Find the top rated trails in Vero Beach, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
_132724_st.jpg)
The Historic Jungle trail winds for nearly 8 miles along a sandy road through the hammock habitat of Florida's barrier islands north of Vero Beach. The trailreally a roadis on the National Register...
The Route A1A Trail runs along the west side of Route A1A in Indian River County, FL, linking the barrier islands off the coast of Vero Beach. There are numerous driveway and road crossings, and in...
The Martin County US Route 1 Sidepath offers a straight, paved pathway paralleling the west side of its namesake roadway along the southeastern coast of Florida. On its northern end, the trail...
_132724_sc.jpg)
Notice: Sections of the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail are closed while the Army Corps of Engineers conducts Herbert Hoover Dike maintenance and rehabilitation. Please see the Army Corps of Engineers...
The Historic Jungle trail winds for nearly 8 miles along a sandy road through the hammock habitat of Florida's barrier islands north of Vero Beach. The trailreally a roadis on the National Register...
Notice: Sections of the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail are closed while the Army Corps of Engineers conducts Herbert Hoover Dike maintenance and rehabilitation. Please see the Army Corps of Engineers...
The Martin County US Route 1 Sidepath offers a straight, paved pathway paralleling the west side of its namesake roadway along the southeastern coast of Florida. On its northern end, the trail...
The Route A1A Trail runs along the west side of Route A1A in Indian River County, FL, linking the barrier islands off the coast of Vero Beach. There are numerous driveway and road crossings, and in...
The Martin County US Route 1 Sidepath offers a straight, paved pathway paralleling the west side of its namesake roadway along the southeastern coast of Florida. On its northern end, the trail...
Notice: Sections of the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail are closed while the Army Corps of Engineers conducts Herbert Hoover Dike maintenance and rehabilitation. Please see the Army Corps of Engineers...
The Route A1A Trail runs along the west side of Route A1A in Indian River County, FL, linking the barrier islands off the coast of Vero Beach. There are numerous driveway and road crossings, and in...
The Historic Jungle trail winds for nearly 8 miles along a sandy road through the hammock habitat of Florida's barrier islands north of Vero Beach. The trailreally a roadis on the National Register...
Beautiful winding route. This is not a "trail" as you may imagine but an unpaved sand/gravel road. I biked this yesterday, arriving from the south on A1A. There was minimal vehicle traffic on the jungle trail. After turning on to Winter road, drive for about a mile and the road becomes gravel. Travel a bit more and there ARE designated parking spots next to a white building. The trail is mostly shaded, and there are some sandy spots and but nothing too obstructive. At the north entrance, there is parking at Pelcian Island Refuge (also a bathroom, water fountain). If you are feeling more adventurous, check out the trails within Pelican Island. There are two 3 mile loop trails, and an observation tower. Pack plenty of water and sunscreen!!!
I set out early for a ride on the A1A trail, parking at the North Spessard Holland Beach Park and crossing highway A1A to reach the trail, here a wide concrete sidewalk. In half a mile the surface changes to smooth asphalt, which continues for 16 miles down to Sebastian Inlet. It's unshaded, open to sun and wind, with numerous driveways and occasional cross streets. But it's the only long stretch of off-road trail in Brevard County, and maybe in the counties to the south. It lacks the seclusion of a rail trail, but has many points of interest along the way.
East coast Florida has few rail trails, partly because of the Florida East Coast Railroad. FEC doesn't like to abandon track- they just keep on using it. Say what you like about their union busting tactics, but they are survivors.
A1A trail doesn't stop in Brevard. If I crossed the bridge at the inlet, I could continue across Indian River County, through Wabasso and Vero Beach, on into St. Lucie County. Here Ft. Pierce inlet interrupts the barrier island, forcing the A1A trail inland to join US 1- fifty miles from the its nominal beginning at Ocean Avenue in Melbourne Beach. The highway also has bike lane or a fairly wide margin lane nearly all this distance, frequently ridden by faster-moving cyclists.
A long wooded stretch starts in Wabasso, shading the trail by mid-afternoon, though also channeling the wind north or south. There are connections to city bikeways in Melbourne and Vero Beach. South of Vero the woods thin out. Past Round Island Park, the trail has little or no shade. Highway traffic thins out in south Brevard and again in Indian River county south of Vero Beach.
