East Coast Greenway, Port St. Lucie to Hobe Sound

The East Coast Greenway between Walton Rd in Port St. Lucie and Gomez Rd in Hobe Sound provides walkers and casual riders with two significant sections of greenway.

At the north end, the Green River Parkway Trail stretches four miles adjoining Savannas Preserve State Park north of Jensen Beach Blvd.

Bike path adjoining fence with tall pines

Riding along the edge of the pine flatwoods of Savannas Preserve

The 1.8 mile stretch south of Jensen Beach Blvd runs parallel to Haney Creek Preserve and provides access to several walk-in trailheads in this Martin County natural area.

South of Cove Rd in Port Salerno, cyclists and hikers have 2.6 miles of protected greenway alongside and inside Seabranch Preserve State Park and adjacent Gomez Preserve.

Sandy on a bike riding between pine trees

The bike path meanders through Seabranch Preserve

Between the preserves at either end of this segment, the route largely follows Old Dixie Highway into and out of the historic waterfront downtown of Stuart.

While bike lanes, sidepath, and sidewalks exist in a handful of places, riders should be comfortable riding in traffic lanes to traverse the full 17.6 miles end-to-end.

Detour signs and construction of train tracks

Riding with traffic through construction in downtown Stuart

Resources

Resources for exploring the area

South Florida Explorers Guide book cover

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Overview

Location: Stuart
Length: 17.6 miles linear
Trailhead: 27.26353, -80.25481
Fees: At Savannas Preserve State Park
Restroom: At parks along the route
Land manager: East Coast Greenway
Phone: 321-652-8569

Trail open 24 hours except where posted. Route confirming signage is minimal south of the Green River Parkway Trail.

In downtown Stuart and downtown Port Salerno, much of the route must be ridden on the road. Watch for cross-traffic and parallel parked cars.

Fees apply for parking at Savannas Preserve State Park at the north end of this ride, but restrooms with drinking fountains are provided.

Directions

From Interstate 95 exit 120, Crosstown Parkway, drive east into Port St. Lucie. It crosses US 1 after 6.8 miles. In another mile, make a left on SE Walton Rd. Follow it 1.9 miles east, passing the Education Center entrance to Savannas Preserve State Park. Turn right on Green River Parkway. The trail starts to the left. Your day ride options are to pull off and park adjacent to the trail; to continue another 2.7 miles south to a dedicated trailhead along Green River Parkway; or to park at Savannas Preserve and road ride to the north end of the bike path. If you have an offroad bike, the White Trail (branching off the Glass Lizard Trail behind the Education Center) crosses Walton Rd at the start of the dedicated bike path. Please see the map above for other parking areas along the route. Directions for Peck Lake Park at the south end are on our page for that park.

Hike

The Green River Parkway Trail starts immediately south of Walton Rd on the east side of the parkway.

Buffered by the expanse of Savannas Preserve State Park to the east, it follows its own dedicated greenway.

The north end of this segment, facing Walton Rd

The first East Coast Greenway marker is within the first tenth of a mile at a landscaped area with a Port St. Lucie sign.

At 1.1 miles, reach a small wayside rest stop across from Berkshire Blvd. In full sun, it has benches and a bike rack as well as a trash can.

Landscaped area with benches and cyclist

Cyclist at the slightly shaded rest stop

Within another half mile, after a long curve, there is a second rest stop across from Melaleuca Blvd. This one offers a spot of shade under the palms and pines.

The open views into Savannas Preserve vanish as a line of pines parallels a canal to the east of the trail.

Bike parked on pavers boxed in with a short hedge with East Coast Greenway sign foreground

The final rest stop in St. Lucie County

A third rest stop offers a bench in the sun. It’s the final one along this bike path, across from Charleston Dr.

As you enter Martin County at 3.2 miles, the trail passes through a parking area with an accessible concrete pad before it jogs left to cross a bridge over a canal.

Following a bridge to a paved path in front of pine forest

Bridge crossing just south of the county line

The canal becomes a wetland and finally ends. The bike path stays close to the fence of Savannas Preserve, with pine flatwoods on the other side.

By 4 miles, reach the traffic light at Jensen Beach Blvd. A side path leads a quarter mile east to parking, restrooms, and water at Savannas Preserve State Park.

Crossing Jensen Beach Blvd

Cross Jensen Beach Blvd and continue south along the Green River Parkway Trail. Beyond an entrance to a subdivision, there is forest on both sides of the highway.

Where the path passes a large retention pond and walled subdivision, the opposite side of the parkway is a fenced natural area called Haney Creek Preserve.

Bike path past retention pond with focus on woods beyond parkway

Pine woods in Haney Creek Preserve are to the west

After a retention wall casts deep shade over the trail in the morning, you reach a roundabout at NW Baker Rd after 5.6 miles.

Use the crosswalk to cross to the west side of Green River Parkway. A trailhead with restrooms is located 0.4 mile west along NW Baker Rd in Haney Creek Preserve.

