Sebastian River Preserve State Park
Sebastian River Preserve State Park is located on the border of Brevard and Indian River Counties, similar to Sebastian Inlet State Park. However, this park is on the mainland and can be accessed using Babcock Road. A unique aspect of this state park is its multiple entry points, easily accessible by car.
Essential Information
Address: 1000 Buffer Preserve Drive Fellsmere, FL 32948 (Visitor Center).
Price: N/A.
Hours: 8 am - Sunset.
Parking: Separate locations. Easy to Access.
Points Of Interest:
Sebastian River Preserve State Park is divided into quadrants, with I-95 separating the east and west and the C-54 Canal separating the north and south. Each quadrant has an entry point, except for the northeastern one, which must be entered through the northwest side on Buffer Preserve Drive.
This park has over 22,000 acres, making it one of the largest state parks in Florida. It is trail-heavy and has little to offer regarding amenities. As stated in the name, this park is more of a preserve but has some great trails worth hiking.
The C-54 Canal is an excellent park feature and offers a freshwater fishing spot. The manatee overlook also provides a picnic table area. There are some beautiful sunsets as well. Visitors must go to the end of Buffer Preserve Drive to get here.
The Northern Side (Brevard County)
The northwestern quadrant has the 9-mile Green Trail. This trail has two extensions; one is an extra 1-mile trail called Turkey Link, and the other is unlabeled. Also, the Cracker Campsite is close to the visitor center. This quadrant has one main parking area and a couple before I-95.
The northeastern quadrant has the 9.7-mile Yellow Trail. This trail has three extensions: 1.7 mile North Prong Spur, 2.3 RCW Link, and the Deer Link. There are three campsites: Storytelling Camp, Pine Camp, and Horseman's Headquarters Camp. This quadrant also has some side parking and a canal at the end of Buffer Preserve Drive.
The Southern Side (Indian River County)
The southwestern quadrant has the 14-mile Red Trail. One parking area is closer to the town of Fellsmere. This quadrant is the most "isolated," considering it is not connected to the other quadrants except by the Rail Trail or Fellsmere Road.
The southeastern quadrant has the 10-mile Blue Trail. This quadrant is the most built up and has parking in various locations. Visitors can access the Rail Trail that crosses over I-95 on the park's edge. Accessing the northeastern quadrant by walking over the C-54 Canal manatee overlook is also possible.
Summary
Sebastian River Preserve State Park is worth a visit if you want to do some actual Florida hiking. Their long trails can make the hikes very challenging if you go on foot, but there are plenty of different Florida environments to see depending on which trail you explore. The C-54 Canal is a great place to fish, spot manatees, and take pictures. Overall, it would be better to visit this park multiple times to see everything it offers in its different quadrants.