When the waves start crashing at Fort Pierce Inlet State Park, the surfers command the beach.
Offshore shoals – part of the rocky Atlantic Coastal Ridge – beat the surf to froth, and the wind coming past Dynamite Point creates just the right cocktail for South Florida surfing.
Resources
Resources for exploring the area
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Overview
Location: Fort Pierce
Trailhead: 27.485279,-80.303054
Address: 905 Shorewinds Dr, Fort Pierce
Fees: $4-6 per vehicle
Restrooms: At parking areas
Land Manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 772-468-3985
Open 8 AM to sunset. Gates will be closed when park capacity is reached.
Directions
From Interstate 95, drive 4.5 miles east on CR 68 (Orange Ave) to US 1. Turn left and continue 0.9 mile north through downtown Fort Pierce. Turn right on Juanita Ave (A1A) and drive 2.5 miles, crossing the causeway over the Indian River Lagoon. The park entrance will be on the right.
About the Park
Why Dynamite Point? Think wartime. In World War II, Navy frogmen trained at the inlet. Nazi U-Boats were a real threat to the shipping lanes off the Florida coast.
The nearby National Navy UDT-Seal Museum, north of the park along A1A, covers the accomplishments of these earliest Navy divers, who trained in underwater demolition here.
The picnic pavilions and beaches fill up during the weekends, thanks to the proximity of Fort Pierce, but birders can find a bit of quiet under the dense-knit live oaks of the maritime hammock while walking the nature trails.
In addition to the beaches at the inlet, the park includes islands in the Indian River Lagoon, with a parking area off A1A for pedestrian and paddler access.
Trails at Fort Pierce State Park
Jack Island Preserve State Park
A cluster of mangrove islands in the Indian River Lagoon, Jack Island Preserve is a perfect destination for birding
Coastal Hammock Trail
At a beach best known for great surfing, the Coastal Hammock Trail at Fort Pierce State Park is a gentle introduction to a seaside semi-tropical forest.
Trail Map
Explore More!
Slideshow
See our photos from Fort Pierce Inlet State Park
Nearby Adventures
More worth exploring while you’re in this area.
Avalon State Park
With a sandy strand more than a mile long, Avalon State Park offers an escape to an uncluttered seashore along the Treasure Coast where sea turtles retreat to lay their eggs
George LeStrange Preserve
Along Ten Mile Creek west of Fort Pierce, George LeStrange Preserve protects uplands and floodplain forest along the edge of a restored sand mine turned into a lake.
Heathcote Botanical Gardens
Site of the Crimmins Nursery in the 1930s, the 3.5 acres of gardens at Heathcote Botanical Gardens are a peaceful retreat within the city of Fort Pierce, offering wandering pathways through a variety of themed plantings, with many whimsical mosaic benches on which to sit and relax.
Indrio Scrub
Atop the Atlantic Coastal Ridge, Indrio Scrub is a place where unique scrub species thrive. A short interpretive loop trail leads you through the preserve