Along a cove on a tidal creek that flows out to the Intracoastal Waterway, Wadsworth Park provides a gentle introduction to the marshes. While this 45-acre county park near Flagler Beach has the usual amenities – ball fields, tennis courts, and a “Paw Park” – it’s also a fabulous spot for birding on the edge of the estuary.
Resources
Overview
Location: Flagler Beach
Length: 0.2 mile
Lat-Long: 29.480050, -81.142867
Type: round-trip
Fees / Permits: Free
Difficulty: easy
Bug factor: moderate
Restroom: Near the ball fields
For more information: Flagler County Parks and Recreation (386-437-7490), 1200 E. Moody Blvd, #3, Bunnell, FL 32110
Directions
From I-95 exit 284, Flagler Beach, drive 2.5 miles east on SR 100 to the park entrance on the left, just before the Intracoastal Waterway Bridge. Keep right at both forks along the park road to reach the soccer field area, where the boardwalk starts.
Hike
On the east side of the parking lot, look for the “Boardwalk and Canoe Launch” sign. A short boardwalk drops down out of the pine flatwoods to follow a tidal creek, where the canoe launch juts out to allow put-in. The boardwalk meanders through a palm hammock to the edge of the salt marshes, finishing at an overlook. This is a great spot for birding.
Don’t miss the other (non-contiguous) section of the boardwalk, which goes over a freshwater pond filled with lilies. It starts directly across the parking area from the estuarine boardwalk.
In addition, some unmarked trails lead through the dense forest behind the skateboarding complex.
Upper Tampa Bay County Park
Does this article refer to the boardwalk that burned down? If so, do you know if they will rebuild it?
We were not aware that the boardwalk had burnt down. It was a very short one, so we’d hope they’d rebuild it. We’ll look into it next time we get to Flagler Beach.