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Backcountry
Camping
Watercraft Access
Space Coast Central |
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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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River Lakes Conservation Area
Editors Note; When
paddling the St. Johns you will be
sharing a twisting, turning river with
powerboats and airboats. It is
recommended that you attach a flag to
your kayak, carry an airhorn to alert
boaters to your presence, and always
paddle around a bend in the river along
the outside shore to give oncoming
boaters a chance to see you. Most
boaters and airboaters will be very
courteous and slow down to pass you.
This
conservation area includes lakes
Washington, Winder and Poinsett as well
as stretches of the St John's River. The
river's water flow is regulated at one
point — a fixed-crest weir located just
north of Lake Washington — to help
ensure water supply to Melbourne. The
area contains extensive wetland
communities, typically dominated by
emergent species such as saw grass,
smartweed, arrowhead and maidencane. It
is also the northern part of the
Upper St. John's River Marsh Wildlife
Management Area, which
encompasses virtually all of the Upper
St. Johns River floodplain south to the
marshes surrounding Lake Blue Cyprus in
Indian River County. The St Johns River
flows from the source in the south
northward to Jacksonville Fl.
This area provides important habitat for
fish and wildlife populations, including
several listed species: wood storks,
bald eagles, Florida sandhill cranes and
river otters. The diversity of fish and
wildlife provides an important
recreational resource for anglers,
hunters, boaters and bird-watchers.
Of special interest to boaters and
kayakers are the 11 designated campsites
and camping platforms along the river
north and south of Lake Winder and along
the western shore of the lake itself.
The approximate locations are shown on
page 4 of the FFWCC Brochure below. from
SR 520 to the north the river's course
is divided into a maze of channels and
dead ends. Paddling this area can be
very confusing to those not familiar
with this river. South of Lake Poinsett
the channel is a little more
straightforward. This section of the St
john's can be accessed from three launch
sites. These are listed just below the
individual campsites links.
FFWCC Brochure
Property Map
Primitive campsites and platforms
Camping Rules Regulations and
Reservations
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Note; These
campsites are designed primarily for airboat
access along airboat trails, and due to the
terrain most are located some distance from
the open water of the lakes and river.
During the rainy season you may be able to
reach some of them in a kayak via flooded
airboat trails, other times you will have to
either walk or may even find them impossible
to access without an airboat. The Google
Satellite image locations are based on
co-ordinates provided by field biologists
with the St. John's River Water Management
District however, they may not be depicted
on Google with 100% accuracy .
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Camps
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Satellite
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GPS
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N 28
17.177
W 80 49.649
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N 28
16.438
W 80 50.502
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Mallow
Point Camp
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N 28
16.018
W 80 51.341
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N 28
15.431
W 80 51.552
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N 28
15.271
W 80 51.765
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N 28
14.834
W 80 52.010
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N 28
14.468
W 80 52.155
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N 28
13.379
W 80 52.440
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N 28
13.523
W 80 50.868
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N 28
13.075
W 80 51.967
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James G. Bourbeau
Memorial Park
8195 King St (Hwy 520), Cocoa
FROM the I-95 Exit-201, go west 5 miles on
SR-520. The park is located along the St.
Johns River next to Lone Cabbage Fish Camp.
ADA ACCESSIBLE: Parking, Restrooms, Boat
Ramp, Dock, Pavilion.
GPS N 28 22.050 W 80 52.232
Goggle Satellite Image |
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Leroy Wright Recreation Area
8190 King Street (Hwy 520), Cocoa
FROM I-95 take the SR-520 Exit-201 west 4.9
miles. The park is on the right.
Situated along the flood plain of the St.
Johns River at the north side of James G.
Bourbeau Memorial Park, this 32.65-acre
recreation area features a paved ramp and
paved parking for 21 cars and 31 boat
trailers. Picnic tables, 2 grills and
benches offer added convenience.
GPS N 28 22.290 W 80 52.273
Goggle Satellite Image |
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Lake Washington Park
6000 Lake Washington Road, Melbourne
FROM I-95 take the SR-518/Eau Gallie Blvd
Exit 183 east 0.4 miles. Turn left on John
Rhodes and go 0.8 miles. Turn left on Aurora
Blvd and stay straight 1.3 miles. Turn left
on Lake Washington Road and go 1.5 miles to
the end of the road.
