Interconnected with different group parks through a broad concrete path that fronts School Waterway, Lengthy Creek Nature Protect sits within the midst of residential Palm Coast.
Between the 2 waterways it touches, it has two very totally different waterfronts: one tamed, one pure, the expanse of estuary on Lengthy Creek a spotlight.
Lengthy CreekWhereas a small protect, it’s a stunning one for households to discover and options accessible surfaces: a sidewalk, boardwalks, and hardpacked shellrock footpaths.
Boaters and paddlers can use the boat ramp on School Waterway, whereas the floating launch on Lengthy Creek requires wheeling your kayak nearly 1 / 4 mile.
Boat ramp on School WaterwayAssets
Overview
Location: Palm CoastLength: 0.7 milesTrailhead: 29.583109, -81.212807Address: 1050 Palm Harbor Pkwy, Palm CoastFees: FreeRestroom: On the trailheadLand Supervisor: Metropolis of Palm CoastPhone: 386-986-2323
Open dawn to sundown. Leashed canine welcome; decide up after your pet. Picnic tables offered. Fishing welcome.
Instructions
Hike
Stroll all the way down to the waterfront by the boat ramp and switch proper to stroll alongside School Waterway, a channel created for residents of Palm Coast to achieve the Intracoastal.
A boardwalk pier extends over the channel throughout from a man-made waterfall on the other shore.
Boardwalk alongside School WaterwayBe a part of it for a brief stroll above the water, anticipating manatees and wading birds. The broad waterfront stroll ends at a pedestrian gate not far previous the boardwalk.
Return underneath dappled shade to hitch a unique boardwalk, this one extending east right into a nook of the estuary.
Boardwalk alongside estuaryTall, skinny cabbage palms hover above a understory of mangroves. Curve by a view throughout the creek basin previous benches inset within the boardwalk.
At 0.2 miles, the boardwalk ends at a compacted shell footpath. Flip left, skimming previous the north fringe of the parking space into the coastal hammock.
Footpath within the coastal hammockSand dwell oaks draped in Spanish moss arch overhead. At a Y junction, the suitable fork empties into the picnic space close to the car parking zone. Bear left to remain on the path.
Shaded by a better cover of timber and outlined by noticed palmetto, the broad path rounds a bend, revealing an commentary deck.
Shaded commentary deckThis perch with benches overlooks the identical cove within the Lengthy Creek basin as the sooner boardwalk.
Proceed alongside the curves to search out one other commentary deck, this one with going through benches at a broader view of the estuary.
Commentary deck with viewEnter the dappled shade of the coastal hammock previous it, Spanish moss swaying in a persistent breeze. At one other break up within the path, proceed straight forward.
Attain the boardwalk to Lengthy Creek. A map on an interpretive panel illustrates the paddling route that this touchdown is alongside.
Begin of the boardwalkEnterprise out of the forest alongside the boardwalk for a wraparound view of the creek basin.
Past this open plain of needlerush and younger mangroves, tall pines rise on the far shore.
Tide-sculpted channels ease water in direction of the principle movement of the creek, encountered on the touchdown on the finish of the boardwalk.
Lengthy CreekFlowing northward, Lengthy Creek winds its method to the Matanzas River basin, emptying into it close to the south finish of Washington Oaks Gardens State Park.
For these as much as wheeling their kayak a distance, a launch is constructed into the platform. Returning alongside the boardwalk, benefit from the views up a cove adjoining Palm Harbor Pkwy.
Return alongside boardwalkLeaving the boardwalk behind, veer left to finish the circuit of the coastal hammock, the pathway skimming previous the open cove.
Anticipate to listen to osprey overhead, as they nest in close by timber. Weaving between oak trunks and palms, sweep previous a view of the doorway highway into the protect at a half mile.
View of the coveProceed round a curve underneath the oaks to a T intersection, finishing a small loop. Flip left to return alongside the graded path, following it previous a boardwalk turnoff.
Emerge onto the concrete path alongside School Waterway. Flip left to exit previous the turtle sculpture to the parking space to finish this 0.7 mile stroll.
Sculpture adjoining the parking spacePath Map
Discover Extra!
Video
Mountain climbing Lengthy Creek Nature Protect
Slideshow
See our images from Lengthy Creek Nature Protect
Close by Adventures
Official Web site
Creator of over 40 books, Sandra Pal established FloridaHikes.com in 2006 to broaden on the sector analysis she’d accomplished for her first six mountain climbing guides. She has been honored with lifetime achievement awards from the Florida Path Affiliation and the Florida Out of doors Writers Affiliation.
