HIKING TRAILS
In the Titusville AreaPage One
|
HIKING TRAILSIn the Titusville AreaPage One |
|
Much of the City of Titusville, sits on the Atlantic Coastal Ridge, an ancient beach sand dune dating back to a time when ocean levels were much higher. Heading east, the land lowers until you reach the Indian River Lagoon. Beyond the lagoon, the Merritt Island Wildlife refuge and Canaveral National Seashore form a barrier Island complex between the lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean.
Hiking trails here showcase a variety of our local habitats, from salt marsh, maritime hammocks, mesic hammocks, pine flatlands, coastal strand, coastal scrub, Atlantic Coastal Ridge uplands, and freshwater marsh habitat, all of which provide opportunities to view much of our native flora and fauna. Some of these species are unique to these particular habitats and are found nowhere else. This page details primarily dayhikes on Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, Canaveral National Seahore, and in several parks and refuges within Titusville. However, if you want to experience a rare opportunity for beach camping, this is available from the North end of Canaveral Seashore. If you are more interested in Primative Camping opportunities several of these are to be found on page two. BACKTRAK to the Hiking Homepage Photo by Dean Richard Pettit. |
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
is less that 10 minutes from Titusville and consists of 140,000 acres, over half of which are brackish estuaries and marsh habitat.The remaining lands consist of coastal dunes, scrub oaks, pine forests and flatwoods, and palm and oak hammocks. A total of 1,045 plant species has been identified on the refuge. More than 500 species of wildlife have also been documented including 330 species of birds, 117 fishes, 65 amphibians and reptiles, and 31 mammals. Of these, 16 are currently federally listed as threatened or endangered. These species include the Florida scrub jay, The west indian manatee, the southern bald eagle, the american alligator, and six different species of marine turtles. The refuge has several maintained hiking trails. Photo by Dean Richard Pettit. |
The Alan Cruickshank trailhead is located about halfway through the Black Point Wildlife Drive, with an elevated viewing platform and a walking trail that follows the impoundment dike around the wetlands for about 4 1/2 miles. This is an easy walk as the dike is level and raised above the marshes. A photography blind is provided at the end of a boardwalk about 1/2 mile into the hike.
To get there, take the Max Brewer Causeway (State Road 406) east from Titusville on to the refuge. About 1.4 miles after you enter the refuge entrance you will soon see the sign leading you to Black Point on the left. As you are on an elevated dike surrounding a salt marsh habitat, there is no shade so I would recommend bringing a good hiking hat, sunscreen, and some drinking water. Photo courtesy of nbbd.com. |
The Palm and Oak Hammock Trailheads can be found by staying to the right on State Road 406 past the Black Point turnoff and continuing past the refuge headquarters and visitor's center. You will come to the Hammock Trails parking area on the left, or north side of the road. These two loop trails take you through the hammocks and wetlands. The Oak Hammock trail is about 1/2 mile in length and has a considerable amount of boardwalk allowing a closeup view of the wetland forest. The Palm Hammock Trail runs about two miles. and goes through a variety of habitats.
Both trails can be pretty muddy following periods of rain, and be sure to bring plenty of bug repellent from about March through October. Photo by Dean Richard Pettit. |
The Scrub Ridge Trail is the newest of the trails at Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, and features the favored habitat of the Florida Scrub Jay, an endemnic species to the state, existing nowhere else. It is a one mile loop that goes through a habitat of low lying scrub oak and palmetto bushes. A footpath takes you to an intersection with a little used dirt road. Turning left on the dirt road takes you back to the trailhead. The trailhead can be found by taking the Max Brewer Causeway across the river (SR 406) and taking The Black Point turnoff to the left then continuing on past the entrance to Black Point Wildlife Drive until the road ends at SR 3. Turn left (north) and you will see the sign pointing the way down a dirt road on your right (east) to the trailhead.
