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Mountain Bike Trails |
Space Coast South |
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This section includes
destinations for Mountain Bike or Wilderness
Riding Trails in the South Brevard and
Northern Indian River County area
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Mainland
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Turkey Creek Sanctuary
1518 Port Malabar Blvd. NE Palm Bay, FL
32905
The Main entrance to the sanctuary is
located behind the Community Center and next
to the Palm Bay Library at 1502 Port Malabar
Blvd. NE, Turkey Creek Sanctuary is over 100
acres of natural Florida along the banks of
Turkey Creek. There are jogging paths and a
boardwalk through the woods and overlooking
the creek with a canoe launch on site. These
are not the biking trails. To get to the Ho
Chi Mihn MTB Trail, park at the Sanctuary
and ride along the Port Malabar Blvd
bikepath east about .6 miles until you cross
a small bridge over Turkey Creek. The Ho Chi
Mihn trailhead is on the immediate right
before you get to Briar Creek Road. 6 miles,
singletrack, and connects to the Blue Loop,
and the Root Canal Trails. Just past this
trailhead is entrance to the
Boundary Canal Trail (Paved)
which heads south and then east to access
the Cameron 100 Acre Park and the
Malabar Scrub Sanctuary, both of which
have additional MTB trails. (See below).
Trails Map
Biking Trailhead GPS N 28 00.997 W 80
35.743
Biking Trailhead Google Satellite Image
Sanctuary Main Entrance GPS N 28
01.016 W 80 36.289
Turkey Creek Entrance Google Satellite Image |
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Malabar Scrub Sanctuary
From I-95 take Exit-173 Malabar Rd
SR-514 and go east on Malabar Road about 3.1
miles. Turn left on Malabar Woods Boulevard.
Trailhead is located at the end of the road.
Kiosk and stabilized parking available.
From US Hwy 1 take Malabar Road west for 1
mile. Turn right on Malabar Woods Boulevard.
Trailhead is located at the end of the road.
Kiosk and stabilized parking available
This 395 acre sanctuary managed by the
Brevard County Environmentally Endangered
Lands Program boasts a variety of habitats
including xeric (dry) hammock, scrub,
scrubby flatwoods, pine flatwoods, sand pine
scrub, ponds, sloughs, and depression
marshes, and allow visitors to learn how the
habitats interact with each other and about
the crucial role that fire plays in health
of the ecosystem. This property has a
network of about 10 miles of singletrack
trails with a connection via the boundary
canal trail from the Ho Chi Minh Trail in
Turkey Creek.
Trails Map
In addition, new sigle directional trails
have been established within the Cameron 100
acre park adjacient to the sanctuary. See
"Malabar Trail Pattern Map" below.
Malabar Trail Pattern
GPS N 27 59.893 W 80 35.030
Google Satellite Image |
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Jordan Scrub Sanctuary
End of Marie Street, Malabar.
From I-95 take SR-514 Exit-173 east onto
Malabar Road. Go 3.6 miles and turn right on
Marie Street (3 miles past the fire station)
and go 0.9 miles. When the paved road ends,
continue to the Sanctuary gate and kiosk.
Bike rack provided. Parking is not
available.
From US-1 go west on Malabar Road for 0.5
miles and turn left onto Marie Street for
0.9 miles. When the paved road ends,
continue to the Sanctuary gate and kiosk.
A variety of habitat types are found in this
354-acre sanctuary. including scenic lakes,
seasonal marshes, and scrubby flatwoods.
About 8 miles of trails, mostly doubletrack.
While biking through the diverse habitats,
bald eagles can be spotted fishing for meals
in the lake, and local scrub-jays seen
foraging in the scrubby flatwoods.
Recreational planning for the Jordan Scrub
Sanctuary recently commenced-additional
trails are planned for future development.
Trails Map
GPS 27 59.101 W 80 34.399
Google Satellite Image |
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Micco Scrub Sanctuary
North and south of Micco Road between
Babcock and I-95
500 Micco Road, Micco, FL 32976
From I-95 take the Malabar Road
Exit-(FL-514) east and turn right on Babcock
Street SE. Go south about 7 miles. Turn left
on Micco Road and go about .75 mile east.
Look for fenced, grassy parking area on the
left.
From US Hwy 1 go west on Micco Road 6.3
miles. Look for grassy parking area on the
right.
The Micco Scrub Sanctuary protects 1322
acres of Brevard’s remaining scrubby
flatwoods and mesic flatwoods habitat. This
mosaic of seasonal marshes and dry flatwoods
shelters many indigenous species of plants
and animals that cannot be found anywhere
else in the county. The roughly ten miles of
singletrack trails running through the Micco
Scrub Sanctuary give many chances to spot
wildlife.
Trails Map
GPS N 27 52.461 W 80 36.860
Google Satellite Image |
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St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park;
At 21,748 acres most of this property is
jointly owned with the State of Florida and
is located in Brevard and Indian River
Counties.
