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

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Freshwater lake at Kings Park

Kings Park

A mosaic of landscapes disturbed by past development now lush with vegetation, Kings Park on Merritt Island protects both freshwater and brackish waterways with a ribbon of bike path between them.

Merritt Island      ( 28.447802, -80.693695 )      5.1 miles

212 shares

Well-hidden from the steady flow of traffic to and from Kennedy Space Center but only a mile east of SR 3, Kings Park surprises with its waterways and trails.

A 2.7-mile loop paddling trail through mangrove tangles and a 1.2-mile linear paved path make this a popular destination for locals on bike and by foot.

Boardwalk with cedars Boardwalk at Kings Park


Resources

Resources for exploring the 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: Merritt Island
Length: 5.1 miles in two round-trip trails
Trailhead: 28.447802, -80.693695
Address: 995 Chase Hammock Rd, Merritt Island
Fees: None
Restroom: Vault toilets at trailheads
Land manager: Brevard County
Phone: 321-633-1874

Open daily sunrise to sunset. Leashed dogs welcome. Accessible pavement and boardwalk.

Picnic tables at trailheads, and sporadic park benches along the route. Use caution off-trail due to poison ivy and Brazilian pepper, also an irritant.

Lake at Kings Park

Expect both sun and insects, and plan accordingly. While the paved trail has regular visitors by bike and on foot, the paddling trail is lightly used.


Directions

 
From Interstate 95 in Cocoa, follow SR 528 east to exit 49, SR 3 on Merritt Island. Drive north towards Kennedy Space Center 2 miles to the traffic light for Hall Rd. There is a sign for Kars Park pointing east. Turn right and continue 0.8 mile to a trailhead on the left that provides access to both trails.
 
The park’s main entrance provides far more parking but no access to the paddling trail. Continue north on SR 3 past Hall Rd instead of turning there. A mile later turn right on Chase Hammock Rd. Continue a mile to the park entrance. The paved Island Pioneer Trail trail is adjacent a gate by the lake.

About the Park

Spanning 240 acres between Chase Hammock Rd and Hall Rd on Merritt Island north of the Barge Canal, Kings Park offers a variety of outdoor recreation.

Anglers and bank fishermen can cast from non-motorized boats on the surface of a large freshwater lake at the north end.

Lakeside bench Lakeside bench at Kings Park


Kayakers can ply brackish waters along canals and tangles of mangrove tunnels from the south entrance on the waymarked Pioneer Paddling Trail.

Connecting the two ends of this slice of old Merritt Island is the Island Pioneer Trail, a linear paved path.

Paved trail next to lake North access to the Island Pioneer Trail


A large open green space adjoining the parking area off Chase Hammock Rd is used for pick-up games of soccer, baseball, and disc tossing.

Picnic tables and benches can be found near both trailheads, with some overlooking the man-made waterways.

Picnic pavilion Picnic pavilion, privy, and green space


Worn footpaths off the paved trail lead to fishing holes and promontories off the waterways, some of which are hydrologically connected to Sykes Creek.

The park and trails are relatively lightly used. Its proximity to Kennedy Space Center and the launch pads of Cape Canaveral make it a candidate for watching rocket launches.

kayak and launch Kayak launch for the Pioneer Paddling Trail


Trails at Kings Park

Mangrove tunnel with paddlers

Exploring the Pioneer Paddling Trail

Amid mangrove swamps along an old pioneer route in Kings Park, the Pioneer Paddling Trail offers an intimate look at a forgotten wild corridor on Merritt Island.


Trail Map

Kings Park Trail Map
Light blue=Pioneer Paddling Trail. Red=Island Pioneer Trail (paved). Blue=footpaths.

Explore More!

Video

The Island Pioneer Trail at Kings Park

Slideshow

See our photos of Kings Park


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Sams House Hammock Loop

Sams House at Pine Island

A delightful immersion into the natural side of Merritt Island, the trails at Sams House at Pine Island range from mild to wild as they draw you deeper into coastal habitats along the Indian River Lagoon

Thousand Islands Cocoa Beach

Paddling the Thousand Islands

One of the hidden natural treasures of Cocoa Beach, the Thousand Islands provide a fun paddle through a maze of mangroves on a marked trail through a conservation area.

Bioluminscence in the Indian River Lagoon

Bioluminescence on the Indian River Lagoon

It’s a summer thing, this shimmering glow of blue that rises from the shallows of Florida’s largest lagoon. Learn why it happens and how to see it yourself.

Jetty Park Cape Canaveral

Jetty Park

With white sand dunes and a beautiful oceanfront, Jetty Park is the closest beach to Cape Canaveral that stays open during launches at Kennedy Space Center: the viewing’s great daytime or night

Official Website

Category: Biking, Central Florida, County Parks, Day Hikes, Hikes, Launch Points, Paddling, Paved Bike Trails, TrailsTag: Accessible, Boardwalks, Cocoa, Dog-friendly, Family-Friendly, Fishing, Florida's Space Coast, Merritt Island, Picnic

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Our recent park & trail updates in this region

Lengthy boardwalk heading towards mangrove flats

John R. Bonner Nature Park

John R. Bonner Nature Park
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George McGough Nature Park
Leaning sand pines in scrub

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Balm Boyette Nature Preserve
Dock edged by mangroves

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