This preserve takes it's name from the last recorded Native America bear hunt on Hutchinson Island…read more It was purchased and restored with funds from St. Lucie County, the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Communities Trust. The land serves as a mitigation site for improving water quality. The 13 acres of the preserve has mangroves that run alongside the Indian River lagoon. The mangroves provide a habitat for fish and wading birds. Manatees and turtles make their home in the lagoon. Amenities include a one mile trail, an elevated observation platform, two covered picnic tables, and a 450 foot long fishing pier. This preserve is part of the State of Florida's 2,000 mile long Great Florida Birding Trail which offers the chance to spot native and migrating birds. The best time to see the birds is early morning and and evening. Birds that have been recorded here include the Wood Stork, Great Egret, Roseate Spoonbill, Reddish Egret, Green Herons, Night Herons, and wood warblers.

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.

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.

Osprey Acres Stormwater Park and Nature Preserve is an 83.7 acre park created in 2019 at a cost of…read more$7.4 million dollars. It serves the primary function of removing nitrogen and phosphorous from Osprey Marsh next door and from area canals. Since 2015 Osprey March has been removing dissolved nutrients from canal water and from the South County Water Treatment Plant's reverse osmosis brine discharge. Osprey Acres was going to be a 400 home development but was saved from development when Indian River County purchased the land to create a stormwater treatment facility to clean the water before it enters the Indian River Lagoon. While the main purpose of the park is to clean the reclaimed water, a welcome byproduct is that it attracts a lot of wildlife. Wetland parks are some of my favorite kind of parks because they attract a variety of wildlife including wading birds, migrating birds, lizards, turtles, and alligators. Osprey Acres preserved over 60 acres of native upland habitat and created 17 acres of aquatic habitat for fish and waterfowl. Some of the animals you might see here are gopher tortoises, osprey, southern black racer, alligator, river otter, coral snake, marsh rabbit, bobcat, water moccasin, great horned owl, racoon, and eastern indigo snake. Natural earth walking trails traverse through Florida ecosystems that include uphill pine, mesic oak hammock, a small scrub area, and manmade wetlands. There are five hiking trails totaling about 3.8 miles: a 1.8 mile main trail, two .6 mile trails called Marsh Rabbit Run and Bobcat Run, and two .4 mile trails called Woodpecker Way and Gopher Tortoise Trail. Osprey Acres brings together much needed stormwater treatment with recreational and wildlife viewing opportunities making them accessible to the community. Osprey Acres is open every day except Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Note that there are no restrooms and dogs are not allowed.

This place was awesome! Definitely need bug spray but once applied it's worth the walk. Beautiful…read moretrails leading to the water. Benches throughout the trails to take a brake even a picnic table to stop and snack. Very shaded and well kept. I had a wonderful day exploring here.

Tranquil hiking trail with bridges , mangroves, lagoon , and several paths. Didn't see much of…read morewildlife, but enjoyed beautiful scenic walk. Definitely apply bug spray before you venture here.

I love finding hidden little spots. This was an unexpected surprise for me. It was unexpected…read morebecause I was not expecting to find this little piece of history in the middle of a residential neighborhood. Snuggle right between the houses. It made my day. The fort is surrounded by big trees. You know the kind of trees that have been aloud to grow all over. The branches are huge. They are beautiful. It was a nice to visit. I had a great time taking pictures. It's a historical site. The area has signs all around telling the history. I found it interesting to be there. There is plenty of parking around and a cool place to visit.

Almost drove by this small park that is located across the street from the Indian River Lagoon…read more This is the site of the Old Fort Pierce but has a lot of historical significance other than having been the site of F Peirce. It is located on the National Register of Historic Places. The site is also a burial ground for the Ais - a tribe of Indians who lived here about 1,000 years ago. This is a very peaceful, restful site that allows you to relax while watching the sites and the river.

