Royal Springs
Staring into Royal Springs, it feels like looking into a bottomless pit. Steep and broad, it drops 42 feet into shimmering waters of turquoise and royal blue.
Articles & Destinations
Catfish Creek Preserve Trails
Allan David Broussard Catfish Creek Preserve State Park isn’t just “a perfect example of Lake Wales Ridge Scrub,” it’s a landscape unlike any other you’ll find in Florida.
Catfish Creek Preserve State Park
At Catfish Creek Preserve State Park, the steep ridges of blinding white sand are some of Florida's most ancient landscapes, an unusual and unique natural area for Central Florida.
South Lake Conservation Area
A scrub preserve on the Atlantic Coastal Ridge in Titusville, South Lake Conservation Area provides a surprisingly hilly loop hike through the territory of Florida scrub-jay families.
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.
Wild Birds Unlimited Trail
An easy walk for birding along Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Wild Birds Unlimited Trail is a short trail with observation platforms.
Cruickshank Trail, Merritt Island NWR
The longest hiking trail at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, the 4.8-mile Allan Cruickshank Memorial Trail makes a large loop off Black Point Wildlife Drive
Black Point Wildlife Drive
Winding along a narrow dirt road, Black Point Wildlife Drive offers from-your-car birding in the marshes and mud flats of Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
Bairs Cove
A go-to location for spotting manatees at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Bairs Cove off Haulover Canal is also a launch point for bioluminescence.
Visitor Center Boardwalk
The only fully-accessible trail at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, the Visitor Center Boardwalk offers many overlooks for wildlife watching and birding.
Palm Hammock Trail
On this 1.5 mile hike, the Palm Hammock Trail burrows into a lush forest of mature saw palmettos under a dense canopy of live oaks and palm hammock.
Oak Hammock Trail
The wildlife-rich interpretive Oak Hammock Trail at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge provides an easy introduction to the hammocks of the island.