Two birdwatching platforms give the Indian River Lagoon Greenway a distinctive rhythm: one is beside a mangrove pond, the other at the end of the trail. Between them, a boardwalk winds through mangroves from the edge of the coastal forest to the shore of the Indian River Lagoon. In Indian River County’s public outdoor recreation system, waterfront promenades and trails along the lagoon are among the ways to explore the landscape on foot.
Trails Among Mangroves, Wetlands, and the Lagoon
At the Oyster Bar Marsh Conservation Area, you can compare two trails of different lengths: the Pollinator Trail is 500 feet long, while the loop along the Indian River Lagoon is three miles. This lets you choose between a short walk and a longer loop, without suggesting that the two options offer the same kind of nature experience.
At Harmony Oaks Conservation Area, too, an unpaved trail and a boardwalk pass through coastal forest and freshwater wetlands to the lagoon shoreline. North Sebastian Conservation Area offers more than ten miles of trails with boardwalks through wetlands; horseback riding is also permitted there. The different trail lengths and permitted uses help you choose outings based on what you’re looking for: a walk through wetlands or an area that also accommodates horseback riding.
Lost Tree Islands Conservation Area encompasses about 508 acres of uplands, wetlands, and submerged lands in the Indian River Lagoon area. Public access is via a boardwalk on the east side of Joe Earman Island; a hiking trail lets you explore part of the island. Captain Forster Hammock Preserve, meanwhile, includes mature maritime and hydric hammock forests, depression marshes, tidal mangrove swamps, and coastal strand. Captain Forster Hammock Preserve is part of the Great Florida Birding Trail.
More Protected Areas and Activities
Carson Platt Estate includes dry oak scrub, scrubby flatwoods, pine flatwoods, palmetto prairie, and forested and herbaceous wetlands. Public recreation opportunities there include horseback riding. Fellsmere Water Management Area offers opportunities for cycling and hiking along many miles of dikes; Fellsmere Grade Recreation Area also has a designated canoe and kayak launch. The area attracts migratory waterbirds and endangered wildlife species.
The scale of the natural areas is also part of the picture: Indian River County has more than 100,000 acres of protected conservation lands and 22.4 miles of beaches. For visitors, this offers different ways to experience the landscape and activities, from trails through wetlands to outings on the water. Kayaking and canoeing through protected conservation areas, as well as fishing in the river or the ocean, are among the activities available to visitors in the county.
Pelican Island: Conservation History and Trails
Pelican Island was designated the United States’ first national wildlife refuge in 1903 by an executive order issued by President Theodore Roosevelt. Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge encompasses the island along with more than 5,400 acres of protected waters and lands. The ¾-mile Centennial Walking Trail leads to a 500-foot-high, ADA-accessible observation tower with a boardwalk. The refuge’s public-use areas outside the Jungle Trail are open from 7:30 a.m. until sunset.
The Historic Jungle Trail offers a different distance: it begins at Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge and runs for eight miles through the coastal forest of a barrier island. Kayaking, boating, and swimming are possible in the lagoon waters around Pelican Island.
Culture and Garden Art
Museums and gardens also complement the natural attractions. McKee Botanical Garden is an 18-acre tropical garden listed on the National Register of Historic Places. More than 100 varieties of water lilies grow there each year. The Indian River Citrus Museum explains how citrus seeds reached Florida and displays artifacts, photographs, memorabilia, and crate labels. At the Vero Beach Museum of Art, the museum created the Alice and Jim Beckwith Sculpture Park in 2007; it has five art galleries. It offers tours of selected exhibitions for visitors of all ages by advance reservation. The Environmental Learning Center adds eco-excursions to the selection.
Discover more destinations: Vero Beach, Sebastian, Palm Beach, Miami-Dade, St. Johns, Taylor, Brevard, Pasco.
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