Visit Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

Hiking Trails, Beaches and Wildlife Viewing Near Orlando Florida

Mar 3, 2009 Dawn M. Smith

A short drive from Orlando, next door to Kennedy Space Center, is a wildlife refuge that offers manatee viewing, bird watching, Indian middens and Atlantic Ocean beaches.

Canaveral National Seashore and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge occupy the area just north of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and the Kennedy Space Center. The Refuge and Seashore share an undeveloped area where animals and nature, rather than technology, are the stars. The Intracoastal Waterway winds through the park along Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon. There are visitor information centers at the north (Canaveral National Seashore Visitor Center) and south (Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center) ends of the area with exhibits and publications to help visitors get the most out of their time in the parks.

Canaveral National Seashore Beaches and Hiking Trails

The Atlantic coast of the national seashore stretches for miles. The middle section, Klondike Beach, is only accessible on foot or by boat. Playalinda Beach at the south end of the seashore and Apollo Beach in the north are easily accessible by car.

Canaveral National Seashore is also the site of two shell, or kitchen, middens left by the Timucuan Indians, which are reached by self-guided trails. Archeologists study these piles of oyster, mussel and other shells to learn more about the eating habits of the tribes which lived in the area. Eldora, Oak and Palm Hammock trails take hikers through dense hammocks where a variety of plant and animal life is found. Scrub Trail, as its name implies, winds through Florida scrub where the Florida scrub jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens), listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as its population continues to decline, is most likely to be seen.

Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

A six-mile unpaved road winds through multiple habitats providing slow paced wildlife viewing. Alligators are readily seen in the water or resting on islands in the marsh areas and large numbers of wading birds including roseate spoonbills and many types of egret and heron grace the pond and tidal flats.

There are two hiking trails off the wildlife drive, which allow visitors to stretch their legs and view the birds and animals from a different perspective. Songbirds are found in the low shrubs and trees here and hawks, eagles and osprey above. The Cruikshank Trail takes visitors along the edges of the marshes and has an observation tower for sweeping views of Indian River’s wide bay.

Manatee Viewing Point

At Haulover Canal, just off the Kennedy Parkway, there is a platform built out over Mosquito Lagoon which takes advantage of an eddy where Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) stop to rest and graze. The platform is wheelchair accessible and provides regular views of the manatees as they drift up and down the lagoon.

Getting to Canaveral National Seashore

The national seashore, including the Indian midden trails and Apollo Beach can be reached via Exit 249 off of Interstate 95 where Rte 44 leads to Rte A1A, which ends at Apollo Beach. There are day use fees for national seashore beaches. Kennedy Parkway connects Canaveral National Seashore with Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Getting to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

The wildlife refuge is best accessed via Exit 220 off of Interstate 95, Rte 406 winds through the refuge. Take Rte 402 to reach the Visitor Center.

This area provides a great opportunity to view some of the variety of wildlife and habitats found in Florida.

The copyright of the article Visit Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in SE U.S. Travel is owned by Dawn M. Smith. Permission to republish Visit Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Alligators are Seen at Merritt Island NWR