Queens Island Preserve – Florida Hikes - Primal Outdoor Members Portal

Edging mangrove swamps and the uplands immediately behind them alongside the Indian River Lagoon, Queens Island Protect is lengthy and linear and often soggy.

Probably the most vital causes for its preservation was the invention of mounds of shell and sand offering clues to an historical tradition residing alongside the lagoon.

Trails traverse a mixture of lowlying coastal habitats

Among the mounds contained burials and damaged pottery courting to the Glades interval, 500 BC to 1513 AD.

Though the protect is underneath the safety of South Florida Water Administration District, it’s managed by the St. Lucie Mosquito Management District.

The trailhead close to the archaeological web site and launch is the place our hike begins

The path system is uncommon in that it has a variety of lifeless ends off a linear most important path. Maybe plans for connecting them with boardwalks haven’t but adopted by.

One drive-in entry level with two trailheads serves as a place to begin for strolling the protect and two companion tracts.

The protect features a central lagoon with an remark deck

With its personal separate path system, Queens Island Protect North lies north of an remark pier off the East Coast Greenway.

Throughout A1A, Queens Island Park offers seaside entry. It’s managed by St. Lucie County and has picnic tables you’ll be able to reserve.

The East Coast Greenway bike path paralleling A1A offers the primary connector between all segments of this protect and entry to Queens Island Park.

Use the East Coast Greenway to achieve Queens Island Protect North

Sources

Overview

Location: North Hutchinson IslandLength: 1.1 milesTrailhead: 27.518228, -80.310948Address: 4743 N Hwy A1A, Fort PierceFees: FreeRestroom: NoneLand Supervisor: St. Lucie Mosquito Management DistrictPhone: 772-462-2526

Open dawn to sundown. Leashed canines welcome besides at Queens Island Park seaside.

Anticipate mucky trails after a rain and through excessive tides. As a result of marl mud, footpaths might be slippery; a mountain climbing stick is beneficial.

There may be little shade and a variety of mangrove swamp. Use insect repellent and solar safety.

Instructions

From Interstate 95 exit 131 in Fort Pierce, take Orange Ave (CR 68) for 4.5 miles to US 1. Observe US 1 north for 1.7 miles. Flip proper on A1A and cross the bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway. Previous the doorway to Fort Pierce Inlet State Park, A1A makes a 90-degree flip north. Proceed north 2.5 miles to the flip in on the left. On the break up within the entrance highway, the left flip heads to the canoe launch with a big parking space, whereas the proper flip enters a really small parking space. We began our hike from the bigger lot close to the lagoon. Each tons are unpaved and might be mucky.

Hike

Throughout the parking space from the launch and signage for the Queens Island Midden, begin at a big signal at a walk-in hole subsequent to a gate.

On the park map, it’s known as Trailhead “H.” Instantly assembly a T intersection, flip left.

Trailhead entrance

The broad path passes a marker submit because it swings round a nook busy with cabbage palms. This spur shortly ends a wall of sea grapes.

Retreat previous the trailhead to proceed on the primary path. White mangroves tower alongside the footpath.

A mass of sea oxeye, a salt-loving sunflower, edges either side of the path.

Broad sand path with greenery both sides

Path edged by sea oxeye

On the subsequent path junction, flip left. The shell-flecked path narrows to enter a tunnel by the mangroves, crossing a large boardwalk.

Darkish waters circulation between mangrove roots. Previous a marker submit, this spur ends at a bench dealing with a wall of younger white mangroves.

First boardwalk

Retreat to the primary path and switch left. A patch of sand cordgrass offers a change of texture in a marshy thicket alongside the treeline separating the path from the park highway.

On the subsequent T intersection, the path to the proper enters the woods and leads on to the primary trailhead alongside A1A. Flip left.

Curve previous path junction

Rounding a curve previous a big ficus tree, the hall narrows on the ecotone between mangrove forest and tropical hammock.

Past a large boardwalk by the mangroves at 0.2 miles, meet a T intersection. Flip left.

Second boardwalk

Labeled Path G on the protect map, that is one other out-and-back off the primary path.

The marginally winding pathway sticks near a wall of mangrove fringing a creek simply out of view.

Coastal plain

Reverse is a coastal plain carpeted with sea oxeye, sea purslane, and salt-loving grasses. Skinny cabbage palms wave within the breeze.

Spherical a slight nook to cross a boardwalk over the creek underneath the shade of the mangroves.

Third boardwalk

Curving previous mangroves and sea grapes, wax myrtle and cabbage palms, the footpath will get tackier because it attracts nearer to the lagoon floodplain.

Cross a marker submit and enter the coastal plain once more. When this spur path ends at a bench, flip round and retrace your steps.

Fringe of the coastal plain

At a half mile, meet the path intersection the place you began down it. Proceed straight forward into the tropical hammock.

Emerge onto the East Coast Greenway bike path alongside A1A, dealing with Queens Island Park throughout the highway, a wild oceanfront entry level. There isn’t any crosswalk.

East Coast Greenway

Flip left to stroll north alongside the bike path. Inside a tenth of a mile, make a left onto the accessible boardwalk on the Statement Pier signal.

Crossing a densely foliated tropical hammock, transition into the mangrove forest at a flip close to an interpretive signal.

Boardwalk to the lagoon

A straightaway leads into the solar, extending out over a small lagoon and ending at an remark deck with a bench.

Mangroves line this huge lagoon. Condos rise above them to the north. Returning to the bike path, you’ve walked 0.8 miles.

Lagoon with condos towering above large mangroves

Lagoon on the finish of the boardwalk

That is your resolution level. A stroll north alongside the trail is the one method to attain the walk-in trailhead at Queens Island Protect North so as to add one other 1.1 miles.

To return to the Queens Island Protect trailhead the place you began, or to go to the seaside throughout A1A (no crosswalk offered) stroll south as an alternative.

Use both the footpath you exited or the exit of the trailhead alongside A1A to return to the primary path within the protect, backtracking to Trailhead H for a 1.1 mile hike.