This park is part of a freshwater marsh or savana that used to cover the southeast coast of…read moreFlorida. This preserve is one of the longest remaining tracts of east coast savanna. It is 10 miles long stretching from Ft. Pierce to Jensen Beach.The term savanna for the marshland and ponds was first used by Lt. Colonel Benjamin Pierce during the Second Seminole Wars. In 1879 Captain Thomas Richards came here from Key West to plant pineapples which thrived in the sandy soil. From 1895 to 1920 Jensen Beach became the pineapple capital of the world. In 1977, 6,000 acres of land were acquired to create a park that protects this biologically unique ecosystem. Today the park offers many amenities to the nature enthusiast. There are 15 miles of trails for hikers, bikers, and equestrians. There is also a canoe and kayak launch. At 8:30 AM every Friday and Saturday morning volunteers lead two hour guided tours. Reservations are required and you can call this number: 772-398-2779. Fishing is available in the park if you have the proper license. If all of the fun outdoor sports makes you hungry there are a number of picnic shelters around the preserve. To learn more about the savannas you can go to the Visitor Center Education Center which is open Thursday through Monday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. I only got a chance to scratch the surface of this wonderful park and now I can't wait to come and explore it more fully. Admission to the park is $3 that you put into an envelope on the honor system. If you visit bring cash make sure to have the exact amount. The money goes to supporting a wonderful outdoor space rich in history, plants, and animals.

This is a three acre natural area on the north fork of the Loxahatchee River. Although the preserve…read moreis small there are three native ecosystems located here: pine trees and saw palmettos in the scrubby flatwoods, live oaks and cabbage palms in the mesic hammock, and red, black, and white mangroves and buttonwood in the mangrove swamp along the river. Mangroves are important because they help reduce erosion and they filter pollutants out of the water. Sixty species of native South Florida plants have been recorded here including common and giant wild pine air plants. Thirty-nine species of native South Florida animals have been documented including American redstart, Florida prairie warbler, osprey, swallow-tailed kite, west Indian manatee, and the endangered gopher tortoise. I had a very pleasant walk here. There are several well marked natural earth trails that take you from the road along the neighborhood down to the river. Along the way I saw a lot of birds and a gopher tortoise. This preserve is supposedly only accessible to pedestrians or those canoeing or kayaking but I found I was able to just park on the side of the road and didn't have any problem.

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.

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.

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.

Kitching Creek Preserve is a 51 acre natural area managed by Martin County. They acquired this…read moreformer vegetation recycling facility in 2009 to help restore the Central Flow Way of Kitching Creek and the Loxahatchee River. An engineering firm helped the county develop a way to capture water from a nearby ditch, hold it on-site in a series of lakes and wetlands, and then slowly discharge the water back into Kitching Creek and flowing into the Loxahatchee River. The project involved constructing a 24-acre lake with 8-acres of shallow marsh and wetland habitat. The lake and its surrounding ponds are an excellent place to bird watch. Bald eagles, roseate spoonbills, tri-colored herons, and osprey have all been spotted here. You may also come across alligators, otters, song birds, raptors, herons, and egrets. Around the lake and ponds is a mile long loop trail on natural earth. As I made my way around the lake I could hear the splash of alligators as they left the bank for the water. It is nice to know they are more afraid of me than the other way around. I also saw a few birds like a great blue heron and a couple of egrets. This an easy and scenic hike that anyone can do. Martin County offers free guided hikes of this and their other natural areas on their website along with many other great events.

This park is named for Joseph Frances O' Mara. He loved the beauty of the Indian River Lagoon and…read morehis parents donated part of the land for the park in his honor. Adjacent to the parking lot is a picnic pavilion. A boardwalk takes you from the parking lot across the wetlands as you travel through a red mangrove swamp. The mangroves are an important part of the ecosystem because they prevent coastal erosion and provide a home for fish, mollusks, crab, and shrimp, that are the basis of the food chain for the marine life in the coastal communities. The biodiversity of this area makes it popular with researchers. The boardwalk ends at an overlook that people use for fishing the Indian River Lagoon. There is also a floating dock.

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.