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!!!!!

Pepper Beach Park is a nice beachside park in Port St Lucie county. It is next to the Navy Seal…read moremuseum which is certainly worth a visit as well. You'll find lots of parking here. The times SCW and I have been through here it's never been full. You'll also find restrooms, a kids playground, tennis courts and a baseball field. Of course the expected beach access as well. They have outdoor showers as well. Pepper Beach Park is a great Park along the A1A.

This is a 54 acre beach front park in Ft. Pierce. This park is named after long term democratic…read moreFlorida senator Claude Pepper who passed away in 1989. Pepper Park is located directly behind the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum. The Fort Pierce Amphibious Training Base opened here on Jan. 26, 1943 to train soldiers for WWII. This base trained the soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. Obstacles like the ones the Germans were placing to stop the Allied Forces during the war were put in the water off the shore of Ft. Pierce so boat drivers could practice eluding them and teams could practice blowing them up. At Omaha Beach one Fort Pierce based unit lost 33 men but were able to destroy 5 of the obstacles. More than 140,000 military personnel trained in St. Lucie County from 1943 to 1945, when at the time there were only 20,000 area residents. The objects remained in the water long after people started using the beach for recreation. Unfortunately some people were injured and in 1991 the government did a national cleanup of former military bases during which time the objects were removed and some were given to the SEAL Museum. This park is popular with snorkelers and divers because are several shallow nearshore reefs located less than 100 yards off the beach. Pepper park also the site of state's first underwater archaeological preserve, the Urca de Lima, which is located in about 20 feet of water. The shipwreck was discovered in 1928 by William J. Beach off of the coast of Ft. Pierce. Attempts to salvage the cargo yielded little except for one silver bar and cannons since the Spanish recovered most of the ships cargo in 1715. In 1985 and 1987 the wreck was mapped and in 1987 Florida's first archaeological underwater preserve opened. In 2001 the wreck was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Urca de Lima is featured in the Starz show Black Sails which was devised as a prequel to Treasure Island. Captain Flint buried the gold from the Urca de Lima on Treasure Island. Other park amenities include lifeguards on the beach, fishing, picnic pavilions with tables, grills, restrooms, and a playground shaped like a ship. There is so much history here and so much to enjoy and they don't even charge for parking. There is even overflow parking across the street. This is a great alternative if you don't want to pay the $6 entrance fee at the nearby Fort Pierce Inlet State Park.

Humiston Beach Park is one of those places that just works…read more Ocean views, tons of palm trees, clean grass, and plenty of shade so you're not getting cooked by the Florida sun. The covered pavilions are perfect for a quick break, a picnic, or post-run cooldown. Always a good mix of families, runners, cyclists, and beachgoers without feeling overcrowded. Best part? You're steps from the beach, food, and ice cream. Easy to park, easy to enjoy, hard to leave. Simple, scenic, and exactly what a beach park should be.

This is a great park with a little bit of everything -a play area with swings several covered…read moreareas for gatherings, seating options with sidewalks and grass options for walking around .There are bathrooms with changing rooms , sinks, soap, mirrors, hand dryers and usually they are kept clean and stocked to use. The covered areas and open areas have lots of seating and entertain with frequent festivals sometimes in mornings and others in the evenings with free parking. There are always extra toys and beach items left for others to use .I come here at least biweekly and it's a great place to enjoy!!

Sandpiper Bay Park is an 11.5 acre open space park established in 1999 in Port St. Lucie. I was…read morehiking in the area and decided to stop by and check it out. There is no established parking area but I noticed people were parking on the grass. The park is located on a canal where fishing is permitted but there is a sign warning about alligators. There is a small trail through the woods that runs along the canal. Along the way you will trees, pinecones, and a view of the water. The park also has picnic tables near the parking area making it a nice place to eat lunch in nature. Port St. Lucie really excels in their nature preserves. Their newest one is The Preserve in the Port District. Sandpiper Bay Park is a great spot for local families to walk their dog, have a picnic, or just taking a relaxing stroll among the trees.

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.

It was a beautiful day for a morning hike, and The Preserve is the perfect place to explore. This…read morebrand-new, 13-acre park is part of the Port District in Port St. Lucie. Built at a cost of $970,000, $400,000 of the funding came from a grant by the Florida Inland Navigation District, with the remainder supported through the Parks Impact Fee Capital Improvement Project. The park features half a mile of trails, including both boardwalks and natural earth paths that wind along the north fork of the St. Lucie River. The Preserve will be adjacent to The Grove, the city's planned entertainment district, which will feature restaurants and bars. The Port District also includes Pioneer Park, with a playground for children, and the Port St. Lucie History Museum and Education Center. The Preserve is part of the city's Naturally PSL: Green Spaces and Places Initiative, which aims to increase residents' access to parks, trails, and natural areas while connecting them to the environment and enhancing quality of life. This park is a wonderful addition to the area. The trails are easy to navigate and were being enjoyed by people of all ages. I especially appreciated the connection to the three-quarter-mile boardwalk along the river, complete with seating to sit back, relax, and watch the boats drift by.

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.

Richard E. Becker Preserve is located on what appears to be a busy street, but the day I was…read moredriving down it's, there was little traffic. I initially drove by, but since I like parks and preserves and stuff, I made a u-turn and pulled in here. It is not a huge place by any means, however it is rather tranquil and it was a good place to take a few minutes to just chill and escape the stress of the day-to-day grind.

Richard E Becker Preserve is a 13 acre preserve on Ten Mile Creek which is part of the head waters…read moreof the St. Lucie River North Fork. It is named after Richard E Beckerwho was the owner of the Becker Holding Corporation which is a citrus and agricultural business still operated by his family. In 2011, St. Lucie county was able to purchase the Becker property which allowed for the continuation of an important ecological corridor along the north fork of the St. Lucie River. Preserve amenities include a half mile hiking trail, observation deck overlooking the river, canoe/kayak launch, picnic tables, and gazebo. There are plans to open a nature center with exhibits. The habitats in this area are floodplain forest, scrub and pine flat woods, and primordial swamps and wetlands. Animals that make their home here include barred owls, North American river otters, wading birds, and butterflies. Richard E. Becker is a tranquil place to stroll around especially when combined with the other nature preserves in the chain.