A Day in Port Canaveral for a Hiker/Birder: Meriitt Island or Ulamay Wildlife?

[AKR2011]

My cruise will be making a stop at Port Canaveral for just a day, and I am trying to find something inexpensive and outdoorsy. My husband is an avid birder, and we love to hike everywhere that we go. Because Port Canaveral is a departure point, it is hard to find port info on here, so I am looking for your help.

 

I have read that Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is 45 minutes from port, has 6 hiking trails, and there are lots of bird to see. I am fine with calling a Lyft to get us there, but I am curious if this is worth it, OR just go 12 minutes from port to Ulamay Wildlife Sanctuary. Is that a better spot for hiking and birding?

 

If anyone has other suggestions, please let me know! I would love your input. Thank you so much!!

[SteerageJoe]

I've hiked the 5 mile Cruickshank Trail as well as the short Oak Hammock and 2 mile Palm Hammock Trails at the Merritt Island NWR. And we drove all the accessible roads.

 

I biked the two trails at Ulumay - 3.1 mile East Trail and 8.3 mile West Trail.

 

Ulumay is known to mostly locals and it is a good place to exercise but I much prefer Merritt. The problem with Ulumay is the growth. For long stretches you see only the path ahead because the water is hidden behind thick mangroves. There are very view viewpoints - the best views are at the drainage tunnels but there's not many. The unmaintained trail gets rough at places with longer grass to walk/ride through. You also see and hear the traffic from the residential neighborhood across Sykes Creek. There is good birdlife although water-types are most common.

 

But in winter Sykes Creek is an excellent place to spot Manatee as they search for warmer water!

 

Merritt Island NWR is big and the terrain is more expansive and varied. With a good pair of binoculars you can scan the land and pick your viewing spots.

 

It is a long drive out there, however, whereas Ulumay is very close.

 

There are a lot to say about both places and I have 100s of pictures to share but space is limited here!

[Oviedo32765]

About 30 miles or a 32 minute car ride south is the Rich Grissom Memorial Wetlands (aka Viera Wetlands). Access is free and you can either drive (sometimes closed to traffic) or walk along the berms that make up 5 cells. The wetlands are man made but contain a wide variety of wildlife. The birds have become accustomed to cars and people so you can get a lot closer to them here than anywhere else in Florida.

 

I did a fare estimater on Uber from the port and a one-way uberX is $39-50. You might be better off renting a car for the day.

 

Viera websites

http://www.brevardfl.gov/NaturalResources/EnvironmentalResources/VieraWetlands

http://floridanatureguide.com/viera-wetlands/

http://www.wildlifesouth.com/Locations/Florida/VieraWetlands.html

The link provided in one of the videos to Charlie Corbell's photos is out of date. Here is a current link:

http://www.pbase.com/charlie_corbeil/viera_wetlands

 

 

Address for Uber driver or your own navigation app:

3658 Charlie Corbeil Way, Viera, FL 32940 (this address did not work on the uber fare estimator but the address for the main treatment facility worked - 10001 North Wickham Road, Melbourne, FL)

 

Map from Port Canaveral to the Wetlands:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Port+Canaveral,+FL+32920/28.2284574,-80.7598388/@28.2255612,-80.7657424,1989m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m9!4m8!1m5!1m1!1s0x88e0a51fcbf224e5:0x35b999228a1480c1!2m2!1d-80.6188156!2d28.4103506!1m0!3e0

 

Wetlands map

http://www.brevardfl.gov/docs/default-source/natural-resources-documents/viera-wetlands-usng-map.pdf?sfvrsn=0

 

 

Additional phots links:

Viera photos

 

Nesting Great Blue Herons

[EatonDoolittle]

Nice posts, Oviedo and Steerage Joe.

They should be re-posted when people start whining about not having anything to do except Disney, Ron Jon's, or KSC at a PC port stop

[AKR2011]

Thank you all for your input! So much to consider. The wetlands look great, and they are just as far as Merritt Island would be. Decisions, decisions. After hearing more about Merritt though, I think I may be sold. I think my birder husband would be happiest there. I really appreciate everyone's help. I'm really excited about the possibilities here!

[Capt_BJ]

You might be better off renting a car for the day.

 

 

THIS!!!

 

 

Public transportation is virtually non-existent around here and where you want to go is not exactly UBER/taxi friendly with regards to good addresses for pickup/drop off

 

 

OTOH traffic is very light and the area well marked on map programs and you'd have time to visit more than one 'nature spot' with a car. Depending on the time of the year, within the MI refuge, the Haulover Canal bridge area is a good spot for manatee watching (there is an overlook area with restrooms) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haulover_Canal as well as Canaveral Lock (The Canaveral Lock Visitor Viewing Area is open to the public from 7 a.m. until dusk, seven days a week.) http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Navigation/Navigation-Locks/Canaveral-Lock/

[Oviedo32765]

If you go to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, you will definitely need a rental car. It is a large area and the hiking trails are scattered through out. I doubt Lyft or Uber would be a wise choice.

 

Click here for a map so you can plan your day. Port Canaveral is located on the upper right portion of the map.

 

Be sure to stop at the Visitor Center located at 1987 Scrub Jay Way, Titusville, FL 32782. Rangers there can point you to the best areas to visit and what you might expect to see. You can also pick up an 11x17" version of the above map.

 

Have a great time and be sure to report back on your visit.