Roundabout crossing at Baker Rd

To stay on the East Coast Greenway, cross NW Baker Rd and join the southbound bike lane on Green River Parkway.

At the next traffic light, Dixie Highway comes in from the left. Your route joins it here, continuing south in the bike lane or on the sidewalk along Haney Creek Preserve.

Approaching the Dixie Hwy light

At a pedestrian entrance for hikers, the sidewalk broadens to sidepath for the length of the preserve.

Past a willow marsh, there is a second pedestrian entrance and kiosk for Haney Creek Preserve, this one leading to a tall berm.

Sidepath along Haney Creek Preserve

The sidepath and bike lane continue to Wright Blvd at 6.1 miles. Cross Wright at the light, where there is a hot dog-and-beer restaurant called Frank ‘N Stein.

The bike lane disappears. Use the sidewalk or the full lane as Old Dixie Hwy narrows past commercial buildings.

Sidewalk in industrial setting approaching overpass

Approaching the US 1 overpass along Old Dixie Hwy

Passing a cypress-lined retention pond, you go under US 1 where it ramps up to cross the St. Lucie River on a high bridge.

The bike lane resumes after you pass under this bridge. Proceed past a line of marinas along the river on the right hand side.

The bike lane resumes under the US 1 overpass

At 7.1 miles, climb uphill to a drawbridge, passing several parking spaces for vehicles, and the bike lane ends.

Continue across the bridge over the St. Lucie River, minding the grated portion of the road flanking the bridgekeeper’s tower.

Crossing the drawbridge

At the far end of the bridge, Sailor’s Return restaurant sits on the water’s edge where a crosswalk leads to the Stuart Riverwalk.

Pass under US 1 again. There are cars parked on both sides of SW Dixie Hwy and no bike lane. Use caution.

Sailor’s Return. Access to the Stuart Riverwalk is via the crosswalk

Downtown is bisected by railroad tracks, cutting off the Riverwalk, City Hall, and the Osceola Street district from the blocks closest to US 1.

A half mile past the drawbridge, the route circles a roundabout topped off with a giant sailfish sculpture. The first of two crossings to the riverfront side of Stuart is at this roundabout.

Fountain in roundabout with sailfish sculpture

This sculpture was donated by a local art gallery

Mind the “Do Not Enter” signs for one-way streets as you come up to “Confusion Corner” where SW Dixie Hwy and SW Ocean Blvd (SR 76) meet in front of the railroad tracks.

Turn right and join Ocean Blvd. A bike lane is painted in green on the road. However, it lulls you into thinking you should follow it to US 1. Don’t.

Ocean Blvd bike lane

After you join it, you’ll see a park on the other side of the road with playground equipment and you’ll pass a large clock at the intersection with SW 5th St.

Look for the brick crosswalk and sign soon after. Use it to cross Ocean Blvd and join the sidewalk / paved path towards the Stuart water tower.

This path ends across from Kiwanis Park, which has restrooms and water fountains (and a crosswalk to get to the park).

Continue past Kiwanis Park and come to a T with SW Dixie Hwy again at 8 miles. Turn right to continue southbound to Port Salerno.

One of several murals in downtown Stuart

Stuart to Seabranch

We’ve yet to ride this missing link because of being misdirected by road construction and the bike lanes leading to US 1. We’ll add photos when we do.

While it’s not self-evident by signage, cyclists must follow Old Dixie Hwy between Kiwanis Park in Stuart and Seabranch Preserve State Park in Hobe Sound.

Once you join Dixie Hwy, stay with it. There is no bike lane to start. At the light for Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, use the crosswalks to reach the SE side of Old Dixie Hwy.

A sidepath for cyclists begins to parallel the road. Unfortunately it ends at the next light, Florida St, so you are forced to re-cross to ride with southbound traffic.

At the Y intersection signposted “Cutoff” (SR 5A, leading to US 1) at 8.5 miles, continue straight ahead on Dixie Hwy (A1A).

Within an industrial park with a cement works, Dixie Hwy jogs left and crosses to the east side of the railroad tracks. It still has no bike lane.

Just past a park fence at 14th St, a sidewalk starts paralleling Dixie Hwy on its east side. It’s easier to hop on it here than when you reach the busy traffic light at SR 714 / Monterey Rd.

Immediately past the crosswalk at the light, it broadens to a sidepath adjoining the northbound lanes of traffic. Dixie Hwy also broadens to four lanes.

At 9.9 miles, at Airport Rd, there is both a bike lane and a sidepath on both sides of Old Dixie Hwy heading southbound.

Past the fairgrounds just north of Indian St, these narrow to sidewalks again as the surroundings become commercial on both sides of the road.

The four lanes drop to two south of Jefferson St. The southbound sidewalk / sidepath ends soon after. Switch to the one on the east side, or ride the southbound bike lane provided.

