NS:: Erna Nixon Park Trip Report

“Today I went hiking with my 2½ year old granddaughter in a natural Florida hammock and nature preserve. We both enjoyed the hike, although sometimes she walked a little too fast for me.
Click on image.
Erna Nixon Park -- "This 54-acre community park located off of Nasa Boulevard, southwest of the Melbourne Airport, is a natural Florida hammock and nature preserve. A popular site for nature walks and outdoor festivals including the annual Crackerfest, it features 3,000 feet of elevated boardwalk winding through three different ecosystems where native plant species and small animals can be viewed."

Signs identified 58 or 68 different things. My granddaughter enjoyed touching "Spanish Moss," and I enjoyed the oak trees, which seemed to get larger as we moved along. They progressed from 3 feet diameters to 4, 5 and around 6 feet diameters. My granddaughter's main interest seemed to be gathering the twigs and leaves from the elevated broadwalk and dropping them over the edge to the ground.

Fortunately, they had benches at four expanded walkway areas along the broadwalk and I took advantage of the opportunities to rest. There was no appreciable elevation change in our route. After completing the trail we returned to my place, where we enjoyed some ice cream and watched TV until her mother arrived. So, for a change, my time was well spent today. Old outdoor remedy still works magic
last edited: 2/28/05 6:50:24 PM”

“neat place NS. I take you fared ok with the nearby tornado? I saw pics on the news today of Palm Bay - poor folks probably just got their roofs redone.

If you head a little further south to Port St Lucie theres a very similar park called "Oxbow Nature Reserve" or something similar, as well as "Sweetwater Hammock". Sweetwater makes a nice little loop hike and you get to the banks of the St Lucie River. Sweetwater is actually in Ft Pierce.
last edited: 2/28/05 11:19:02 PM”