Pedaling south from Melbourne Beach, I soon passed the Ponce de Leon landing site park, where an amateur historian claimed the European discovery of Florida actually happened. He studied de Leon's logbooks and attempted to replicate his voyage, making landfall near this park. (The accepted landing site is 150 miles north near St. Augustine.)
Florida Power was out early today, too, blocking half a dozen sections of the trail. But the flagmen were courteous and mindful of bicycles. One stopped oncoming traffic to let me pass; another waved me through inside his line of pylons.
Half a mile further on, the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge stretched across the barrier island, with entrances to the right and across A1A to the left. Professor Carr promoted sea turtle conservation and protection before the term "ecology" was coined.
Further on, signs pointed to the recently opened Indian River Lagoon Preserve State Park, off to the right on the lagoon side. I wasn't familiar with the preserve, but was watching for signs to Honest John's Fish Camp, where I used to take my daughter fishing decades ago. Had it been swallowed up in some new housing development?
I needn't have worried. Honest John's is still there, surrounded by a preserve which includes a broad swath of the barrier island as well as the archipelago of spoil islands where camp customers usually fish. It's a magical place early in the morning, with pelicans roosting high in the branches of the Australian pines.
South of the park, I turned back, still some miles north of the inlet. Between different rides, I've ridden most of the trail twice or more. Never crossed the Sebastian Inlet Bridge by bike, but it looks safe, with a narrow margin lane and a narrow concrete walkway. Traffic here is usually light.
South of the inlet park, the trail runs along the lagoon shore for two miles, passing a stretch of shallows favored by wade fishermen. As you enter the wooded area north of Wabasso, a sign points to the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge (the nation's oldest) and the northern end of the Historic Jungle Trail. This is an eight mile dirt road, mostly hard packed, close to the shore of the lagoon. The refuge has walking trails and an overlook for viewing Pelican Island.
Separated from the jungle trail by woods, A1A trail continues past scores of riverside developments, mostly fenced and gated, with tall trees and brush shading the trail to the west. There's a pretty public beach at Wabasso, beachside restaurants in Vero, and a pleasant stopping place at Round Island Park with beach access to the east and a riverside/island park on the west.
Six miles further south, A1A and the trail turn west toward the mainland, and Ft. Pierce Inlet State Park provides access to the inlet and the lagoon.
I haven't mentioned all the fourteen beach parks along A1A trail, nor all the seven parks and refuges on the lagoon side. The end points are arbitrary. You can bike north from Melbourne Beach along partly urban sidewalk on A1A as far as Patrick AFB. Or ride the bike lane, if you dare, in this heavily trafficked stretch. And there may be biking possibilities southward along US 1 in Ft. Pierce, where A1A crosses to the barrier island again.
There is no trail, where there once was a nice one. Years ago I traversed it successfully, but today only a few miles of it are open. Sections were to be worked in a bit at a time, originally. However, when a new section has begun construction other sections are not re-opened. 30 mile sections are shut down for two miles worth of construction. By the time the construction is finished most of us will not be around to enjoy the trail. I'm sure we will all be safer as a result of today's version of messing with nature to "improve" nature is complete. According to projections, the dike will be complete and reopened when sea level has risen above it.
Felt that I needed to add a contrasting input to some of the reviews Ive read on this 'trail'. I ride the road shoulder (Bike lane) nearly every day on A1A, over the route described in TrailLink. The scenery is beautiful as you ride along the Indian River Lagoon and continues to be quite pretty through the orchid island stretch. The lane is sufficiently wide on this portion of A1A to provide a healthy margin of safety. As well, the GREAT majority of drivers are courteous and move their vehicles out into the oncoming traffic lane as traffic is usually light. Along the ride there are 2 different parks to stop and get off the bike and enjoy the ocean. A stop at the Wabasso beach area is enjoyable and you can break for a drink and light breakfast. If you are not a road biker and want to meander along the route in a more relaxed manner then there is a 'sidewalk' that is adequate for two riders abreast and is largely used by bicyclists. I would guess that there are more riders using the sidewalk than the bike lane. For the more adventurous soles on wider tire bikes that can navigate on all wether surfaces, there is the jungle trail and pelican island...both are really beautiful areas to check out. In summary, this is an enjoyable ride for locals and people already in the general area. It could be a destination trail if you combined it into a full day exploring great natural areas like Sebastian Inlet State Park, Pelican Island, the Barrier Island Center (Sea Turtle Conservancy); or taking in a great meal in Vero Beach. Hope this helps!
