Ponce Preserve

Home of the Green Mound, a significant archaeological site, Ponce Preserve is also nature’s last stand on the barrier island where auto racing was born, protecting 41 acres.

Thanks to ancient dunes and massive middens, part of the trail is a roller-coaster with steep climbs and dips and scenic views.

Not only is the terrain fun, but two nature-themed playgrounds tempt families with children into the coastal forest.

Most of it is set beneath a canopy of coastal scrub, with silvery-blue tinged saw palmetto dominating the understory.

The other half of the trail is entirely accessible, a boardwalk through mangrove forests out to the Halifax River, providing a nice sense of balance for hikers of all abilities.

Long boardwalk stretching to horizon with mangroves on both sides

The boardwalk section of the trail is quite substantial

Resources

Resources for exploring the area

Central Florida Orlando Explorers Guide book cover

Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover

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Overview

Location: Ponce Inlet
Length: 1.6 miles round-trip and loop
Trailhead: 29.11411,-80.949503
Address: 4401 South Peninsula Dr, Ponce Inlet
Fees: None
Restroom: At the parking area
Land manager: City of Ponce Inlet
Phone: 386-236-2150

Open dawn to dusk. The boardwalk is accessible. Natural surface paths lead up and over the forest dunes and to the beach.

Kayak put-in and fishing is across the street from the paved parking area. Beach access is via the hiking trail loop.

Use care at road crossings. Although it is state law for motorists to stop for crosswalks, they rarely do. Flags are provided to flag down traffic.

Directions

From From Interstate 95, take exit 256 for Port Orange / Daytona Beach Shores. Drive east on SR 421 (Taylor Avenue), crossing the Intracoastal Waterway onto the barrier island. When you reach A1A (Atlantic Avenue), turn right. Continue 2.5 miles to Wilbur-by-the-Sea. Turn right at Old Carriage Road and drive down to Peninsula Drive, which parallels the Intracoastal Waterway. Turn left. Continue 0.4 mile to the preserve entrance on the left.

About the Preserve

The reason that Ponce Preserve exists is the Green Mound. Once one of the largest middens on the Atlantic Coast, the Green Mound is more than more than fifty feet high.

Made of oyster shells, it is thought to have been built by late St. Johns Period cultures and occupied between 500 B.C. and 1565 A.D.

Historic marker for the Green Mound

Before the 1940s, large amounts of the midden were carted away as road fill before archaeologists pointed out the importance of keeping it intact.

Excavations here uncovered evidence of a village, including fire pits and postholes marking the corners of raised houses. The trail system takes you up and over the midden complex.

At the main entrance

Passing from state ownership to county and finally to the city of Ponce Inlet, the preserve was largely left alone for decades until the trail system was built.

More recent amenities like the boardwalk system, two nature playgrounds, picnic areas, and an observation tower atop the dune ridge have made this a park for all ages to enjoy.

The nature playground closest to the parking area

Hike

Starting at the main kiosk at the parking area, at the far end of the parking lot from the nature playground, enter the maritime forest. Turn right at the first junction.

It’s a climb up into the coastal hammock under a dense canopy of sand live oaks. At the next junction, turn right.

The trail tunnels beneath a low canopy of oaks

The trail continues through the oak tunnel before climbing up into the tall dunes. The dunes are covered in a blanket of saw palmetto, many sporting a silvery-blue hue.

Wildflowers grow between the footpath and the palmetto. At the very peak of the dunes, a side trail leads left to the observation tower.

Dunes covered in saw palmetto with person walking down trail towards homes in the distance

The coastal dunes as seen from the observation tower

It’s not a tall tower, but offers a panorama off towards the ocean. Another nature playground is at its base. Return to the main trail and keep clambering up and down through the dunes.

After a climb, the trail reaches a T junction with the original path across the property. Turn right to walk up to the crosswalk leading to the beach. Use caution crossing A1A.

A secondary parking area – always busier than the main one – is at this crossing. Continue down the accessible boardwalk through the dunes.

The trail ends at a ramp and staircase down to the beach, where you can take a beach walk if you like. Turn around here to return to the main part of the preserve.

Ponce Preserve Atlantic Ocean view — View of the Atlantic Ocean from the boardwalk

After crossing the crosswalk, continue past the trail you came in on. This broad path heads downhill into the oak hammock atop the Green Mound.

When Peninsula Drive is visible up ahead, make a left and follow the winding path along the edge of the mound. Oyster shells spill into the path.

Some of the oak trees are quite large. At the next T, turn left and head uphill. At the top of the hill, turn left.

This short side trail ends at an ancient live oak, sprawled across the top of the Green Mound.

Sandra standing in front of a huge oak tree

A landmark tree atop the Green Mound

Leaving the oak, continue straight ahead into the younger oak hammock. The trail winds past side trails and a handful of picnic benches.

When it returns to the parking area, cross the asphalt over towards the restrooms to find the other crosswalk across Peninsula Drive.

The preserve is a great place to teach children about nature. This snail was on a tree near the restrooms.

Cross Peninsula Drive carefully, and continue onto the boardwalk trail. It passes the kayak put-in.

The boardwalk is a delightful walk, especially to watch the birds flock in from afar as the sun sets over the river.

Winding through a salt prairie, it passes many tidal inlets, and gives you that “almost Everglades” feel, especially with the scent of the tidal muck.

Mangroves on a silty mud flat with blue skies behind — The mangrove swamp along the Halifax River basin

The farther you progress towards the river, the thicker the mangroves grow together until they create a dense forest along the river’s shore

Arriving at the final of several observation decks along the boardwalk, you reach the Halifax River, where you may spot an angler or two.

After 1.2 miles, this is a great spot to sit in the shade and watch for dolphin and manatees. Return back the way you came along the boardwalk to complete the hike.