• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Florida Hikes logo

Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

  • Trails
  • Maps
  • Guidebooks
  • Search
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
Path through tall grass between pines

DuPuis WMA

Explore nearly 22,000 acres of public land near Lake Okeechobee on extensive networks of trails for hikers, cyclists, and equestrians.

Ocean to Lake Greenway  |  Indiantown
( 27.010799, -80.550903 )      

An expansive preserve west of Stuart, DuPuis WMA provides a wild getaway for outdoor enthusiasts from coastal communities.

The skies are starry; the landscape immense. A portion of the 61-mile Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail between the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Okeechobee runs through it.

A nature center provides an overview of the preserve with its interpretive information and nature trail.

Miles of graded roads provide cyclists room to roam, and access for hunters during established hunting seasons.

Three picnic areas — at Governor’s House, The Pond, and DuPuis Grade — provide day destinations.

A chain of loop trails offers day hikers and backpackers an immersion in the backcountry of this South Florida gem.

Trailhead at DuPuis Main trailhead at DuPuis WMA


Resources

Resources for exploring the area

Florida Trail Hikes book cover The Florida Trail Guide book cover Florida Trail small coffee table book South Florida Explorers Guide book cover

Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.


Overview

Location: Indiantown
Trailhead: 27.010799, -80.550903
Address: 23500 SW Kanner Highway, Canal Point
Fees: Free
Restroom: At nature center
Land manager: South Florida Water Management District
Phone: 561-924-5310

Open 24 hours. Small campground and primitive campsites available. Camping permits available online, see link at bottom of page.

Managed jointly with Florida Fish & Wildlife, DuPuis is a busy hunting destination during all hunting seasons. Check ahead before your hike.

If hiking during hunting season, wear bright orange clothing or an orange pack cover.

Picnic pavilion amid palms


Directions

 
From Interstate 95 southbound from points north, take exit 101, Stuart. Follow SR 76 west for 21 miles to the entrance gate on the left.
 
From Interstate 95 in Jupiter, use the SR 706 exit. Follow SR 706 west 11.8 miles to where it meets SR 710 (Indiantown Rd) and turn north. Continue 7.5 miles to SR 76 and turn west. Or, from south of Jupiter, use PGA Blvd west to reach SR 710. Turn north and drive 19 miles to SR 76. Follow SR 76 west from SR 710 for 7.1 miles to the entrance.

About the Reserve

A restored ranch acquired as part of a ribbon of greenway between the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Okeechobee, DuPuis WMA protects a vast landscape.

It’s a mosaic of prairies and pine flatwoods, cypress strands and cypress domes. Across nearly 22,000 acres, it provides wildlife room to roam.

Being close to bustling coastal communities means recreation is part of managing the preserve, with camping and trails available to a variety of users.

Post says campsite Side trail to primitive campsite


Bicycling

A trail open to off-road cyclists begins at the Gate 2 trailhead.

Miles of packed limestone roads, called “grades,” also crisscross DuPuis WMA. Obtain a map at the trailhead or download one at the bottom of this page to plan a route.

Road edged by pines East-West Grade in DuPuis WMA


Camping

DuPuis has two campgrounds its Gate 3 entrance off SR 76. One is for equestrians only, the other for campers who obtain a Special Use License online.

Two primitive campsites are along the lengthy DuPuis Loop, one along Loop 2 and another along Loop 4.

A third primitive site is along the Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail at the land boundary with adjoining Corbett WMA.

Each has first-come, first served sites near a picnic table and fire ring. Loop 4 provides a pitcher pump. Water must be filtered.

Tents in fog Misty morning at Loop 4 campsite


Hiking

DuPuis WMA offers hikers several options. The shortest, family-friendly option is the interpretive trail at the nature center.

The DuPuis Loops encompass a stacked chain of loop trails built and maintained by the Loxahatchee chapter of the Florida Trail Association.

The trail system is accessed via a 0.8 mile connector from the main trailhead off SR 76. A hike on Loop 1 from that trailhead is 4.8 miles, and on Loop 2, 7.2 miles.

Loops 3 and 4 are best suited for trail running or backpacking trips. They interconnect with the Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail, sharing the Loop 4 campsite for both routes.

A hike from the primary trailhead around the entire perimeter of the DuPuis Loops tallies nearly 19 miles, and includes a portion of the Ocean to Lake.

A trip from that trailhead to Powerline Campsite and back is nearly 30 miles. Terrain can be wet and rugged in places.

