and just relax and star gaze. As far as beaches go, it's a nice one! I didn't see any trash which is always impressive to me. This is a place I'd like to come back in the daylight to check out and do a traditional beach day. But if you want to enjoy a nice fire and beautiful night skies, this is your place! Kudos to to Florida and their awesome beaches.