Access:
From I-95, take exit 73 and go east on
Malabar Road (State Road 514). Turn south
onto Babcock Road (County Road 507), travel
11.5 miles and turn east onto Buffer
Preserve Drive. The south entrance is off
Fellsmere Road (CR 512), 1.8 miles east of
I-95.
This site preserves open grassy forests of
longleaf pine that were once commonplace
throughout Florida. The pine flatwoods form
a backdrop for other biological communities,
including cypress domes, scrubby flatwoods,
sandhills, and a beautiful strand swamp.
These habitats are home to many native
plants and animals, including over 50
protected species. Photographers,
bird-watchers, and nature enthusiasts can
explore miles of trails on foot, bicycle, or
horseback. Also in the preserve where the
C-54 Canal meets with the St. Sebastain
River, West Indian manatees can be see
congregating. The preserve is divided into
four sections with the north and south
sections divided by the C-54 Canal and east
and west bisected by I-95. They are known as
the Northwest Preserve, Northeast Preserve,
Southeast Preserve, and the Southwest
Preserve. The Northeast Preserve is home to
the Green Trail loop (9.0 miles) but has no
designated campsites. The Northeast Preserve
is home to the Yellow Trail (9.7 miles and
has two camps, the Storytelling Camp and the
Pine Camp. The Southeast Preserve is home to
the Blue Trail (10 miles) and has 3 camps,
the Deer Camp, the Tree Frog Camp, and the
Mullet Camp. The Southwest Preserve is home
to the Red Trail (14 miles) and has one
camp, the Eagle Camp.
For information about the Visitors Center or
Camping, please call 321.953.5004.
Brochure and Map
GPS N 27 49.479 W 80 36.401
Google Satellite Image |
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Three Forks Marsh Conservation Area
There are two primary trailheads for birding
the three forks conservation area. The
northermost trail head is the Thomas
O Lawton Recreation Area and can be accessed
from the Malabar Road exit from I-95 and
following Malabar Road to it's west end.
Gates open at sunrise and close at sunset.
The southern trailhead is at the Fellsmere
Grade Recration Pad at the Sick Marsh / Farm
13 area. and can be accessed from I-95 by
taking the east exit for Malabar to Babcock
Street, turn south on Babcock until you
cross the C-54 Canal, turn west on the
Fellsmere Grade Road and follow this to the
end.
Three Forks Conservation Area is about
52,000 acres in size and it is within this
area that the first actual discernable
channels of the St. Johns River take shape
in the form of three forks that come
together to form the actual river. The
birdwatching hiking and biking trails have
been built upon the levees constructed by
the St. John's River Water Management
District in order to improve water quality
of the headwaters and restore the river to
its natural state after years of draining
the wetlands for agricultural use. The water
management impoundments provide great
opportunities for seeing waterfowl, wading
birds, raptors, deer, alligators, river
otters, and many other species. The dike
trail between the two trailheads is about
16.9 miles in length. There is a shelter
about halfway between the trailheads, and an
observation tower about 2.5 mile north of
the fellsmere grade trailhead overlooking
the T.M Goodwin Waterfowl Management Area.
Note; The Fellsmere Grade Trailhead
also serves as the northernmost trailhead
for the Blue Cypress Conservation Area
listed just below.
Property Map
Trails Map
Thomas O Lawton Trailhead
GPS N 27 59.002 W 80 45.277
Google Satellite Image
Fellsmere Grade Trailhead
GPS N 27 49.343 W 80 42.478
Google Satellite Image |
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Blue Cypress Conservation Area
Property map
Location:
This conservation area is 54,458 acres in
size and extends from the Fellsmere Grade
along C-54 Canal at the top of the Stick
Marsh southward to State Road 60 west of
Vero Beach in Indian River County. The area
contains virtually all of the wetlands that
eventually feed the St. Johns River. Like
the Three Forks Conservation Area, hiking
and biking trails are built upon the levees
constructed by the St. John's River Water
Management District in order to improve
water quality of the headwaters and restore
the river to its natural state after years
of draining the wetlands for agricultural
use. The water management impoundments
provide great opportunities for seeing
waterfowl, wading birds, raptors, deer,
alligators, river otters, and many other
species.
Fellsmere Grade Trailhead /
Stick Marsh
GPS N 27 49.343 W 80 42.478
Google Satellite Image
The northern trailhead for Blue Cypress
is at the Fellsmere Grade Recration Pad at
the Sick Marsh / Farm 13 area. and can be
accessed from I-95 by taking the east exit
for Malabar to Babcock Street, turn south on
Babcock until you cross the C-54 Canal, turn
west on the Fellsmere Grade Road and follow
this to the end. While heading north
from the recreation pad / trailhead on the
levee take you to Three forks Conservation
Area, heading south on Levee 75 (L-75) from
this point takes you along the eastern edge
of the Stick Marsh.
The Stick Marsh is an impoundment
designed to contain and treat water from the
C-54 Canal, prevent flooding, and reduce
freshwater inflow into the Indian River
Lagoon to the east. The name Stick Marsh
refers to the standing dead trees in the
water from when the area was impounded and
flooded. However, many of these
standing dead trees were blown down by
Hurricane Wilma in 2005. By
continuing past the stick marsh on L-75, you
will eventually come to a turn to the east
and shortly come to a levee intersection
with L-77, which takes you to an
additional trailhead on State Road 60.
