Patterson Botanical Garden – Florida Hikes - Primal Outdoor Members Portal

On some maps because the FIT Botanical Gardens, the Patterson Botanical Backyard is a lush oasis of tropical plantings in an city setting.

A key function of the Florida Tech campus alongside Babcock Avenue in Melbourne, these 15 cultivated acres are dwelling to a notable assortment of palms.

Palms are a key function of the gardens

Laced by waterways feeding the floodplain of Crane Creek, backyard niches with benches present getaways for studying and leisure.

Seven interconnecting named trails make up the path community. Make a straightforward loop of a mile or much less alongside the perimeter of the gardens.

Tannic creek beyond screen of vegetation

Crane Creek

Assets

Overview

Location: MelbourneLength: 1 mileTrailhead: 28.06608, -80.621938Address: 2900 S Babcock St, MelbourneFees: FreeRestroom: Evans LibraryLand Supervisor: Florida TechPhone: 321-674-8000

Open each day dawn to sundown. Free parking cross required on weekends. No canine, bicycles, or skateboards. Many pathways are accessible.

For the sake of the plantings and to keep away from toxic vegetation, keep on the outlined trails and patios.

Instructions

From Interstate 95 exit 176, Palm Bay, comply with Palm Bay Rd east 2 miles to Babcock St. Flip left and drive 2 miles north. On weekends, flip left at Panther Place to select up a free parking cross from campus safety for parking zone 16, which is one other 0.2 mile north alongside Babcock St on the left

Hike

An indication for the library and backyard factors to an extended coated bridge, a rain-sheltered boardwalk by means of a floodplain full of palms.

It units the tone for the transition to nature, ushering guests into the pure tropical setting of the backyard.

Coated bridge

The place the boardwalk ends, the Evans Library is to the left. Flip proper. The primary of many picnic benches are set within the shade.

Behind the backyard signal and the Molly Butterfly Backyard, a shiny crimson schoolhouse invitations inspection.

Butterfly backyard

Flip left on the inscribed stone for the Dent Smith Path, which lies straight forward. Tucked beneath the tropical tree cover, there’s a little crimson schoolhouse.

It’s Melbourne’s oldest surviving college. It was constructed alongside the Indian River Lagoon in 1883 and moved to campus in 1970 as a part of a historic preservation effort.

Historic schoolhouse

Observe the curving path previous it to the Dent Smith Path and make a left on the signal. Enter a cultivated palm hammock.

Interspersed with native cabbage palms are planted species with identification markers. Flip left on the subsequent signal in the direction of the Turtle Pond Patio and Bamboo Path.

Backyard locations are effectively marked

Cross the primary of a sequence of two mid-century arched concrete footbridges, coming to the Coronary heart of Palm Plaza. Tall palms and pagoda-roofed benches are on the left.

The turtle pond shimmers on the base of a wall of vegetation to the suitable. Strategy it, and the turtles paddle by means of the tannic waters to method you.

Turtle pond

The central pathway leads in the direction of one other arched bridge with campus buildings seen past atop a bluff.

Flip left at that bridge to comply with the waterway flowing beneath it. Cross a bridge by the Bamboo Path signal to comply with this slender path by means of lush palm plantings.

Arched bridge

After a second bridge, veer proper on a path adjoining a raised boardwalk by means of the palms. Stairs result in the boardwalk, which heads into campus on the suitable.

Flip left for a better perspective of the palm gardens under. The boardwalk broadens and has benches atop it.

Boardwalk above gardens

At this finish, it hyperlinks to a campus inexperienced and walkways between buildings. Behind a marker, comply with the Bamboo Path downhill.

Sweeping left previous an enormous traveler’s palm, cross an arched bridge to finish a small loop.

Descend the Bamboo Path

Flip proper and parallel the waterway again to the Coronary heart of Palm Plaza, 0.3 miles into the stroll.

This time cross the bridge to the left to benefit from the array of palms on this aspect of the waterway.

Return to the plaza, cross the turtle pond, and make a left after the primary arched bridge to start out the Creek Department Loop.

Creek Department Loop

This concrete walkway meanders by means of lush tropical plantings. After the subsequent arched bridge, notice the burble of the waterway on the left.

This tiny stream flows in the direction of Crane Creek, making sinuous curves with erosional options.

Waterway alongside path

Meet the sting of a grove of palms the place a mulched path vanishes into their shade.

Stick with the concrete path amid a riot of philodendron, ferns, and palms. Curve previous a pagoda-roofed bench 0.4 mile into the stroll.

Ferns and philodedrons around a concrete path

A riotous inexperienced hall

On the subsequent mulched path into the palm grove, an indication encourages you to remain on the Creek Department Loop to go to Huge Pagoda.

We discovered it blocked off on the opposite aspect of the subsequent arch bridge. As a substitute, flip onto the mulch path for a stroll beneath tall oaks and palms draped in philodedrons.

Philodedron vines scaling tall tree trunks

An uncommon forest setting

Emerge at a footpath with a view of the ditched Crane Creek within the northeast nook of the backyard. This footpath slips right into a extra pure hammock.

After a brief stretch with views of the water, arrive on the huge pagoda-topped bench at 0.6 miles.

Pagoda on Crane Creek

Proceed alongside this nice footpath over a picket bridge into the palm hammock. An indication factors out Emmett’s Fountain.

It’s a brief aspect journey to a bridge and grotto with a man-made waterfall cascading down a limestone wall.

Pure pool close to Emmett’s Fountain

The walkway previous it emerges on the north finish of Lot 16, so comply with the subsequent path to the suitable to tunnel deeper into the palm hammock as a substitute.

Cross a picket bridge alongside the broad pure path and bear proper by means of the palms to comply with the worn path.

Strolling the sting of the palm hammock

Cross the subsequent picket bridge right into a grassy strip beneath the palms with one other pagoda bench. Flip proper.

Observe the footpath again to the Creek Department Loop. Make a left. The concrete walkway ends between the arch bridges alongside the Dent Smith Path.