The Hawks Bluff Nature Trail located off of County Line Road provides for about a mile loop trail that backs up to Lake Eden, offering for a superb fishing spot as well as a visit into an area of higher elevation (sometimes up to 40 feet) onto the Atlantic Coastal Scrub Ridge—a Florida Mountain! The scrub ridge is listed as a globally imperiled habitat and is home to critters like the Florida Scrub Jay and wading birds such as the Roseate Spoonbill. The South End Lookout Trail is a less than a mile one way hike through Flatwoods to an observation platform that looks out on the southern basin marsh. The south end is home to a nesting pair of eagles! There are also pavilions and bathroom facilities at the south end available for use while the park is open.
Offering over nine miles of trails one way, our north end of the Savannas trail system begins just west of the Canoe Launch. To access the Canoe launch stay left onto a ¾ mile dirt road from the main entrance to the park on Walton Road. The Canoe launch hosts a compost toilet, a look out dock, and two pavilions with picnic tables. These trails allow you to mix and match to make for a scenic hike through the Pine Flatwoods that suits your needs and distance. The Yellow loop has two bridges providing for scenic vistas into the basin marsh—a birder’s paradise! Not satisfied? Stay tuned, the Savannas will soon have the North and South end trails connect to offer over 15 miles of trails!
If you are in the Fort Pierce area or are willing to make the drive, the Miller Property trails boast a host of wonderful sites. From the hardwood hammock ecosystem that borders the north fork of the St Lucie River to the dry prairie section of the trail, the not well traveled Miller Property is a beautiful depiction of South Florida habitat. When the Army Corps of Engineers straightened the St Lucie River they took out the natural oxbows in the river. This was the case within the Miller Property until recently when the oxbow was restored to provide a natural tidal flow as well as native vegetation. Come see for yourself the wild orchids and other wildflowers on the almost two miles of trails in southern Fort Pierce.
Located off of Route 1 just north of Village Green Drive, the St Lucie River Preserve fondly referred to as the Halpatiokee Nature Trail is a less than one mile loop trail that travels through three different ecosystems- Pine Flatwoods, Scrub, and an Estuarine system. Managed by the Savannas Preserve State Park this trail backs up to a scenic dock located on the north fork of the St. Lucie River. Venture away from US-1 to step into a wilder side of Port Saint Lucie!
If you are looking for a short quarter mile walk near the Education Center, the Glass Lizard Trail is your hike of choice! A journey through a Pine Flatwoods habitat loops around to the marsh edge of what can be commonly referred to as an ‘ecotone’ or place where two ecosystems meet. For a longer hike, take a look at the Gopher Tortoise trail that spans roughly one mile through Flatwood terrain. Both trails can be accompanied by self guided hiking booklets that can be found within the Education Center and take you along various stops. The end of the trail leads you to our Equestrian Center, a parking lot where equine enthusiasts can bring their horses to trail ride through the park. Water and a trailer turn-around area are available. For the start to our major trail system see the “North End Trails” section on the website.
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