South of downtown Vero Beach, Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area is another world. The original, as the surrounding landscape once was before the city sprouted.
Ferns and wild coffee grow to enormous sizes, bromeliads dangle like chandeliers in the forest canopy, and unusual fungi sprouts from rotting logs in the forest floor.
Add trails that seem to vanish into the thick undergrowth, and a sometimes-confusing maze embankments along the lagoon, and you have yourself an afternoon’s worth of adventure.
Narrow footpaths snake through tropical habitatsResources
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Overview
Location: Vero Beach
Length: Up to 5 miles
Trailhead: 227.587051, -80.375452
Address: 150 9th St SE, Vero Beach
Fees: Free
Restrooms: None
Land manager: Indian River County
Phone: 772-589-9223
Open sunrise to sunset. Mosquitoes can be fierce; use plenty of protection. The trailhead is close to a shopping center in an urban area so be aware of your surroundings.
This hike focuses on the original trail system. The trailhead for the shorter South Trail is a little farther down the road on the right.
Directions
From Interstate 95 exit 147, Vero Beach, head east on SR 60. At the intersection of US 1 and SR 60 in downtown Vero Beach, head south 3.8 miles. Oslo Road (CR 606) is at the traffic light in front of the South Vero Beach Square Shopping Center. Turn left at the light, and left into the trailhead after two openings on the left – one for the shopping center, the other the exit from the trailhead. The small parking area easily fills up with visitors’ cars, so use the shopping center parking as an alternative.
Hike
At the entrance kiosk, grab a map. While the trails in the tropical hammocks are generally well signposted, the trail system in the mangrove marsh is not.
The impressive height and girth of the trees that rise above an understory of marlberry and wild coffee will have you looking up.
Trailhead kioskMarked as the “Herb Kale Nature Trail” with a momument, the entrance trail is a bit springy and sometimes mucky as it passes beneath tall palms and large oaks.
Following a boardwalk through a fern-filled marsh, reach a fork in the trail. Keep left and cross the bridge.
Trail junctionKeep left at the next fork, too. It’s tempting to keep focused on the incredible canopy above, but don’t forget to look down to spot the colorful wildflowers and fungi.
At least twenty rare botanical species are known to be in this hammock, including coral-root orchids and whisk fern.
Butterfly orchid leavesAt the next trail junction, turn right to head towards the mangrove tower. Past silver-tinged saw palmetto, climb out of the tropical hammock and into pine flatwoods with a sandy floor.
Slash pines tower overhead. Along the edge of this habitat, the canopy of live oaks has orchids and bromeliads dangling, including giant airplants. Enter a scrub forest briefly.
Tropical hammockPassing a turnoff to the Pine Flatwoods Trail on your left, continue straight to cross a bridge that marks the transition into the mangroves.
Walk across a small island dominated by slender cabbage palms and damp earth, where giant leather ferns add a primordial feel.
On the islandA salt breeze stirs the palm fronds. The land beneath your feet can get very sticky and mucky when the Indian River Lagoon rises over its banks and saturates it.
Crossing the next bridge into the mangrove swamp. Have mosquito spray ready. This preserve abuts the University of Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, where researchers study how mosquitoes transmit diseases.
Bridge to the impoundment areaThese mangrove-lined dikes and their adjoining canals are a maze, a puzzle, and it’s easy to get lost along these twisty little passageways, all alike.
A GPS or map app will come in handy if you want to explore beyond the observation tower, since the dikes double-back, curve around, and hit dead ends.
Birds splashing under the mangrovesFor the observation tower, turn right as you come off the bridge. Passing a kiosk, turn left at the next trail junction, where a sign points you towards the observation tower.
It’s a mile from the trailhead and less of a tower than a very long ramp, but that makes the birding from this vantage point so much better.
The observation towerWell above and overlooking a large mangrove-lined impoundment, the observation tower lets you watch osprey and herons landing in high branches above.
Below, ibis and roseate spoonbills feed on the mud flats, and smaller herons lurk along the edges of the mangroves.
Pond below the towerReturn to the base of the observation ramp. There are several choices for where to go next. We’ve done them all, so we leave the decision to you.
To return to the tropical hammock directly, avoiding the mangrove maze, head straight ahead to the T and make a left. Take the next right to cross the island using the two bridges.
Yellow-crowned night heronTo wander far afield for birding among the northerly impoundments, head straight ahead to the T and make a right. Keep right at each junction to loop around numerous mudflats.
At the north end of the preserve the trail straightens and follows an old road. Make a left when forest meets mangroves at the end of the straightaway.
Keep right at each junction to return to the exit route, the bridge to the island. This 2.6 mile option is not shown on the entrance kiosk. It nearly doubles the length of the hike.
Birding is excellent on this side tripOur suggested route makes a 0.7 mile loop around the pond below the observation tower to give you a taste of the mangrove impoundments. Turn right at the base of the ramp to start.
As the causeway veers to the right, catch a glimpse of the Indian River Lagoon through the dense thicket of mangrove on the left.
Grassy causeway crossing outflowKeep swinging right, coming up to the canoe dock. The footpath transitions from grassy to sticky underfoot.
Arrive at an observation platform which makes a nice bird blind under the mangroves. In the distance, you can see the tower.
Tricolor heron fishingLeaving the platform, make a right and follow the loop back around to the kiosk and bridge. Turn left to exit the impoundments.
Meandering back beneath the palms, the salt breeze eases. Return to the tropical forest. After crossing the second bridge, turn right at the “Pine Flatwoods” sign at 1.9 miles.
Footbridge to the hammockThe trail starts out like a series of balance beams over saw palmetto trunks and can be a bit slippery. A wonderland of bromeliads dangles from the live oak canopy.
Tiny air plants grow on the trunks of the smaller trees, too. Steeped in humidity, this is a botanical treasure trove. Ferns reach shoulder height in a few places.
Plank boardwalkReach what appears to be a trail junction. The trail to the right once led to the now-fallen Awesome Pine. It was closed for habitat restoration on our most recent visit.
Turn left down the narrow corridor to an intersection that seals the loop with the main trail. If you did the short impoundment loop, you’ve hiked 2.1 miles.
High canopy overheadTurn right to follow the main trail back around towards the coffee-laden tropical hammock at the entrance. Reaching the Hammock Loop, keep left.
This short diversion leads you through a dense stand of wild coffee, American beautyberry, and marlberry, ending beyond the east edge of the parking lot for a hike of 2.4 miles.
Hammock LoopTrail Map
Explore More!
Slideshow
See our photos from Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area
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