Backpackers on trail Hiking in the pine flatwooods


Trail Map

DuPuis WMA trail map

DuPuis WMA Trail Map. Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail in orange. DuPuis Loops in red.

Explore More!

Hikes within DuPuis WMA

Well worn path through a wet pine flatwoods landscape

DuPuis Loop Trail

Made up of four stacked loops, the DuPuis Loop Trail lets you tailor your length of hike from 5.3 to 16.5 miles.

Trail through tall grass and pines

DuPuis Loops 1 & 2

Explore wetlands that are “for the birds” by day hiking the northernmost portion of the DuPuis Loop Trails.

Hiking trail through pines and palms

Florida Trail, Ocean to Lake: DuPuis WMA

On this western end of the Ocean-to-Lake section of the Florida Trail, this linear hike leads to the heart of DuPuis WMA, zigzagging through pine forests and cypress domes.

Hiker in a dry cypress strand

Florida Trail, Ocean to Lake: DuPuis to Corbett

Deep in the heart of the Ocean-to-Lake Greenway, this 9.7 mile segment of the Florida Trail bridging DuPuis Reserve and Corbett WMA is one of the most wild and scenic treks in southeastern Florida

Slideshow

See our photos from DuPuis WMA


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Florida Trail, Pahokee

Florida Trail, Pahokee to Port Mayaca

11.7 miles. An ocean-like expanse, Lake Okeechobee is open water to the horizon along the long arc between Pahokee and Port Mayaca

Florida Trail, Port Mayaca to Henry Creek

Florida Trail, Port Mayaca to Henry Creek

14 miles. In an arc between ancient natural shoreline and expansive waters, this hike along Lake Okeechobee’s eastern shore offers unparalleled vistas

Rafael Sanchez Trail

Rafael Sanchez Trail

Snaking through an oh-so-slender slice of the rocky Okeechobee Ridge, the relict shoreline of Lake Okeechobee, the Rafael Sanchez Trail stays in deep shade for its 5.7 mile traverse of this skinny stretch of forest.

South Fork Nature Trail

South Fork Nature Trail

Along one of the Treasure Coast’s most scenic waterways, the South Fork Nature Trail shows off the best side of the South Fork of the St. Lucie River

Trail Map (PDF) Hunt Dates Reserve Campsite Official Website

Category: Backpacking, Day Hikes, Equestrian, Hikes, Loop Hikes, Nature Trails, Off Road Biking, Southeast Florida, Trails, Water Management Areas, Wildlife Management AreasTag: Boardwalks, Car Camping, Dog-friendly, DuPuis WMA, Indiantown, Observation Towers, Picnic, Port Mayaca, Stuart, Wildlife Viewing

Have an update? Contact us.

Primary Sidebar

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA OVERVIEW
East Coast Greenway. Everglades National Park. Florida Trail

Big Pine Key. Biscayne Bay. Biscayne National Park. Boca Raton. Boynton Beach. Coral Gables. Davie. Delray Beach. Northeast Everglades Natural Area . Florida Keys. Fort Lauderdale. Fort Pierce. Hobe Sound. Hollywood. Homestead. Islamorada. Jensen Beach. Jupiter. Juno Beach. Key Biscayne. Key Largo. Key West. Marathon. Miami. Ocean to Lake Greenway. Overseas Heritage Trail. Palm Beach. Port St. Lucie. Redland. Sebastian. Stuart. Vero Beach. West Palm Beach

Our Newest Books

The Florida Trail Guide

The Florida Trail GuideOur definitive guidebook to planning backpacking trips on the Florida National Scenic Trail, now in its fourth edition. Full data charts and maps. B&W, 356 pages. $19.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now


Florida Trail Hikes

Florida Trail Hikes 2nd edition coverFifty of the best day hikes, overnights, and weekend trips on the Florida Trail. Full hike descriptions and maps, full color. 376 pages. $24.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now


Discovering the Florida Trail

Florida Trail mini coffee table book cover of trail into palm hammock
A visual journey the length of the Florida Trail, covering more than 1,500 miles from the Everglades to Pensacola Beach. Hardcover, 196 pages. $24.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now
 


50 Hikes in Central Florida 3rd edition
Five Star Trails Orlando guidebook
Explorer's Guide North Florida & The Panhandle guidebook

Florida Trail Apps

Farout GuidesFarout Guides Comprehensive logistics and offline maps for the
Florida National Scenic Trail (1,500 miles), the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail (108 miles), and the ECT Florida Connector (92 miles).

