Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge

While staying at Sunshine Travel Resort, a Thousand Trails Encore park near Vero Beach, we found a great hiking trail to explore. Pelican Island is located on the barrier islands and was only a 20 minute drive away.

Entering the refuge, you drive along part of the Jungle Trail, a great way to see wildlife along the barrier island by vehicle or bike. It is open from sunrise to sunset, which can vary from season to season. There is plenty of parking, a public restroom building, and it is all free. They are not paved trails, so accessibility may be an issue if you have limitations. There are picnic tables in the area, too. It is not a pet, horseback or bicycle friendly trail, so plan accordingly. This makes a great stop for exploring with kids or for a homeschool/roadschool/unschool outing with lots to see and pique their curiosity.

There are several trails to choose from in the refuge that vary from .35 miles to 3 miles, and you can combine them for a longer trail, as well. Most are easy terrain since it is coastal Florida, but it is grassy, and can be muddy during or after rains. We chose to do the short Centennial Trail, 0.35 miles and the entrance to the other trails, then the Joe Michael Memorial Trail, a 2.54 easy hike through mangroves and along the outer perimeter of the island.

It was a weekday and there was rain coming in, so not very many people on the trail. We were treated to lots of birds, land crabs, blue crabs and even caught a glimpse of a small green sea turtle in the waters.

Bring your binoculars and bird guide and plan to spend time at the overlook, about half way around the trail. This gazebo has a walkout and sits over the water with great views of the refuge. Since the rain started about the time we reached it, we didn’t get to sit and enjoy like we’d hoped. We’d seen it on a previous hike, and it gives us a reason to go back on another day.

At a minimum, be sure to bring water as the coastal areas of Florida can be humid, even in Winter. I didn’t see water fountains, but they may have been at the restroom pavilion. There were lots of mosquitoes (it’s a marsh area, so to be expected), so we’d also recommend bug spray. Trail snacks and rain gear are also not a bad idea. A hiking stick can be helpful, but not a necessity.

Head over to our Facebook, Instagram or TikTok page to see the video from the trail, and others!

You can find out more about the park, refuge, trails and trail maps on their website here. These trails are also on All Trails, just be sure to download before arriving as there is some cell signal for calls, but may not be optimal for downloading or web access.