Tiptoe Weedon Island THROUGH THE MANGROVES IN
PRESERVE
Directions: NEAR ST. PETERSBURG, FL I-275 to 4th St. N, then east on Gandy Blvd. Before the Gandy Bridge, turn left on San Marino Drive., then left on Weedon DR NE.
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Weedon Island (Google Earth)
Tiptoe THROUGH THE MANGROVES at Weedon Island Preserve A MANGROVE FOREST IN A TIDAL SWAMP
Written and Photographed by
Elizabeth K Peters
Thick forests of mangroves edge the coastlines of Florida, so thick that nothing else much grows there. In Weedon Island, you can walk through miles of mangroves. Don’t get bored, and think there is only boardwalk and branches to see: take time to notice the busy estuary where the trees seem to walk on tiptoes!
There are three miles of mangrove trails through the tidal swamps edging the western side of Tampa Bay at Weedon Island. Start with the Tower Walk from the parking lot. It will lead to a pond overlook and a 45-foot tower you can climb for a panorama of the 3700 acres of the Island. You can also see the skylines of Tampa and St. Petersburg.
The Island’s fishing pier is clearly visible from the top of the Tower. Later, you can walk out on the pier and watch the kayaks float in.
There are five miles of canoe and kayak trails here, going through narrow mangrove canopies, small fishing ponds, and then breaking out into Tampa Bay.
Paddle in the mangrove-stained waters edging the bay. In the tidal flow beneath the roots, nature is at work. Snook and snapper, jack and sheepshead snack in the roots. Shrimp and clams find their habitat alongside scurrying small crabs. Egrets, pelicans, herons and even the pretty-in-pink roseate spoonbills feed and nest among the mangroves.
A wall of the Cultural Center replicates the pottery designs of the Weeden Island culture. You can examine shards and ancient arrowheads inside the Center.
Thursdays through Saturdays, you can explore the Cultural Center at Weedon Island. Artifacts from a prehistoric culture have been found among the mangroves, including a 40-foot wooden canoe thought to be over 1000 years old. Shell middens and mounds provide more evidence of their history here. Interactive and educational displays tell the prehistoric and historic tales of Weedon Island’s past.
The Pier at Weedon Island is at the end of the drive, past the entrance into the Cultural Center. Here you can launch a kayak or canoe, or set up a fishing spot off the railing.
WEEDON ISLAND PRESERVE VISITORS MAP Cactus Bridge
#4
Lighter Knot Bridge Oak Bridge
Palm Bridge Long Bridge Mangrove Bridge North Bridge
Riviera Bay
Boy Scout Trail
Lake Bridge
Bee River Bridge Bridge
Floating Bridge
Fern Bridge
Lookout Point
5 Feet Over Bridge
South Bridge
Mound Bridge
Lookout Point Tra
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#3
Maintenance Office
Weedon Island Preserve Cultural & Natural History Center
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Bay Boardwalk
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Bay Observation Platform
la nd
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#2
Up
#1
Tower Boardwalk
LEGEND Bridges
Handicapped Parking Parking Drinking Fountain Restrooms
Observation Tower Pier
300 150
0
300 FEET
600
Trails Boy Scout Trail Bay Boardwalk
Information
Tower Boardwalk
Picnic Area
Upland Trail
Picnic Shelter
Riviera Trail
Observation Tower
Lookout Trail
Canoe Launch
Fishing Pier
Fire Circle
Access road (Staff only)
If you’re ready to do some more hiking, try the Boy Scout Loop, so named for the efforts of past troops clearing the paths. It is on higher ground, through tall pines and massive oaks. It’s fun to note the names on the footbridges as you pass over wetland and narrow creeks. Imagine as you hike this loop, that it is 925 BC. Did it look much the same with the ghostly Spanish moss, the thick tangle of mangrove clumps, and the dense undergrowth?
You will probably come across a gopher tortoise on your hike. This creature might be older than you are, they live in the wild up to 60 years. They dig several burrows in their habitat, and are kind enough to share them with other small animals, like frogs, snakes, and mice.
Watch for color along your way. Wildflowers bloom different times of the year. The grasses and seeds pods and even dried plants accent the greenscape. There is an ongoing effort to restore Weedon Island’s vegetation to its native state.
You may have to come many times to Weedon Island Preserve in order to take it all in. Hike, bike, kayak, fish, and learn all about it in the Cultural Center. Then, you might just want to return and sit, allowing yourself to become part of an amazing wetland that has been visited for perhaps thousands of years.
Take a hike
WHERE YOU’VE NEVER BEEN BEFORE...