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Backcountry Camping
Land Access
Space Coast North |
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Note; The sites listed below feature
opportunities for primitve backcountry
camping in a remote, wilderness setting.
Facilities and or Utilities at these
campsites will either be very limited or
non existent and you are responsible for
your own well being. All food, water,
and other neccesities must be self
provided and all trash packed out.
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Jump Menu
Mainland |||
Canaveral National Seashore Beach
Camping
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Buck Lake Conservation Area
(Access to campsites; Hike, Bike, or
Equestrian)
encompasses 9,291 acres and has two
entrances and parking areas on the
north side of State Road 46. The
eastern entrance is .75 mile west of
I-95 while the western entrance is
6.4 mile west of I-95. Hiking,
biking, horseback riding and hunting
in season are allowed here and there
are four primative campsites
available on a first come, first
serve basis. This is a type 2
management area, meaning during
hunting periods you must have a
valid hunting license to enter the
property and no camping is allowed.
The ridge found in the eastern part
of the property supports about 200
acres of scrubby flatwoods and oak
hammock which is the habitat for the
florida scrub jay, Florida's only
endemnic bird species. This area can
be accessed from several trails that
lead from the main East Entrance
Trail. In this Google link,(Google
Image) I have placed a
marker in the middle of the eastern
ridge trail network. The trails are
clearly visible in this image as is
the entrance trail to the left. A
basin swamp community dominates the
eastern third of the property. this
basin receives runoff water from the
surrounding uplands and drains into
a wet prarie which forms the the
headwaters of six mile creek. The
western portion of this property
features a large floodplain marsh
and a large marsh lake, Buck Lake.
Overall, this conservation area
provides protection for many natural
communities and provides habitat for
not only scrub jays, but gopher
tortoises, bald eagles, otters,
deer, fox, bobcats, turkeys, herons,
egrets, owls, and woodpeckers.
Property Map
Trail Guide
Out In The Boonies Site
Space Coast Birding Site
GPS (East Trailhead) N 28 40.302
W 80 53.427
Google Satellite Image (East
Trailhead)
GPS (Buck Lake Entrance) N 28
40.333 W 80 58.332
Google Satellite Image (Buck Lake
Entrance)
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Seminole Ranch Conservation Area
(Access to campsites; Hike,
Bike, or Equestrian)
is on Hatbill Road off State Road 46
4.1 miles west of the I-95 SR 46
interchange (exit 81). Look for
signs for Loughman Lake Lodge and
Seminole Ranch Conservation Area on
the south side of 46. There are
hiking trails in Seminole Ranch at
1.1, 2.3 and 4.1 miles from SR46.
This area has a total of 35 miles of
hiking trails, including several
miles of the Florida Trail which
flanks the St. John's River.
Primative camping is allowed on the
portion east of the St. John's
River, as is biking, horseback
riding and canoeing. Hatbill Park, a
County Park is within the
conservation area at the end of
Hatbill Road and offers boating and
canoeing access to the river.
The area ecompasses 28,785 acres, 96
% of which is within the St. Johns
drainage basin and a variety of
habitats are found here including
pine, palmetto, hardwood, hammocks,
freshwater lakes and river, and
wetlands. Certain areas have a
unique plant community supported by
connate saltwater which flows from
small springs near Harney and Puzzle
lakes. The salinity of small lakes
in the area approaches one-third
that of sea water. Many
salt-tolerant and marine-dwelling
organisms present here are not found
anywhere else in the St. Johns
River. Wildlife found here includes
migratory and residential wading
birds, while white pelicans,
southern bald eagles, roseate
spoonbills and sandhill cranes
sometimes are sighted. Other
wildlife includes bobcats, otters,
deer, and alligators.
Ellis Lake Loop Map
Space Coast Birding Site
Property Map
GPS N 28 39.904 W 80 56.393
Google Satellite Image
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Hal Scott Regional Preserve and Park
(Access to campsites; Hike, Bike, or
Equestrian)
9,515 acres, including individual
and joint ownership by the District
and Orange County.
From Titusville, head west on SR 50,
past the town of Christmas. Turn
left and go east on SR 520 for about
two miles. Turn right (west) into
the Wedgefield subdivision on Macon
Parkway. Turn left on Bancroft
Blvd., right on Meredith Parkway,
then left on Dallas Blvd. The
parking lot is 1.6 miles south of
the Meridith/Dallas intersection, on
the right.
This vast expanse of flatwoods and
open prairie straddles the
Econlockhatchee River in east Orange
County. The big attraction for
birders here is an active colony of
red-cockaded woodpeckers located in
the northern third of the property.
Best viewing time for the RCWs is at
dawn when the birds awaken from
their nesting cavities. White
stripes around pine tree trunks
identify trees with RCW cavities.
