Florida Springs Guide
RV Must-Haves
Get a Product Reviewed
About Florida Family Nature
Home Florida Springs Guide RV Must-Haves Product Reviews Get a Product Reviewed About Florida Family Nature Subscribe to Blog
The world's largest occupied bat houses - University of Florida in Gainesville
Hiking at Tiger Bay State Forest in Daytona Beach - Buncombe Hill Interpretative Trail
Hiking over the salt marsh at Betty Steflik Preserve in Flagler County
Today, we checked out Betty Steflik Preserve, located in Flagler County. The trail is about 1.8 miles total. There is a .50 mile long boardwalk trail that takes you over the salt marsh. You walk one way, turn around and go back. That makes up a mile of the hike. Then there is .8 of a dirt trail that you can access from the parking lot area (near where you pull in), or from the boardwalk. It's a bit of an unorganized walk, but we managed and we enjoyed it. You could walk it as a loop, if you start near the park driveway and pick up the dirt trail with the hiking sign. Take that until you meet the boardwalk, then go left and walk the boardwalk. When you come back, go to the left to continue the rest of the dirt trail. That will take you back out to the parking lot area across from where you started. We didn't know that when we arrived (there's nothing indicating it and no trail map). So we started on the boardwalk, walked it, and then went back and did the dirt trails both ways.
The area is really built up, with homes visible on the horizon in most areas, and then there is a bridge overpass as well. The salt marsh is beautiful, as is the wooded area we walked through. I was really surprised at all of the trash and graffiti around. All along the boardwalk, there is trash laying on both sides on the ground (pictured below). People have tossed many bottles and other pieces of trash. It's quite sad to see how poorly people visiting it have taken care of the place. There is also writing/graffiti throughout. This place really needs a good "clean up." If I had a trash picker with me, I would have cleaned some of those things up, but without one of those there is no way to reach the trash over the side of the boardwalk.
There are also bathrooms, and a pavilion with picnic tables at the park. We took the walk and then ate a picnic lunch at the tables. The salt marsh is nice and we enjoyed the walk. It's a short walk, so it's a good place to stop in and check out if you happen to be in the area.
Here are some pictures of our stop at Betty Steflik Preserve today:
Central East Florida
Central West Florida
Florida Nature News
Florida Springs
Florida Wildflowers
Hiking / Nature Walks
Nature Activities
North Central Florida
Things in Nature
Search Florida Family Nature
Florida Family Nature •
Subscribe to Blog •
Contact Jacqueline •