Opened in 2013, the Toni Robinson Waterfront Trail offers an easy, family friendly stroll leading out to a loop through coastal mangrove forests.
Home to native plants and animals, a few projects are on display along the trail as well, including a bat house, owl nesting boxes, and beehives.
Bridge into the mangrovesResources
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Overview
Location: Wabasso
Length: 1.3 miles
Trailhead: 27.737667, -80.427222
Address: 4290 79th St, Wabasso
Fees: Free
Restrooms: None
Land manager: Indian River Land Trust
Phone: 772-794-0701
Open sunrise to sunset. Leashed dogs welcome.
Directions
Exiting Interstate 95 at SR 60, follow it east for 3.2 miles. Turn left on CR 505 (66th Ave). After 6.6 miles, , turn right onto 77th St and continue for 2.2 miles to US 1. Turn left and follow US 1 northbound for 0.1 mile. Turn right onto 79th St and the entrance will be the first driveway on the left.
Hike
From the parking area, begin the hike along a well-trodden trail leading into a hammock of live oaks and shaggy cabbage palms.
Follow the sandy pathway under dappled sunlight for 0.1 mile until it opens to a scrubby clearing with a bat house in the middle.
Trailhead markersAlong the route, unique spinning signs stand next to several points of interest.
Set on top of sturdy posts, these four-sided blocks display information related to the preserve in colorful detail.
Spinning information signsAs the path turns eastward towards the coast, the dirt road transitions to crushed shell as a scattering of royal and cabbage palms rise from a dense tree line.
Ospreys chirp overhead as the scent of saltwater fills the air and tall mangroves begin to flank the trail.
Mixed palm treesTurning right at the beginning of the loop, follow a raised mosquito impoundment as it passes a short plank boardwalk leading into the mangrove forest.
Stepping into a tangle of roots suspended over tidal wetlands, large airplants cling to the trees, thriving in humid conditions out of direct sunlight.
Airplants in the mangrovesAt a half mile, the trail turns northward to parallel the shoreline for a tenth of a mile before reaching an impressive pier stretching out into the Indian River Lagoon.
A covered bench overlooks the water at the end of the walkway, providing a peaceful spot to relax as waves gently lap at the wooden pilings.
Indian River pierReturning to land, continue straight across the pathway, climbing onto a sturdy boardwalk leading through the mangroves.
The trees arch overhead, creating a shady tunnel through the swamp that opens to the shell pathway in 0.2 mile.
Turn left at this junction, following the impoundment for a few hundred feet to complete the loop, then retrace steps along the trail for a quarter mile back to the trailhead.
Boardwalk through the mangrove forestTrail Map
Explore More!
Video
A walk through the Toni Robinson Waterfront Trail
Nearby Adventures
Pelican Island NWR The birthplace of the National Wildlife Refuge system, Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge protects more than 5,400 acres along and in the Indian River Lagoon off Sebastian.
North Sebastian Conservation Area An excellent place to spot rare Florida scrub-jays, the trails at North Sebastian Conservation Area explore a variety of wet and dry natural habitats.
St. Sebastian Catface Loop Traverse an expanse of prairies and scrub between a creekside hammock and palm hammocks atop tall bluffs on the St. Sebastian River.
Indian River Lagoon Greenway A scenic trek in Vero Beach to an observation deck on the Indian River Lagoon provides the option of longer immersion in the coastal mangrove forest.
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