If you stay on L-77 east, you are now
walking along the northern edge of the Blue
Cypress Restoration Area. After about
1.5 miles, L-77 turns to the south and
passes a trailhead / boat launch and parking
area for access to the Blue Cypress
Restoration Area.
Blue Cypress Restoration Area
GPS N 27 39.762 W 80 38.667
Google Satellite Image
From the State Road 60 exit if I-95 in
Vero Beach, head west on SR-60 for
7.7 miles, and turn right on County Road
512. Follow this for 1.5 miles, and the Blue
Cypress Recreation Area will be on your
left. The north south levee here is L-75
while the one heading due west is called the
Farm Levee and does not extend across the
impoundment to Levee 77, which forms the
western border of the impoundment. The levee
numbers are shown on the Property Map
(Linked just above)
Blue Cypress Restoration area is an
impoundment adjacent to the Blue Cypress
Conservation Area designed to improve the
water quality of the Upper St. Johns River
and is a deepwater cypress wetland where a
paddling and small boat series of loop
trails has been marked by red and white
buoys, depending on which trail you are on.
From the parking lot of the Blue Cypress
Recreation Area on CR 512, you may ride in
several directions. One of the westbound
dikes will offer more remote, sometimes
higher quality wildife sighting
opportunities. However these paths are
narrower with irregular surfaces. A
north-south dike offers a smoother surface,
although the path is more exposed and birds
are harder to spot. It should be
noted however that the dikes heading east
from the parking area are Private Property
and tresspassing is not allowed. This
area contains foraging and nesting habitat
for the endangered snail kite and many other
species can be seen here as well including
all of the egrets and herons (including both
night-herons), glossy and white ibises,
purple gallinules, limpkins and wood storks.
Wood ducks and Florida mottled ducks are
found year-round, and the marshes are used
extensively in fall and winter by migratory
waterfowl and shorebirds. Bald eagles,
hawks, vultures, anhingas, ospreys and
crested caracaras are commonly seen.
American and least bitterns, king rails,
soras and fulvous whistling-ducks may be
viewed here as well as river otters and
alligators.
State Road 60 Trailhead
GPS N 27 38.478 W 80 40.730
Google Satellite Image |
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Fort Drum Marsh Conservation Area
This area contains a mosaic of wetland
and upland communities. The marsh area
represents the southernmost reach of the St.
Johns River’s headwaters. The area was
acquired as part of the Upper St. Johns
River Basin Project, undertaken jointly by
the District and the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers. The diversity of plant
communities has been shaped by both people
and nature. Natural communities include dry
prairie, pine flatwoods, hardwood swamp and
freshwater marsh. The diverse habitats
support Florida sandhill cranes, wood
storks, caracara, bald eagles, deer, turkey
and a large population of feral hogs.
Property Map
Trail Map
GPS N 27 38.444 W 80 46.016
Google Satellite Image |
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Sebastain Inlet State Park
One of Florida's most popular state parks,
Sebastain Inlet is a mecca for snook fishing
and is easily located on Highway A1A about
15 miles south of Melbourne Beach. When you
see the big bridge, you are at the inlet.
Three mountain bicycle trails are located
within the park. Florida is known for its
flatland, and the term "mountain bike trail"
is used where sandy and swampy flatland
challenge the off-road cyclist. The three
trails are a combination of off-road and
paved courses. All three trails begin and
end at the State Park Inlet Marina, which
can be accessed on the west side of SR-A1A
about a mile north of the inlet bridge.
Check with Inlet Marina staff before
venturing out on any trail. In addition to
the mountain bike trails, Sebastain Inlet
State Park has something for just about
everyone. There are hiking trails, good
snorkeling, diving, great fishing, kayaking,
boating, two museums, and a great sand
bottom shallow swimming and wading lagoon.
Don snorkeling gear and swim along the rocks
separating the wading lagoon and the inlet
and you will see snapper, sheepshead, and
many other small fish species. In other
sections of the inlet, snook and the
occasional barracuda are also seen. (More
info on Space Coast Outdoors Snorkeling
page.) A boat ramp can be found on the south
side on the lagoon. There are two museums on
site. The McLarty Treasure Museum tells the
story about the
Spanish Treasure Fleet of 1715,
that wrecked along the Florida southeast
coast in that year. The El Capitan was the
northernmost shipwreck of the 11 ship fleet
that was driven ashore by a massive
hurricane in July of 1715 and broke apart on
the shallow reefs within a mile of the south
jetty. All 11 ships were lost and over 1,000
sailers died. The museum is on the site of
the survivors of the El Capitan campground.
The Sebastian Fishing Museum tells the
history of the area's fishing industry.
Sebastian Inlet State Park Brocure with Map
Sebastian Inlet Trails Map
GPS N 27 51.683 W 80 26.931
Google Satellite Image |
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