FROM US Hwy 1 go west 5.6 miles to the end
of Lake Washington Road.
Boat ramps open 24 hours a day.
This shaded 25.96-acre community river park
is along the shore of Lake Washington which
accesses the St. Johns River. The park has
ramps for power boats and a launch area for
airboats. Fishing is popular from the lake
and the 120' fishing pier.
ADA ACCESSIBLE: Parking, Restrooms,
Pavilions.
GPS N 28 08.852 W 80 44.041
Goggle Satellite Image |
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Samsoms Island
Samsons Island is a 52 acre island nature
preserve owned by the City of Satellite
Beach accessable only by boat. The island
has three docks or landing platforms. The
Main dock is on the Grand Canal east of the
island with a landing platform on the north
and south side of the island. The island
also has designated walking trails, and
rustic campsites. Paddling only trails have
been cut along the western portion of the
island and the city of Satellite Beach has
done a fantastic job of removing exotics and
restoring native habitats to the island.
Fishing on the flats west of the island and
along the shoreline mangroves of the grand
canal can be excellent. The City of
Satellite Beach can be very proud of this
project. The easiest access to Sampsons
Island is via the
Oars & Paddles Park (Listed Just
Below) in Indian Harbor Beach. From Oars
and Paddles Park , paddle west down the
canal past Telemar Marina until you reach
the Banana River just south of Mather’s
Bridge. Paddle north under the bridge and
proceed past the first two canal openings
and turn east into the third canal. It is
only a few hundred yards north of the bridge
and will soon turn to the North. This is the
Grand Canal and paddling north from here
about two miles will take you past many
expensive homes to Sampsons Island . When
you pass under the Lansing Island Bridge,
the Island will be about a mile away on the
left. You will pass a canal leading to the
Banana River and then a landing dock along
the only stretch of undeveloped land you've
seen to this point. This is Samson's Island.
You can also paddle north from Mather's
Bridge along the eastern Banana River
Shoreline to the island. Again the Island
will stand out as the only undeveloped
stretch of land. The total paddle either way
is about 2.3 miles.
All Samsons Island visitors remaining on
or arriving to the island after dusk must
have a valid visitor permit. This permit
is available from the Satellite Beach
Recreation Department during their business
hours, Monday-Friday 8:30am-6pm. Those
wishing to secure a permit must bring in
their driver's license & information on boat
(model & length). The permit is issued
annually and is valid through 12/31 of the
current year. Visitors with permits
are instructed to phone in their request to
visit the island after dark (campfire or
camping) prior to each visit.
Also ask for an overnight parking permit for
Oars & Paddles Park. This will allow you
to leave your vehicle at the park for the
duration of your campout at Samson's Island
without the vehicle getting towed away.
The Satellite Beach Recreation Department is
located in the David R. Schechter Community
Center at 1089 South Patrick Drive,
Satellite Beach, FL 32937,
Phone: (321) 773-6458
Samsons Island Homepage
GPS (Samsons Island) N 28 10.997 W 80
36.685
Google Satellite Image (Sampsons Island)
GPS (David R. Schechter Community Center)
N 28 11.015 W 80 36.365
Google Satellite Image (David R. Schechter
Community Center)
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Oars & Paddles Park
1329 Banana River Drive
Indian Harbour Beach.
This is the closest Launch Point to
access Sampson's Island for overnight
camping. You will need a parking permit to
park here overnight. These are available
when you pick up your Samson's Island
Camping Permit from the Satellite Beach
Recreation Department.
Directions: From I-95 or US 1 in
Melbourne, go east on Eau Gallie Causeway
(SR 518). Just after crossing the bridge
over the Indian River, turn left and proceed
north on South Patrick Drive (SR 513) for
.9-mile. Turn west on Banana River Drive.
For information, click on name above or call
321-255-4400.
GPS N 28 09.020 W 80 36.072
Google Satellite Image |
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