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Sculpture with riverwalk and bridge beyond

Fort Pierce

The heart of the Treasure Coast, Fort Pierce is flanked by a number of state parks and natural lands along the Indian River Lagoon and Atlantic Coastal Ridge.


Resources

Resources for exploring the area
South Florida Explorers Guide book cover 50 Hikes in South Florida book cover Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover Paddlers Guide Florida
 
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At the north end of St. Lucie County, the historic waterfront city of Fort Pierce is flanked by two barrier islands at Fort Pierce Inlet.

South of downtown, a ribbon of freshwater savannas less than a mile from the Indian River Lagoon are buffered by a chain of public lands providing recreation opportunities.

More natural lands protect portions of the sinuous North Fork of the St. Lucie River through the region.

Trails and Parks near Fort Pierce

Lush forest of ferns Ancient Oaks Preserve On an easy mile loop amid the grandeur of an ancient hydric hammock, savor shade, shape, and form in a hidden wild space in the St. Lucie River floodplain in Fort Pierce.
Sweep of wild oceanfront Blind Creek Park Spanning from the Indian River Lagoon to the ocean, Blind Creek includes a windswept Atlantic beach along the remote central part of South Hutchinson Island with a mile and a half of wild shoreline.
Red blaze on tree in oak hammock D.J. Wilcox Preserve Discover the natural beauty of a mosaic of habitats nourished by a freshwater spring near the Indian River Lagoon at what was once the town of Indrio.
Footpath in a hydric hammock Donald B Moore Heritage Preserve Along the Indian River Lagoon on a site farmed by one of the earliest settlers in what is now Fort Pierce, Donald B. Moore Heritage Preserve interprets regional history.
Lush tropical coastal hammock with footpath Fort Pierce Inlet Coastal Hammock Trail Contrast immersive habitats in a seaside tropical hammock with expansive views along Fort Pierce Inlet on this easy 1.3 mile loop centered on the Coastal Hammock Trail.
Surfer carrying board into Atlantic surf Fort Pierce Inlet State Park When the waves start crashing at Fort Pierce Inlet State Park, surfers command the beach. Offshore shoals of the rocky Atlantic Coast Ridge create strong surf.
Broad lake with cloud reflections George LeStrange Preserve A mix of restoration areas and natural habitats, George LeStrange Preserve has trails both easy and rugged surrounding its centerpiece of Lake Zobel.
Scrubby flatwoods Gordy Road Recreation Area Follow a gentle interpretive trail to explore scrub and oak hammock bordering a reclaimed sand mine on uplands recharging Ten Mile Creek.
Wetlands with pine forest on far shore Indrio Savannahs Preserve A haven for wildlife dependent on fresh water savannas scarcely a mile west of the Indian River Lagoon, Indrio Savannahs illustrates a success story in habitat restoration.
Scrub hickory canopy Indrio Scrub Preserve Atop the Atlantic Coastal Ridge, Indrio Scrub Preserve is a place where unique scrub species thrive. A short interpretive loop trail leads through the preserve.
Jack Island Preserve Jack Island Preserve State Park A cluster of mangrove islands in the Indian River Lagoon, Jack Island Preserve north of Fort Pierce Inlet is a perfect destination for birding.
Dense understory beneath pines along footpath Lakewood Regional Park Inside a bustling recreational park at the north edge of St. Lucie County, a forested belt beyond the ballfields invites exploration on paths both broad and narrow.
Berm with palms Paleo Hammock Preserve Discover a maze of wild coffee, an observation tower, and an archaeological site along a short loop, or walk miles more into scenic habitats within Stephen J Fousek Preserve.
Palm-lined passage on barrier island Queens Island Preserve Protecting the remnants of an ancient culture, Queens Island Preserve edges the Indian River Lagoon along the southern end of North Hutchinson Island.
Sand path through mangroves Queens Island Preserve North Part of the larger Queens Island Preserve along the Indian River Lagoon, the trail system of Queens Island Preserve North has a separate entrance and loop off the East Coast Greenway.
Sandy walkway to oceanfront Round Island Oceanfront Park Learn the story of one of Florida's more important roles during World War II along a wave-strummed shoreline halfway between Vero Beach and Fort Pierce Inlet.
View of mangrove islands in lagoon from tower with bench Round Island Riverside Park Trails, boardwalks, and a boat launch on Round Island provide excellent opportunities to explore coastal habitats and spot manatees in the Indian River Lagoon.
Pine with white blaze in pine flatwoods Savannas North End Trails Expansive panoramas of wetlands and pine savannas define the North End Trails, a network of loops exploring the northern reaches of Savannas Preserve State Park.
Waterway with palm island and vast marsh beyond Savannas Recreation Area Camp, paddle, bike, or hike to explore the north end of a tall, narrow basin of freshwater marshes and pine savannas west of the Atlantic Coastal Ridge in Fort Pierce.
Low palmettos edged by palms and oaks Sheraton Scrub Preserve Explore an easy loop in scrubby uplands in residential Fort Pierce to search for scrub-jays from ground level and from an observation tower.
Path through mature live oak hammock Sweetwater Hammock Preserve Marvel at the botanical beauty of a mature live oak hammock on this short nature trail loop to a bluff along the North Fork of the St. Lucie River.
Trail through row of cabbage palms Teague Hammock Preserve Stepping back in time before the arrival of extensive agriculture in South Florida, the trails at Teague Hammock cross open prairies and loop through shady hardwood hammocks.
Glowing pond surrounded by palms and oaks Ten Mile Creek Preserve Explore a short but incredibly rugged nature trail teetering along bluffs above the source of the North Fork of the St. Lucie River.

