The award-winning guided hike program offered by St. Lucie County’s Environmental Resources Department is extended into the summer months. Led by trained staff and volunteers, this series helps residents and visitors better understand our area’s natural environment.
Scheduled hikes for June and July include:
- Friday, June 2 from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m.: Get Your Morning Started Hike at Citrus Hammock Preserve (minimum age: 12). A lake view followed by a path leading around the edges of the St. Lucie River. Enjoying nature in the coolness of the morning.
- Saturday, June 3 from 8 to 10 a.m.: National Trails Day™ at Donald B. Moore Preserve (minimum age: 12). Celebrate National Trails Day on an exceptionally beautiful St. Lucie County trail. Learn the ins and outs of hiking, proper trail etiquette and cool tools that make your trek even more enjoyable. As we hike, we will be learn about Leave-No-Trace principles.
- Sunday, June 4 from 7 to 9 a.m.: Easy Hike Along Open Trails at Petravice Family Preserve (minimum age: 10). We will wander through this preserve, pointing out native and invasive species, talk about the habitat dynamics of this preserve, and enjoy our time on the open trails.
- Sunday, June 4 from 6 to 7 p.m.: The Prehistoric Peninsula at Teague Hammock inside the Steven J. Fousek Preserve (minimum age: 10). Did you know Florida was once home to giant ground sloths, Mastodons and Sabretooth cats? Join us as we explore Teague Hammock Preserve and discuss some of the large mammals that walked Florida during the last ice age. Our approximately one-mile walk will make a few stops to talk about Florida’s prehistoric past.
- Saturday, June 10 from 9 to 10:30 a.m.: B.A.R.K. Ranger Ambassador Training at the Oxbow Eco-Center (minimum age: 10). Make your pet a B.A.R.K. Ranger Ambassador for our local parks and preserves. Florida Department of Environmental Protection Environmental Specialist Kaitlyn Britton presents a class on the responsible use of our natural and public lands with our furry friends. The event is a one- to two-hour workshop geared toward pet owners who are passionate about the outdoors. Upon completion, pet owners will be equipped to practice and share the B.A.R.K. principles and recruit new B.A.R.K. Rangers to the program. An official bandana and collar tag will be given to our newest ambassadors to help them represent responsible pet ownership in our natural areas.
- Friday, June 16 from 7 to 9 a.m.: "Beachrise" Morning Stroll at Ocean Bay Preserve (minimum age: 12). The golden disk appears from the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, bathing the beaches in light. As rolling waves sound, we greet the wild denizens of sky and sand with our cameras and enthusiasm.
- Saturday, June 17 from 9 to 11 a.m.: Healing in Nature at the Steven J. Fousek Preserve (minimum age: 10). While we hike through the west side of this preserve and enjoy the beautiful habitat, we will talk about the scientific view of enjoying nature and the benefits of spending time in a green environment.
- Saturday, July 15 from 7 to 9 a.m.: Visiting Florida: From Scrub to Hammock at D.J. Wilcox Preserve (minimum age: 10). Come tour this hidden gem of a preserve and explore the varied habitat types on display. View wet scrub through the local variant of hydric hammocks. We will discuss the role of fire and the factors that affect what plants are found in various ecosystems.
- Sunday, July 16 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.: Sunset on the Ranch at Bluefield Ranch Preserve (minimum age: 10). Join us for a serene sunset hike at Bluefield Ranch Preserve. As hiking season winds down, walk with us as we reflect on unique and wonderful wild Florida. We will keep an eye out for wildlife on an approximately one mile walk and discuss some of Florida’s one-of-a-kind habitats, our favorite wild Florida neighbors and how we can work together to protect the place we love.
- Saturday, July 29 from 7 to 9 a.m.: Florida's Past: In Plants and Artifacts at the Steven J. Fousek Preserve (minimum age: 10). Come explore some of Florida's past in the first peoples and pioneer relics still visible at this site. We will look for the indicator plant life of the original ecosystem these people would have borne witness to.
Visit www.SLChikes.org to register. For more information, call St. Lucie County’s Environmental Resources Department at 772-462-2536 or email slchikes@stlucieco.org. Nature hikes and family programs are free. Reservations are required and space is limited.
Purchased through a voter-approved bond referendum, St. Lucie County manages more than two dozen preserves that are open to the public for passive recreation. For more information about St. Lucie County’s environmentally significant lands, visit: www.stluciepreserves.com.