At SE St. Lucie Ave there is an oval shaped roundabout with a “Welcome to Port Salerno sign.”

The sidewalk / side path on the east side has bike racks along it as you enter heart of Port Salerno with its restaurants and shops.

Restaurant in yellow with outside dining patio

One of the restaurants on the west side of Old Dixie Hwy

The broad sidewalk on the southbound side resumes after Seaward St and also has shaded benches.

Crossing Salerno Rd at 12.9 miles, continue along Old Dixie Hwy past the colorful dockage at Manatee Island.

There are marinas and restaurants before the road narrows at the south end of Port Salerno, where the west side sidewalk ends at the traffic oval at the south end of town.

At the Cove Rd roundabout at 13.5 miles, a southbound bike lane shoots across it but it is a dangerous intersection that’s easier to cross via the east side sidewalk.

Stick with the sidewalk, as it quickly broadens to a bike path. Passing several subdivision entrances, it crosses a small bridge.

Soon after it reaches a fence corner for Seabranch Preserve State Park. Paralleling A1A, the bike path turns in at the state park sign and reaches the trailhead at 15 miles.

The Seabranch trailhead

Seabranch to Hobe Sound

The trailhead at Seabranch Preserve has a compositing toilet and picnic tables, along with access to the hiking trail system.

Exit the trailhead along the bike path at the East Coast Greenway sign, heading southbound.

Inside the park fence, the trail circles around a VFW post

After a curve around a VFW post, it reaches the park’s western fence and parallels A1A southbound.

Be extremely cautious of the edges of this raised concrete path, as you can take a nasty spill if your wheel slips off either side.

Through much of Seabranch the concrete path is elevated above the scrub

Passing a railroad signal over the tracks, the bike path turns sharply east away from the railroad and into the scrub forest.

Benches are provided at frequent intervals through this section, which makes mild curves through the scrub forest, meeting crossings of hiking paths.

John sitting on a bench with water bottle handy

John taking a break in the shade at a bench

There are several more 90-degree curves, however, so stay alert. The straightaway between the next two is part of the Old Gomez Rd.

A final straightaway between sharp curves follows the park boundary fence due east before exiting the park at 16.1 miles.

John biking towards park exit in pine forest

The last straightaway to the park exit, where the trail turns sharply right

Continue along a greenway corridor 0.4 mile to Gomez Preserve, which can only be reached by this path. Sheltered benches are offered just inside its access points at both ends.

The trail inside the preserve is hardpacked limerock through natural habitats and runs a third of a mile between trailheads.

Gomez Preserve

South of Gomez Preserve, the bike path deposits you onto a sidepath paralleling Gomez Rd at 16.7 miles. Pass an East Coast Greenway sign at the exit.

It is a dead-end road with a couple gated communities and one industrial business along it. Either ride the road or the sidepath, which narrows to a sidewalk.

Greenway sign and cyclist past pass-thru

Exiting the pass-thru to parallel Gomez Rd

There is no crossover from the sidewalk to the entrance of Peck Lake Park so you’ll need to walk your bike down the grassy slope. Enter the park at 17.6 miles.

A picnic shelter sits just beyond the park gates. The restrooms and water fountain are along the unpaved loop through the park.

Loop as seen from the restrooms

While part of Hobe Sound, Peck Lake Park is definitely on its outskirts in what was once the community of Gomez.

We chose it as a stopping point for this segment because it is a public park with parking areas, restrooms, and drinking water, and has a nice nature trail with long boardwalks.

The half mile trail ends at the Indian River Lagoon

However, Peck Lake Park is open for day use only. If you need to leave a vehicle overnight, use Jimmy Graham Park (used for boat launching) or Hobe Sound Beach.

See the Hobe Sound to Jupiter segment for details on those parks.

Taking advantage of shade and seating after a ride

Trail Map

Riding the East Coast Greenway to Stuart

Scouting a piece of the East Coast Greenway on the Treasure Coast, John’s on-the-ground wayfinding stopped him short of his intended goal.

Explore More!

Parks along the Route

Savannas Preserve State Park

Spanning two counties along a slender 10-mile strip, the fragile freshwater savannas and open prairies of Savannas Preserve State Park are just a few miles from the Atlantic Ocean and lie behind a line of ancient sand dunes.

Seabranch Preserve State Park

Find a wonderland of white sand and small shrubs at Seabranch Preserve State Park, which protects a sand pine scrub and more along the Atlantic Coastal Ridge

Gomez Preserve

Purchased to protect the footprint of an early 1900s settlement along the Indian River Lagoon, Gomez Preserve is one of the lesser-known hiking destinations in Hobe Sound.

Hiker in red against mangroves on boardwalk

Peck Lake Park

In a hidden corner of Hobe Sound, Peck Lake Park lets you tunnel through coastal habitats along the Pioneer Passage to an observation point along the Indian River Lagoon.