Articles

Shoreline with unsullied beach at dusk Florida’s Front Line Beaches (6/6/2024) During World War II, two specialized coastal training bases in Florida contributed to the successful D-Day landings at Normandy and at beachheads beyond.
Green sea turtle nesting (FWC) Sea Turtle Walks in Florida (6/6/2014) Watching a sea turtle come ashore to lay its eggs is an incredible experience. Here are some of the places where you can join sea turtle walks in Florida.

More Articles More Parks


Nearby: Okeechobee, Port St. Lucie, Vero Beach | PART OF: Southeast Florida

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METROS: Bradenton. Clearwater. Crestview. Daytona Beach. Destin. Fort Lauderdale. Fort Myers. Fort Walton Beach. Gainesville. Jacksonville. Kissimmee. Lakeland. Melbourne. Miami. Naples. Ocala. Orlando. Panama City Beach. Pensacola. Port St. Lucie. Punta Gorda. St. Petersburg. Sanford. Sarasota. Sebring. Stuart. Tallahassee. Tampa. Vero Beach. West Palm Beach.

MULTI-REGION: Atlantic Coastal Ridge. Atlantic Coast. Bartram Trail. Big Bend. East Coast Greenway. Everglades National Park. Florida National Scenic Trail. Gulf Coast. Lake Wales Ridge. WATERWAYS: Indian River Lagoon. Intracoastal Waterway. Kissimmee River. St. Johns River. Withlacoochee River.

NORTHWEST FLORIDA: Altha. Apalachicola. Apalachicola National Forest. Big Bend Scenic Byway. Blackwater River State Forest. Blountstown. Bonifay. Bristol. Bruce. Cantonment. Cape San Blas. Carrabelle. Chattahoochee. Chipley. Crawfordville. DeFuniak Springs. Eastpoint. Ebro. Eglin Air Force Base. Freeport. Fountain. Gulf Breeze. Gulf Islands National Seashore. Holt. Madison. Marianna. Milton. Monticello. Mossy Head. Munson. Navarre. Navarre Beach. Newport. Niceville. Panacea. Panama City . Perdido Key. Ponce De Leon. Port St. Joe. Quincy. Santa Rosa Beach. Sopchoppy. South Walton. St. George Island. St. Marks. St. Marks NWR. Sumatra. Vernon. Wakulla. Wewahitchka. Woodville. WATERWAYS: Apalachicola River. Blackwater Bay. Blackwater River. Chipola River. Choctawhatchee Bay. Choctawhatchee River. Coastal Dune Lakes. Ochlockonee Bay. Perdido River. St. Marks River. Wacissa River. Wakulla River. Yellow River.