Most of the vegetation here is pretty low (ie, not much shade) so I would recommend bringing a hat, sunscreen, and water. You can read my Out There! eMagazine Scrub Ridge Trail experience Here. Photo by Dean Richard Pettit. |
The Merritt Island Visitor's Center is located 4 miles east of Titusville and offers Refuge information, educational displays, wildlife exhibits, and a 20 minute video about the Refuge. A 1/4 mile, universally accessible boardwalk located behind the VIC crosses over a pond, through an oak hammock, and leads to a freshwater marsh overlook. Special interpretive programs are offered November-March annually. The VIC is open Monday-Friday 8:00-4:30 , and 9:00 -5:00 on Saturdays and Sundays (closed Sunday April-October).
Heres a map of the refuge!
More Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge info! Back to the hiking table or, use your browser's Back button to take you back to your exact position on the table. Photo Courtesy of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. |
Cape Canaveral National Seashore
offers 24 miles of undeveloped beaches and 57,000 acres of beach, wetlands and other coastal habitats. It is accessable from the south through Titusville and the north from New Smyrna Beach. This is one of the last opportunities to hike along an undeveloped beach of any significance in the state. The 100 Timucuan Mounds that are within the seashore property are evidence of past generations of people that lived here and fourteen endangered species make their home within Canaveral's boundaries. These are undeveloped beaches with limited services. There are no designated picnic areas, food services, or beach showers. Life guards are on duty May 30th through September 1st and limited horseback riding is available in both districts. Short, self-guiding trails and Backcountry camping can also be had accessed from the north end at Apollo Beach. Take either US-1 or I-95 north to SR-44 (exit 84 from I-95) in New Smyrna Beach and head east across the Halafax River until you come to SR A1A. Turn south until you come to the designated parking areas for Apollo Beach. Limited backcountry camping is allowed from here down to grid marker 45 from November 1 through April 30 (permit required, call (321) 267-1110 for more info). Photo courtesy of Canaveral National Seashore. |
 Playalinda Beach marks the south end of Canaveral National Seashore. To get there, take SR 406 from Titusville through the refuge, veer to right at the Black Point Wildlife Drive turnoff and you are now on SR 402. Stay on this route past the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge visitor's center until you come to the stoplight. Continue straight until the road turns to the north along the beach and follow it to the end. This is parking area 13. Get on the beach and head north. No roads, no condos, no crowds, nothing but beach, dunes, scrub habitat, and Mosquito Lagoon wetlands until you get to the North District.Photo by Bob Paty. |
 Apollo Beach marks the north end of Canaveral National Seashore. To get there, take either US-1 or I-95 to SR-44 (exit 84 from I-95) in New Smyrna Beach and go east until you come to SR-A1A and go south until you reach Cape Canaveral Seashore. >From here there are no roads, no condos, no crowds, nothing but beach, dunes, scrub habitat, and Mosquito Lagoon wetlands until you get to Playalinda Beach and the South District. Limited beach camping is allowed from here down to grid marker 45 from November 1 through April 30 (permit required, call (321) 267-1110 for more info).Photo by Rose Sroda. |
 Turtle Mound is located on State Road A1A about one mile south of the Park Entrance near New Smyrna Beach. Wayside exhibits along the trail tell of the Timucuan Indians. The trail takes the visitor to the top of a Native American Mound about 35 feet high and has two viewing areas. The southern view gives the visitor a panoramic view of the park and Mosquito Lagoon. The northern view allows the visitor to see the development outside the park. The trail is approximately .3 mile long and is accessible to visitors in wheelchairs only if they have assistance. Some electric wheelchairs can navigate the trail.
Photo not available...yet. We're working the problem. |
 Castle Windy is located at Parking Area #3 in the North District. The trail is the only one in the park that allows the visitor to walk from the ocean, through a coastal hammock, past an ancient Indian Midden to Mosquito Lagoon. There is no boardwalk on this trail. There are no interpretive signs along the trail, however, there is a site bulletin that identifies some of the plants found in the hammock and gives a brief description of Castle Windy Midden. The trail is approximately 1-mile round trip. The surface of the trail is soft sand and is not accessible to people in wheelchairs.
