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Open water prairie with lilies

Savannas Preserve State Park

Immerse in a grand expanse of wet prairies and pine flatwoods extending across two counties to the west of the Indian River Lagoon.

Port St. Lucie      ( 27.298881,-80.272981 )      

Anchored by an education center off Walton Road in Port St. Lucie, Savannas Preserve State Park stretches ten miles from Fort Pierce to Jensen Beach.

Lying south of Savannas Recreation Area, the bulk of the preserve cradles fragile freshwater savannas just a half mile from the Indian River Lagoon and only a few miles from the Atlantic Ocean.

Watery prairie with lots of vegetation One of the vast wet prairies


Resources

Resources for exploring the area
50 Hikes in South Florida book cover South Florida 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: Port St. Lucie
Trailhead: 27.298881,-80.272981
Address: 2541 SE Walton Rd, Port St. Lucie
Fees: $3 per vehicle
Restroom: At Walton Rd and Jensen Beach Blvd trailheads
Land manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 772-398-2779
 
Open 8 AM to sunset. Leashed dogs welcome. Day use only.

Directions

 
From Interstate 95 exit 120 in Port St. Lucie, follow Crosstown Parkway east for 7 miles to US 1. Turn south. Drive half a mile and get in the left lane for the light at Walton Rd. Turn left and continue 1.9 mile to the Education Center trailhead. Other trailheads near this route are shown on the map above.

About the Park

Most of the preserve is a vast open landscape of palmetto prairie and wetlands not far from the Indian River Lagoon.

But there are multiple entrances as well as an outlying tract in the St. Lucie River floodplain.

Paved path to building Environmental Education Center


For an orientation to this long, skinny park, stop in at the Environmental Education Center along Walton Rd in Port St. Lucie before you begin your explorations.

Two nature trails radiate from this trailhead, and the park-spanning linear White Trail passes through it as well.

White blaze on tree The White Trail


An accessible path leads to an overlook on one of the savannas, which are blanketed in colorful wildflowers in spring.

Lilies dot the open water marshes. The park offers guided paddling trips enabling you to get up close to wading birds by immersing in the habitat.

Man in kayak Paddler in the marshes (Lori Burris)


An unpaved road leads north from this access point to a canoe launch on a large pond also open to fishing.

Anglers and paddlers can also head for the Evans Creek tract along US 1 in Port St. Lucie to slide a kayak or canoe into the channel.

Launch in mangrove channel Evans Creek launch


One of the more fascinating access points is the Hawks Bluff Nature Trail off Jensen Beach Blvd and Savanna Rd.

A steep trail heads downhill to the savanna’s open waters. Along it, experience five different habitats in less than a mile.

White blaze on sand pine in scrub Sand ridge at Hawks Bluff


Trails

Most trails within the preserve are multi-use. A ribbon of white-blazed trail extends north-south as a backbone to loop trails.

Radiating from the Education Center trailhead, the Glass Lizard Trail is an easy interpretive loop, while the Gopher Tortoise Trail rambles farther afield.

Mowed path in scrubby flatwoods Hiking the Gopher Tortoise Trail


Forest roads offer more than 15 miles for bicyclists and equestrians to experience the uplands of the preserve.

Almost 6 miles of the White Trail spans between the Education Center and Jensen Beach Blvd trailheads.

Mowed path in scrubby flatwoods White Trail reaching Walton Rd


Launch access by sidewalk past picnic table Evans Creek Launch into a tributary of the North Fork of the St. Lucie River from state park land along US 1 in Port St. Lucie.
Lily dotted blue water Hawks Bluff Trail Scramble up and down the Atlantic Coastal Ridge on this hike with scenic views of the southern end of the freshwater savannas stretching from Fort Pierce to Jensen Beach.

Paralleling it outside the park fence, a portion of the paved East Coast Greenway runs along the edge of the preserve.

Bike along bike path in greenway East Coast Greenway Stuart Linking Port St. Lucie with Jensen Beach, Stuart, Port Salerno, and Hobe Sound, this 17.6 mile segment of the East Coast Greenway has dedicated bike paths at both ends.

Trail Map

Savannas Preserve State Park Trail Map


Slideshow

See our photos of Savannas Preserve State Park


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Broad sand road through sandhill habitat Atlantic Ridge Preserve State Park Protecting what remains of the forested Atlantic Ridge between the Indian River and the St. Lucie River, this secluded state park is hidden behind subdivisions in Stuart.
Sand pines and trails sign Seabranch Preserve Hiking Trails On more than 1,000 acres along the Intracoastal Waterway south of Stuart, the double loop trail at Seabranch Preserve State Park showcases a coastal scrub forest.

Interpretive Tours Official Website

Category: Biking, Day Hikes, Equestrian, Florida State Parks, Hikes, Launch Points, Loop Hikes, Nature Centers, Nature Trails, Paddling, Parks, Southeast FloridaTag: Accessible, Birding, Dog-friendly, East Coast Greenway, Fishing, Florida State Parks, Fort Pierce, Geology, Jensen Beach, Picnic, Port St. Lucie, Savannas Preserve State Park, Wildflowers, Wildlife Viewing

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