Florida Hikes

Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

Trail through row of cabbage palms

Teague Hammock Preserve

Stepping back in time before the arrival of extensive agriculture in South Florida, the trails at Teague Hammock cross open prairies and loop through shady hardwood hammocks.

Port St. Lucie (27.311611, -80.546361)   2.3 miles   Stephen J Fousek Preserve

A component of Steven J Fousek Preserve, the trails at Teague Hammock explore portions of the preserve where some of the natural hydrology of the area has been restored.

Surrounded by massive farms, this conservation land is an important sanctuary for native plants and animals, offering excellent opportunities for wildlife watching.

The larger preserve is split in two by Carlton Road, with Paleo and Hackberry hammocks providing miles of additional trails to the west.

Path in palm hammock Hiking through the tropical hammock

Resources

Resources for exploring the area
South Florida Explorers Guide book cover 50 Hikes in South Florida book cover Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover Paddlers Guide Florida
 
Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.

Overview

Location: Port St. Lucie
Length: 2.3 miles
Trailhead: 27.311611, -80.546361
Address: 8550 Carlton Rd, Port St. Lucie
Fees: Free
Restrooms: None
Land manager: St. Lucie County
Phone: 772-462-2526

Open sunrise to sunset. Leashed dogs welcome. Trails are multi-use.

Directions


 
From Interstate 95 north of Port St. Lucie, take exit 126 on Midway Rd. Drive west 4.5 miles. Meet SR 70 and turn left. In 3.2 miles, make a left onto SR 613. In another 3.8 miles, the preserve parking lot will be on the right side of the road, shared with Paleo Hammock.

Hike

Starting at the parking area for Paleo Hammock, cross over Carlton Road and pass through a gap in the fence to reach an information trailhead kiosk displaying maps of the preserve.

A grassy, partially shaded pathway lined with ferns leads past the trailhead for a quarter mile before climbing onto an elevated berm.

Trailhead signage for this preserve in a palm hammock Trailhead

Columns of cabbage palms flank the trail as it traverses the raised terrain, thriving in drier soils than the surrounding low-lying pastures.

At a half mile, the pathway takes a sharp bend to the south while entering the cover of a tropical hardwood hammock.

Cabbage palms along raised trail Cabbage palms on the berm

Draped with long strands of Spanish moss, heavy limbs of live oak trees covered in resurrection ferns arch overhead. The sandy pathway weaves east towards the loop portion of the trail.

Turn left at 0.7 mile where the loop starts to explore more hammocks before reaching potentially flooded portions of the route.

Oak tree with Spanish moss Shady hammock

Simpson stoppers attract pollinators with clusters of fluffy white flowers alongside showy velvet-leaved wild coffee bushes.

Strangler figs wrap around tall trees and palms, using the support of their host to climb above the dense subtropical jungle in search of more sunlight.

Walls of wild coffee flank footpath Tall wild coffee bushes

At a wet prairie crossing at 1.1 miles, the trail may be muddy or under water depending on the time of year or recent rains.

Continuing across a stretch of open grasslands, the pathway curves to follow along an edge of the prairie. Pass several Carolina willows while entering another hammock on the south side.

Open green-hued prairie Crossing the wet prairie

In a quarter mile, the trail crosses a narrower section of prairie before finishing the loop.

Returning to the berm at 1.5 miles, turn left to take a short detour along a side trail to a wildlife blind with benches overlooking an expansive prairie to the south.

From this point, follow the trail back across the berm, reaching the trailhead after another 0.6 mile to complete a 2.3 mile hike.

Blind that looks like a farm trailer along a farm road in South Florida Bird blind

Trail Map

Stephen J Fousek Preserve Trail Map
Teague Hammock: red. Paleo Hammock: green.

Explore More!

Explore adjacent Paleo Hammock Preserve

Berm with palms Paleo Hammock Preserve Discover a maze of wild coffee, an observation tower, and an archaeological site along a short loop, or walk miles more into scenic habitats within Stephen J Fousek Preserve.

Video

A walk through Teague Hammock Preserve

Nearby Adventures

Glowing pond surrounded by palms and oaks Ten Mile Creek Preserve Explore a short but incredibly rugged nature trail teetering along bluffs above the source of the North Fork of the St. Lucie River.
Scrubby flatwoods Gordy Road Recreation Area Follow a gentle interpretive trail to explore scrub and oak hammock bordering a reclaimed sand mine on uplands recharging Ten Mile Creek.
Broad lake with cloud reflections George LeStrange Preserve A mix of restoration areas and natural habitats, George LeStrange Preserve has trails both easy and rugged surrounding its centerpiece of Lake Zobel.
Bridge surrounded by tropical vegetation along a hiking trail Oxbow Eco-Center Preserve A network of nature trails circles natural habitats along North Fork of the St. Lucie River, radiating from an environmental center with family appeal.

Official Website

Chris Stevens
Latest posts by Chris Stevens (see all)
Category: , , , , , , , , , Tag: , , , , ,