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Boardwalks leading to dense forest

Fox Lake Sanctuary

Protecting more than 2,500 acres along the western edge of Titusville, Fox Lake Sanctuary provides an immense landscape for exploration

Titusville      ( 28.5886, -80.8746 )      10.7 miles

652 shares

At 2,568 acres, Fox Lake Sanctuary is one of the larger public lands in the Environmentally Endangered Lands program managed by Brevard County.

It forms a buffer between Titusville and the St. Johns River floodplain, one piece in the puzzle of a larger conservation landscape.


Resources

Resources for exploring the surrounding area

50 Hikes in Central Florida Central Florida Orlando Explorers Guide book cover Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State 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: Titusville
Length: 10.7 miles in 3 loops
Trailhead: 28.588660, -80.874806
Address: 4400 Fox Lake Rd, Titusville
Fees: Free
Restroom: Near Pavilion I in Fox Lake Park
Land manager: Brevard County
Phone: 321-264-5185

Open 7 AM to dusk. Pets are not permitted. Insect repellent is a must. Trails may be soggy or under water after a rain.

Snap a photo of the trail map at the kiosk before setting out on the trail system. Trail maps are posted at major named trail intersections, but some are faded from the sun.

Pine flatwoods at Fox Lake Sanctuary


Directions

 
From Interstate 95 exit 215 in Titusville, take SR 50 east to the major traffic light at SR 405. Turn left. Drive north on SR 405 for 2.2 miles. Turn left at the traffic light for Fox Lake Rd. Follow it to where it ends at Fox Lake Park. Turn right and follow the one-way road through the park. When it turns away from the boat ramp, look for the trailhead kiosk against the trees near Pavilion I.

About the Preserve

Along with Seminole Ranch Conservation Area, Salt Lake Wildlife Management Area, and St. Johns National Wildlife Refuge, Fox Lake Sanctuary is an important wildlife corridor.

Its entrance is somewhat secretive. A trail kiosk against a screen of trees at the back of popular Fox Lake Park is all the heads-up you get that this massive preserve exists.

Trails are open to hiking, biking, and equestrian use. Orange diamonds mark the multiuse trails while yellow diamonds mark the hiking-only trails.

Trail map next to trail Maps are provided at major trail intersections


Hiking

We’ve hiked in two different directions on two very different loops. Both start from the same entry point, but diverge at the first trail junction.

Connecting the highlights of the yellow-blazed hiking trail between Fox Lake and South Lake, we followed the outer perimeter of what we call the North Loop, a 3.6-mile hike.

John standing at lakeshore Working our way out to Moss Point at the north end of the North Loop


When attempting to follow the orange-blazed multiuse trail through the south end of the preserve, we stumbled across another hiking-only trail.

It makes a loop to the east of Fox Lake Park. It wasn’t until we’d finished most of the 1.7-mile loop we discovered it was called the Wetland Extension Trail. For good reason.

Loblolly bay trees surrounding trail

Fox Lake North Loop

Looping between Fox Lake and South Lake, the North Loop at Fox Lake Sanctuary circles 3.6 miles through bayheads, flatwoods, and scrub to a showy peninsula at Moss Point

Forest road in pines with water in tire tracks

Fox Lake Wetland Trail

On the south side of Fox Lake Sanctuary, the Wetland Extension Trail leads you on a 1.7-mile soggy slog through wet pine flatwoods, wet prairies, and bayheads

John looking for a way to cross a waterway We found much of the Wetland Trail to be wet


Biking

Beyond the entrance trail to the trail system, off-road cyclists share the Orange Trail with equestrians.

The 5.5-mile perimeter of this trail mainly follows established forest and maintenance roads.

Several cross trails enable a variety of rides along the Orange Trail, with the potential for three different loops through the preserve in addition to the perimeter.

Trail sign amid tall grass Start of the Orange Trail after the Entrance Trail


Especially in the wet flatwoods and prairies in the middle and southern parts of the preserve, the trail can be under water in spots after a rain or during the summer season.

Thick grass and soft sand are also issues to contend with along this route. Fat tires are a must on these trails.

The Yellow Trail is for hiking, so intersections with it are clearly posted as closed to cyclists and equestrians.

No horses or bikes sign next to trail The Orange Trail follows the forest road


Paddling

We haven’t tried to tackle it ourselves, but seeing kayakers at South Lake made it obvious that they had to have gotten there from Fox Lake.

The put-in for the Fox Lake Kayak Trail is within sight of the trailhead kiosk for Fox Lake Sanctuary.

Marked posts lead the way along the eastern shoreline of Fox Lake, with a landing along the shoreline at the hiking trail.

Launch at Fox Lake Launch point at Fox Lake


The paddling route continues up a narrow passage connecting Fox Lake with South Lake.

South Lake has a lot of open water with rafts of water lilies on it, a quiet place for kayak anglers to escape to.

Past the outflow of South Lake into marshes draining to the St. Johns River, the Kayak Trail ends 4 miles from the put-in, an 8-mile round-trip.

Kayaker in marsh Kayaker in South Lake


Camping

Primitive camping is available for organized youth groups. Call the county at the number listed above to make arrangements to bring your Scouting or other outdoor group to the preserve.

The designated camping area, set in a beauty spot at the south end of South Lake, is 1.3 miles by foot from the trailhead, or 4 miles via the Kayak Trail.

Trail through pines to South Lake Trail to South Lake Landing from camping area


Trail Map

Fox Lake Sanctuary Hiking Trail Map Hiking Trails at Fox Lake Sanctuary


Fox Lake Sanctuary Biking Trail Map Fox Lake Sanctuary Kiosk Map


Explore More!

Slideshow

See our photos from Fox Lake Sanctuary


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Forest road between tall trees

Salt Lake WMA

Spanning nearly 8,000 acres between Salt Lake, Lake Loughman, and South Lake, Salt Lake WMA is a popular birding and fishing destination with many miles of trails

Enchanted Forest Titusville trail

Enchanted Forest Sanctuary

It’s not rocket science: the first and finest of the Brevard Environmental Endangered Lands, Enchanted Forest Sanctuary in Titusville is a fabulous destination for family hiking.

Hiking trail through pine flatwoods

Scottsmoor Flatwoods Sanctuary

Straddling the sandy uplands of the Atlantic Coastal Ridge, Scottsmoor Flatwoods Sanctuary protects 1,500 acres of flatwoods, scrub, and wetlands in North Brevard while offering more than 12 miles of trails

Dummett Cove Merritt Island

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

With recreational activities ranging from hiking to biking, boating, fishing, and bioluminscent kayaking, Florida’s top destination for birding is also home to Kennedy Space Center

Official Website

Category: Biking, Central Florida, Day Hikes, Equestrian, Hikes, Launch Points, Loop Hikes, Natural Lands, Off Road Biking, Paddling, TrailsTag: Birding, Florida's Space Coast, Titusville, Wildflowers, Wildlife Viewing

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