Explore More

Our recent park & trail updates in this region

Well worn path through a wet pine flatwoods landscape

DuPuis Loop Trail

DuPuis Loop Trail
Bike along bike path in greenway

East Coast Greenway Stuart

East Coast Greenway Stuart
Nature trail in pine-palm forest

Gomez Preserve

Gomez Preserve
Hiker in red against mangroves on boardwalk

Peck Lake Park

Peck Lake Park

Footer

FIND A TRAIL OR PARK

NORTHWEST FLORIDA
Apalachicola. Apalachicola National Forest. Blackwater River State Forest. Blountstown. Bonifay. Bristol. Cape San Blas. Carrabelle. Chattahoochee. Chipley. Crawfordville. Crestview. DeFuniak Springs. Destin. Ebro. Eglin Air Force Base. Fort Walton Beach. Freeport. Gulf Islands National Seashore. Madison. Marianna. Milton. Monticello. Mossy Head. Navarre Beach . Niceville. Panama City Beach. Pensacola. Ponce De Leon. Port St. Joe. Quincy. Sopchoppy. South Walton. St. Marks. St. Marks NWR. Tallahassee. Vernon. Wakulla. Wewahitchka

NORTH FLORIDA
Alachua. Amelia Island. Baldwin. Branford. Bunnell. Cedar Key. Chiefland. Crescent City. Dowling Park. Ellaville. Fernandina Beach. Flagler Beach. Gainesville. Green Cove Springs. High Springs. Jacksonville. Keystone Heights. Lake Butler.Lake City. Live Oak. Mayo. Macclenny. Micanopy. Olustee. Orange Park. Osceola National Forest. Palatka. Palatka-Lake Butler Trail. Palm Coast. Perry. Salt Springs. St. Augustine. Starke. Steinhatchee. Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. Suwannee Springs. Talbot Islands. Timucuan Preserve. Trenton. Welaka. White Springs. Williston

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo

MULTI-REGION
Big Cypress Swamp. East Coast Greenway. Everglades National Park. Florida National Scenic Trail

CENTRAL FLORIDA
Apopka. Belleview. Brandon. Brooksville. Bushnell. Canaveral National Seashore. Christmas. Chuluota. Clearwater Beach. Clermont. Coast to Coast Trail. Cocoa Beach. Cross Florida Greenway. Crystal River. Dade City. Daytona Beach. De Leon Springs. DeBary. Deland. Deltona. Dunedin. Dunnellon. Frostproof. Geneva. Inverness. Kenansville. Kissimmee. Lake Mary. Lake Wales. Lakeland. Largo. Leesburg. Longwood. Melbourne. Melbourne Beach. Merritt Island. Merritt Island NWR. Mims. Mount Dora. New Port Richey. New Smyrna Beach. Ocala. Ocala National Forest. Ocklawaha. Orlando. Ormond Beach. Osteen. Oviedo. Palm Bay. Ridge Manor. Sanford. Silver Springs. Spring Hill. St. Cloud. St. Petersburg. Tampa. Tarpon Springs. Titusville . Walt Disney World. Weeki Wachee. Winter Springs. Withlacoochee State Forest. Withlacoochee State Trail. Yeehaw Junction

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
Bradenton . Charlotte Harbor. Ding Darling NWR. Englewood. Estero. Fort Myers. Immokalee. Naples. Pine Island. Port Charlotte. Punta Gorda. Sanibel Island. Sarasota. Venice

SOUTH FLORIDA
Arcadia. Basinger. Big Cypress National Preserve. Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. Clewiston. Everglades City. Fisheating Creek. Lake Okeechobee. Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. Lake Placid. LaBelle. Lakeport. Moore Haven. Okeechobee. Pahokee. Port Mayaca. Sebring. South Bay

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
Big Pine Key. Biscayne Bay. Biscayne National Park. Boca Raton. Boynton Beach. Coral Gables. Davie. Delray Beach. Northeast Everglades Natural Area. Florida Keys. Fort Lauderdale. Fort Pierce. Hobe Sound. Hollywood. Homestead. Islamorada. Jensen Beach. Jupiter. Juno Beach. Key Biscayne. Key Largo. Key West. Marathon. Miami. Ocean to Lake Greenway. Overseas Heritage Trail. Palm Beach. Port St. Lucie. Redland. Sebastian. Stuart. Vero Beach. West Palm Beach

  • Trails
  • Parks
  • Beaches
  • Gardens
  • Springs
  • Ecotours
  • Attractions
©2006-2023, Sandra Friend & John Keatley | Disclosure | Site Index | Work with Us | Advertise with Us
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy | Florida Hikes PO Box 93 Mims FL 32754| Contact