Hiking Peck Lake Park

Off the beaten path for most visitors to Hobe Sound, Peck Lake Park is nonetheless an important stop for cyclists heading south from Stuart along the East Coast Greenway.

While it’s only 3.5 miles south of Seabranch Preserve State Park along the marked cycling route, it offers sheltered picnic tables and restrooms with a water fountain.

One of the picnic pavilion at Peck Lake Park

A large picnic pavilion is near the front entrance, with a half dozen other scattered along the loop. There are also picnic tables at the observation platform on the lagoon.

It’s a half-mile each way out to the Indian River Lagoon and back, with a surprising diversity of habitats along the route.

Ample observation platform on the lagoon

The overlook at the end faces the Island Tract of Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge as well as Peck Lake, a broad spot in the lagoon.

Pay attention for wildlife, including alligators in the marshes and mantees in the lagoon as well as mangrove crabs climbing along tree limbs.

We spotted this large agama lizard, an invasive species, at the trailhead

In addition, cyclists and hikers can use Peck Lake Park as a trailhead for a walk to nearby Gomez Preserve, which can only accessed via the East Coast Greenway.

Cyclist riding away from Gomez Preserve entrance

Entrance at south end of Gomez Preserve

On the site of a former pioneer Bahamian settlement, it has a picnic pavilions at the north trailhead and a 0.3-mile winding crushed limerock path between the trailheads.

The southern trailhead for Gomez Preserve is one mile north of Peck Lake Park. A round-trip walk or ride from Peck Lake Park to and through that preserve is 2.5 miles.

The Gomez Preserve Nature Trail is open to walking and cycling

Resources

Resources for exploring the area

South Florida Explorers Guide book cover

Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover

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Overview

Location: Hobe Sound
Length: 1 mile round-trip
Trailhead: 27.1064, -80.1483
Address: 8108 Gomez Ave, Hobe Sound
Fees: Free
Restroom: Along the parking circle
Land manager: Martin County
Phone: 772-288-5400
Open sunrise to sunset. Leashed dogs welcome. No alcohol permitted.

No water access for boaters/paddlers at this park. Use Jimmy Graham Park instead, a half mile south along SE Gomez Ave.

The footpath is a combination of boardwalks and graveled surfaces, and thus may be accessible with assistance. The approach to the first boardwalk reflects the natural surfaces found farther along.

Directions

From Interstate 95 exit 96 drive east 6.2 miles along SE Bridge Rd to the traffic light for US 1 in Hobe Sound. Cross the highway and follow Bridge Rd through downtown Hobe Sound, making a left onto SE Gomez Avenue just past the traffic light for A1A. Follow SE Gomez Ave north for 3.3 miles to the park entrance on the right, a half mile north of Jimmy Graham Park Rd.

Hike

The Pioneer Passage hiking trail at Peck Lake Park starts at the far end of the unpaved drive through the park at the end of a paved walkway leading towards a prominent sign between picnic shelters and a shed.

The sign has a trail map on it, but no need to worry about one on this hike as it’s not possible to get lost unless you leave the trail on purpose.

Trailhead map at Peck Lake Park

What the map does show nicely is the gradient of habitats between this point and the lagoon, from forest into freshwater and saltwater wetlands.

Walk under the tree canopy up to a barrier with signage advising no bicycles are permitted on the boardwalk, and while pets are allowed, you must look after them properly.

Start of boardwalk at Peck Lake

Interpretive signs call attention to why this trail is called Pioneer Passage. Early peoples found the lagoon and ocean bountiful, and settled here.

Traversing freshwater wetlands, the first boardwalk makes a couple of turns before it yields to footpath.

Along the first boardwalk

The trail briefly meanders through a shady hardwood forest before reaching the next boardwalk.

Cabbage palms and red maples tower overhead in this freshwater marsh, and giant leather ferns grow in profusion in the shallows.

Gravel path winding beneath oaks and palms

After you pass an interpretive kiosk in a broad spot on the boardwalk, it’s obvious the forest is transitioning to saltwater, given the abundant white mangroves.

Red mangroves fill in, creating a puzzle of roots and limbs which the mangrove crabs use to stay above the swamp.

Mangroves crowd in and provide a tunnel of shade

The shade grows deeper and there are bump-outs in the walkway at observation points.

When the boardwalk ends, it deposits you on a hard-packed limerock path that ascends a ridge

John walking through the mangrove swamp

Signage indicates that this area underwent habitat restoration, obvious from the many native coastal plants such as morning glory, yellow nickerbean, and gumbo-limbo.

According to the trailhead map and interpretive signage, a midden is located on this stretch of high ground near the lagoon.

Coastal uplands near the lagoon

A final boardwalk with open skies ahead leads you onto the observation platform at the lagoon after a half mile.

The platform is quite large so it offers a variety of perspectives on both Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge and Peck Lake itself.

The Indian River Lagoon

A covered picnic pavilion in the middle of the platform provides a spot to duck into the shade.

Interpretive information tells the story of Samuel Peck, a homesteader from Augusta, Georgia for whom the lake is named.

Interpretive panels along this trail are quite unique and artful

The return trip provides pockets of shade within the mangrove forest and the crunch of gravel underfoot in the uplands.

You’ll find it goes far more quickly if you stopped to read the interpretive signs on the way to the lagoon instead of lingering along them on the way back.

A thicket of marsh ferns in the shallow freshwater marsh

After a mile, you return to the trailhead map and picnic area of Peck Lake Park.

To add another 2.5 miles of hiking, follow the instructions and map near the top of this page for the walk to and from Gomez Preserve via the East Coast Greenway.