NORTH FLORIDA: Alachua. Amelia Island. Archer. Baldwin. Branford. Bronson. Bunnell. Callahan. Cedar Key. Chiefland. Crescent City. Cross City. Cross Creek. Dowling Park. Ellaville. Fanning Springs. Fernandina Beach. Flagler Beach. Fort White. Glen St. Mary. Green Cove Springs. Hawthorne. High Springs. Inglis. Jacksonville Beaches. Jacksonville Northshore. Jasper. Jennings. Keystone Heights. Lake Butler. Lake City. Live Oak.Macclenny. Mandarin. Mayo. Mayport. Micanopy. Middleburg. Old Town. Olustee. Orange Park. Osceola National Forest. Palatka. Palatka-Lake Butler Trail. Palm Coast. Palm Valley. Perry. Ponte Vedra. Rodman. Salt Springs. St. Augustine. Starke. Steinhatchee. Suwannee. Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. Suwannee Springs. Talbot Islands. Timucuan Preserve. Trenton. Waldo. Welaka. White Springs. Williston. Worthington Springs. Yankeetown. WATERWAYS: Santa Fe River. St. Marys River. Suwannee River. Tolomato River. Upper Withlacoochee River.

CENTRAL FLORIDA: Altamonte Springs. Apollo Beach. Apopka. Astatula. Astor. Auburndale. Bartow. Babson Park. Bayport. Belleview. Bithlo. Brandon. Brooksville. Bushnell. Canaveral National Seashore. Cassadaga. Christmas. Chuluota. Citrus Springs. Clearwater Beach. Clermont. Coast to Coast Trail. Cocoa. Cocoa Beach. Cross Florida Greenway. Crystal River. Dade City. De Leon Springs. DeBary. Deland. Deltona. Dunedin. Dunnellon. Edgewater. Enterprise. Eustis. Ferndale. Fort Meade. Frostproof. Geneva. Gibsonton. Haines City. Hernando. Hernando Beach. Holopaw. Homosassa. Inverness. Kenansville. Kissimmee. Lake Mary. Lake Wales. Largo. Leesburg. Lithia. Longwood. Lutz. Maitland. Malabar. McIntosh. Melbourne Beach. Merritt Island. Merritt Island NWR. Mims. Mount Dora. Narcoossee/Lake Nona. New Port Richey. New Smyrna Beach. Nobleton. Oak Hill. Oakland. Ocala National Forest. Ocklawaha. Ocoee. Oldsmar. Orange City. Ormond Beach. Osteen. Oviedo. Paisley. Palm Bay. Plant City. Poinciana. Polk City. Ponce Inlet. Port Orange. Ridge Manor. Riverview. Ruskin. Safety Harbor. Silver Springs. Sorrento. Spring Hill. St. Cloud. Tarpon Springs. Thonotosassa. Titusville . Umatilla. Viera. Walt Disney World. Weeki Wachee. Weirsdale. Wimauma. Windermere. Winter Garden. Winter Haven. Winter Park. Winter Springs. Withlacoochee State Forest. Withlacoochee State Trail. Yeehaw Junction. Zephyrhills. WATERWAYS: Alafia River. Halifax River. Hillsborough River. Lake Apopka. Little Manatee River. Ochlawaha River. Rainbow River. Tampa Bay. Wekiva River. Wekiva River Basin.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA: Alva. Boca Grande. Cape Coral. Charlotte Harbor. Ding Darling NWR. Ellenton. Englewood. Estero. Immokalee. Marco Island. North Port. Osprey. Palma Sola. Palmetto. Pine Island. Port Charlotte. Sanibel Island. Venice. WATERWAYS: Caloosahatchee River. Manatee River. Myakka River. Pine Island Sound.

SOUTH FLORIDA: Arcadia. Basinger. Big Cypress National Preserve. Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. Big Cypress Swamp. Bowling Green. Clewiston. Everglades City. Indiantown. LaBelle. Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. Lake Placid. Lakeport. Moore Haven. Okeechobee. Ortona. Pahokee. Palmdale. Port Mayaca. South Bay. Wauchula. Zolfo Springs. WATERWAYS: Fisheating Creek. Lake Okeechobee. Peace River.

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA: Biscayne Bay. Biscayne National Park. Boca Raton. Boynton Beach. Coconut Creek. Coral Gables. Coral Springs. Davie. Delray Beach. Fellsmere. Flamingo. Fort Pierce. Hobe Sound. Hollywood. Homestead. Indrio. Jensen Beach. Juno Beach. Jupiter. Jupiter Farms. Key Biscayne. North Hutchison Island. Ocean to Lake Greenway. Palm Beach. Palm Beach Gardens. Pompano Beach. Redland. Sebastian. South Hutchinson Island. WATERWAYS: Florida Bay. St. Lucie River.

FLORIDA KEYS: Big Pine Key. Islamorada. Key Largo. Key West. Marathon. Overseas Heritage Trail.


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