My heart will always be fond of Rivergate as I have so many amazing childhood memories, especially…read morethe friendly squirrels, raccoons, and sea otters that were thriving here! Oh, and a big ole alligator that had no qualms about sunbathing and showing off to us onlookers! The brush has no long overgrown where he (or she) used to hang out for us all to see (and some people would feed him too ... but he was still a hunter ... and I would see him go after birds in the water which was cool and sad all at once ... like an episode of National Geographic). Since then things have changed a lot. I haven't seen any raccoons on my last few visits. I was told feral cats and fisherman ruined the population of cute animals that called this place home. They expanded on greatly to the walkway, which would be great, except that they didn't keep it wooden. It's metal and doesn't look great. It reminds me of being back up in NY with its cold appeal and just doesn't match the vibe at all. But the worse part and what is really affecting my rating is how utterly filthy it is! Sure, the area of the parking lot and ramps are nice. But walk the walkway.. there is endless trash everywhere. To the point I was taking pictures of birds down there and yes my pictured are ruined with trash but actual important thing is the poor wildlife walking around in this! Why?? Where are the funds going to clean this park? There is no excuse for this. It is unfair for us to build and use their homes for our leisure and then not treat it with the respect it deserves. Again, I went here almost everyday of my childhood and so did my family. The only "litter" you would see is some fishing string and bobbers from some people who snagged their lines where the water is. This was literally human garbage all over while looking down from the walkway that goes in and out from the parking lot to the water where the extended walkway is. I hope someone will see this and care and have this cleaned up. I reside in NY and have no idea who to contact or what to do but if someone is down there and has a point of contact ... please walk through the trees and look down at all of the trash and see if something can be done. Floridas wildlife deserves better than to live in our filth. On the plus side, it is still a peaceful place, there are two ramps to back your boat in, the parking lot is huge, there is an area next to the ramps to clean your fish and such, with a working hose. There's crab around which is fun for the kids to see (and adults if you're me), and when the sun is going down you can see gators swimming about by watching for their eyes. You can watch for smaller pretty creatures too in the flowers, like Florida lubbers (colorful and gentle grasshopper of a larger size). The best way to see all of these is to be still and quiet and mindful of them (which I find best achieved going alone). It is truly a lovely zen place but please please please clean it up and if you're visiting put your garbage in the appropriate garbage cans or bring it home with you. Don't make the lazy choice to litter. So many creatures die or are critically injured from our litter, you just don't see it happen as you drop it and walk away. It takes no extra effort just to walk your trash to garbage can. Be kind to our planet :)

Veterans Park at Rivergate is a delightful six acre park that offers many kinds of outdoor…read moreadventures for boaters, anglers, and nature lovers. If you are a boater, the park has three boat ramps along with free car and trailer parking. You can launch your watercraft right on to the beautiful St. Lucie River. For those coming to cookout, even large groups can be accommodated in the large pavilion with 10 six foot picnic tables, one eight foot tables, lights, electricity, water, and 2 large grills. Smaller groups can make use of three family pavilions with grills. My favorite part of the park was the boardwalk that leads you through the natural habitat of the St. Lucie River. Fishing is permitted and you can get a great view of the wildlife that calls the river home. The scenic views of the river add a serene backdrop that enhances the overall peaceful atmosphere of the park. Birdwatching is a popular activity here, with various species often spotted along the riverbank. This park is a hidden gem that has something for everyone to enjoy.

We stopped here to breakup our drive to a state park in central Florida, it's a beautiful area! We…read morewalked around a bit, got our feet in the ocean, and noted all of the turtle nests! Want to come back here one day soon for a beach day! The water was gorgeous that day as well! Check out this area/park/beach if you are in the area! They have a board walk as well!

If you're looking to soak up the sun, catch some waves, and maybe beat your own record for the…read morenumber of snacks eaten under an umbrella--Jaycee Park is your new happy place. The beach? Pristine. The water? Perfectly blue with just the right amount of wave action to feel like a surfer (even if you're just boogie boarding like a champ). The park area behind the beach is ideal for taking a break from the heat--plenty of shaded pavilions, a volleyball court, and a playground for the little ones who still somehow have more energy than a triple espresso. What really makes Jaycee Park shine is how family-friendly and chill the vibes are. You've got locals grilling, kids building sandcastles that'll be gone in one tide, and beachgoers just vibing to the sound of waves. Plus, the accessibility and parking make it a no-stress zone from the moment you pull up. So grab your sunscreen, flip-flops, and your most extra beach floatie--Jaycee Park is where it's at!