Photo not available...yet. We're working the problem. |
 The Eldora Trail is located at Parking Area #8 in the North District. The trail takes the visitor through a coastal hammock to the shoreline of Mosquito Lagoon. At the end of this, trail park visitors have the opportunity to visit the Eldora State House. The trail is packed sand and at this time may be difficult for visitors in wheelchairs to navigate.
Photo not available...yet. We're working the problem. |
 Eldora Hammock is located at Parking Area #9 in the North District. It is a circular trail approximately 1 mile in length. The trail leads the visitor through a coastal hammock. Interpretive signs along the trail give information about coastal hammocks. The trail surface is soft sand and is not wheelchair accessible.
Photo not available...yet. We're working the problem. More Canaveral National Seashore info! Back to the hiking table or, use your browser's Back button to take you back to your exact position on the table. |
Enchanted Forest Preserve
Walking & Learning trails wander through timeless Scrub, Mesic, and Hydric ecosystems with their wide variety of endangered and threatened species. The relationship between soil types and plant communities is easily seen here. Guided hikes are available or you can strike out on your own with a map provided by volunteers at the hike desk, who are always eager to answer any questions. The trails here have been designed to provide the maximum exposure to the variety of habitats represented here and are marked by colored stakes at trailheads and intersections. Being located within an isotherm, a transitional zone separating a temperate and a subtropical climatic zone, the variety of plant life to be found here is truely astounding. One of my favorite sites is the Addison Canal area, where you can walk along the north side of the canal and look down into what looks like a forested canyon about 30 feet deep with a small creek at the bottom. I Like seeing the trees growing from the bottom out the top of the rim. You can also see the different sediment and rock layers of the local geology. Be real careful along the edge of the canal, it's quite a drop, but also a really interesting place. Overall, this really is a great place to see and learn about the primitive Florida woods. Wanna see a map that I blatantly stole from and here's some info from the Back to the hiking table or, use your browser's Back button to take you back to your exact position on the table. Photo courtesy of the Friends of the Enchanted Forest. |
|
Wuesthoff Park
at 2000 Wuesthoff Street is Just off Barna Ave, just south of Cheney Highway in Titusville, Wuesthoff Park is a 25 acre park that offers good hiking and birdwatching through a variety of habitats including a boardwalk over a small wetlands, and trails that loop through hardwood hammock and and upland pine habitats. This is a nice park for family gatherings. Beautiful deeply wooded hike, picnic area, and a nice mowed open field and play area. Wanna see a map?
More info from North Brevard Parksand Recreation!
Back to the hiking table or, use your browser's Back button to take you back to your exact position on the table.
Photo by Dean Richard Pettit.
|
North Brevard Walking Trail
is found on the corner of Holder and Dairy roads in Titusville. About 6 acres in size, it is a preserved section of Atlantic Coastal Ridge pine scrub habitat with about a half mile trail looping around the outer parimeter and other trails through it. Located atop an ancient sand dune, this type of unique habitat is rapidly being bought up by developers in Florida and is probably the most endangered habitat in the state. It is dominated by tall slash pine trees and a lower growth of scrub oak and saw palmettos. Nice 1/2 to 1 hour hike and lots of songbirds during migratory periods. Back to the hiking table or, use your browser's Back button to take you back to your exact position on the table. Photo by Dean Richard Pettit. |
Hi, feel free to email any questions you may have concerning hiking trails, or any other outdoor subject in the Titusville area,Thank you, BACKTRAK to the Hiking Homepage  TITUSVILLE OUTDOORS (HomePage): || WILDLIFE WATCHING | FISHING | PADDLING | HIKING | "OUT THERE" eMagazine ||
QUICK LINKS TO LOCAL "OUTDOOR" WEBSITES: |