We booked in at an rv park last winter near Moore Haven because of the Lake Okeechobbe trail. After much disappointment with all the closures and construction I wished we would have gone elsewhere. The most frustrating part was the signs that said trail was open when it wasn't and there are no proper maps to guide you through the maze of closures. I'm glad the rv park was nice. We were near Webster, Fl last year there were many more nicer trails close by and much safer back roads to travel.
Where do I start. I rode entire trial. Or should I say what little of it is opened. I spent more time going around on roads than the trial. Beware if you see sign for trial does not mean it is open when you get there. Sometimes this could be 1-8 miles round trip back to a road. I was very disappointed to say the least. The road from Pahokee to Belle Glade than into Clewiston is on HWY 27. You can't ride trial but a little. This road is very very dangerous. Trial from Clewison to Moore Haven is also closed. Road still very dangerous. You can take bake roads that are less dangerous. From Moore Haven to Lake Port you will have to run HWY 78 which has less traffic and bike lane. You then can pick up trial in Lake Port but all the way to Buckhed Ridge it is grass and hard packed gravel. Very rough, you will need mountain bike with suspension. From Buckhead Ridge to Okeechobee is the only good ride for about 5 miles thats it. From Okeechobee to Canal ou will be on and off trial with a couple of 5-10 miles areas with packed gravel. In all avoid this Trial.
I have done A1A from Eau Gallie Blvd. in Indian Harbour Beach south through Indialantic, Melbourne Beach, Floridana Beach to the Sebastian Inlet bridge, and on to Wabasso and Vero Beach. It is an unqualified disaster. First, you should use the path just east of the Indian River to get from Eau Gallie Blvd to 5th Avenue (about 5 miles). Then continue south through Indialantic staying close to the river until Oak Street takes you out to A1A. From there A1A is your only choice of a paved surface all the way to Vero Beach. Most riders will brave A1A rather than use the sidewalk at least as far as Sebastian Inlet. Once you are in Indian River County on the south side of the bridge, the sidewalk and the shoulder are better. Be very careful !!!
Brevard County should be ashamed of the condition of A1A. I have lived in the area for 36 years and A1A (and other roads as well) is as unfriendly to bicycles as ever. They seem to have wiggled out of the improvements that the state mandates and we have the most dangerous bicycle riding conditions in the entire country. For shame!!
This trail is defiantly one of Florida's best trails as it goes along nature preserves, golf courses, and along the backside of the Islands housing area. The trail is mostly packed sand so you want to use a wider tire bike. I made the mistake my first time in using my road bike, and my tires sank and skid in areas where there was loose sand. The trail ends at another housing area at a paved road, we then take that road to the Vero sidewalk, and head north on it to the Wabasso Bridge intersection - where there are beachside places to eat past the Disney Resort on the beach. At the Wabasso beachside eateries you can eat pizza, healthy sandwiches, (made to order) and grab a cold drink before finishing the route. It's about 15 miles round trip when completed. Biking back on the sidewalk offers little shade, and can get extremely hot if it's done in the midday sun. In all, we love this the route, and will continue to bike it often.
This path is really just a sidewalk. The section along the highway is 6 (maybe 8) feet wide, but the section along County Line Road is just 3 feet wide.
There are 2 parts where the concrete has been replaced with some type of rough concrete material. There is a warning sign before you hit these sections, but there is no way to avoid them other than the highway. It was tough on our Trikkes but if we had been on something with small, hard wheels, like inline skates, it would have been awful.
Because it was sunset, we didn't have time to explore the sidewalks along North Old Dixie Highway, but from our car it looked like a nice sidewalk system that would be great for inline skates or Trikkes.
Road from the locks where paved section starts on southeast side up about 12 miles. Lake is beautiful. too many bugs this time of year for my taste
My husband and I have lived in Florida for over a year and had never driver the Jungle Trail. Although there are houses inland from the trail, I believe it has remained a habitat for wildlife. The blue crabs were astounding..although I feared a gator might pop out at any moment. I will not be a constant visitor however it was a nice change from the everyday hub bub the city can bring.
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