Other common resident species
include eastern bluebird,
brown-headed nuthatch, Bachman's
sparrow, wood duck, sandhill crane
and barred owl. With some luck,
visitors may find wild turkey,
whip-poor-will, hairy and red-headed
woodpecker, hermit thrush,
orange-crowned warbler, sedge and
marsh wren, king rail and Cooper's
and sharp-shinned hawk. There are
three
backcountry campsites on the
property, with the closest one being
just under a mile from the
trailhead.
Property Map
Trail Guide
GPS N 28 29.163 W 81 05.833
Google Satellite Image
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Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area;
(Orange County) (Primitive Campsite
Hike in only, also a Youth Camp and
Equestrian Camp near entrance)
3365 Taylor Creek Road
Christmas, FL 32709-9130
(407) 568-5893
can be found west of Titusville
on SR 50 over the St John's River
and into the town of Christmas. Look
for Look for Taylor Creek Road on
the south side of SR 50. Then head
south for about 3 miles and you'll
see the entrance on the left on
Beehead Road. There is a nominal day
use fee per vehicle. A box to
deposit the fee is at the entrance
kiosk Overnight primitive camping is
available. There are two classes of
trails here.
Multi use trails can be hiked,
biked, and ridden on horseback and
are marked with orange or rust
colored blazes while the foot only
trails are blazed in white. Horses
are not allowed on vehicle roads
except at designated horse crossing
points. Bicycles are allowed on all
park roads, service roads and
firelines. This 28,000 acre area
runs along the St John's River and
features about 30 miles of trails,
primative camping, virgin pine
flatwoods, and a 900-acre virgin
cypress swamp which running along
Jim Creek is thought to be the
largest remaining stand of cypress
left uncut in the state. This is a
beautiful area which can be accessed
from the last parking area west on
Power Line Road before it crosses
Jim Creek. The trail head is a log
bridge over a creek just accross the
road from the parking area. In the
pinewoods near Beehead Ranch at the
end of Beehead Road, some of the
tall slash pines are thought to be
250 years old.
Bird and wildlife watchers will love
the opportunity to see some of the
large raptors such as osprey, bald
eagles, and swallow-tailed kites
that can be found here. Wild turkey,
white tailed deer, bobcat, racoon,
armadillo and on rare occasions,
Florida panther are rumored to have
been spotted here. Other points of
interest include the 30 indian
mounds in close proximity to the
trails.
Camping facilities include an
equestrian camp, a group camp, and a
remote campsite located along the
Florida National Scenic Trail within
the WMA. This is a hiking only
trail. Reservations must be made in
advance by calling the WMA office at
(407) 568-5893. Car and RV camping
are not available. During
established hunting seasons, camping
is permitted only to through-hikers
at the site along the Florida
National Scenic Trail.
The Park Roads provide parking areas
and trail access throughout the
park. Refer to the map for
specifics.
Florida State Parks Website
The Florida National Scenic Trail
Map 23, Tosohatchee, covers this
region and can be purchased via the
Florida Trail Association; visit
their Web site for an order form.
Florida Trail Association Website
Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission Map
Out in the Boonies Site
GPS N 28 29.912 W 80 59.903
Google Satellite Image
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Canaveral National Seashore
There are two distinct districts
with two separate entrances and you
cannot drive between the two.
The North or Apollo District is
accessed from New Symrna Beach in
Volusia County while the South or
Playalinda District is accessed from
Titusville .
(Please Read) All established
hiking trails on the seashore are
accessible from the North District
only. There is an old roadbed that
connects the North and South
District just above the dune line,
and there are some websites that
promote this as a hiking trail.
However, if the Park Service finds
you on this trail they will arrest
and fine you $$. This is to protect
the fragile sand dunes from erosion.
(From personal conversation with
Park Personnel)
Owned by NASA, this property is
managed by the National Park Service
and protects roughly 26 miles of
Atlantic Ocean Shoreline and
provides nesting grounds for up to 7
species of sea turtles while
protecting natural dunes, coastal
strand scrub, salt marsh and other
wetlands, and virtually the entire
body of the Mosquito Lagoon. Over
300 species of birds have been seen
at the seashore from gulls,
pelicans, ducks, herons, egrets,
terns, gannets, assorted shorebirds,
and raptors, to painted buntings,
migratory songbirds in the hammock
areas and scrubjays just inside the
north district entrance.
Beach and Island Camping is
available at the north district.
Two beach campsites at Apollo Beach
are available by reservation,
November 1 through mid-April. Please
call 386-428-3384, ext. 10 for
current status. When using these
campsites, please stay off of the
Sand Dunes.
Map of Merritt Island National
Wildlife Refuge and Canaveral
National Seashore
North Brevard Business Directory
Website
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