The Weedon Island Preserve is a 3,190-acre natural area located on 1800 Weedon Drive NE in St. Petersburg, Florida area. It is situated along the western shore of Tampa Bay and contains a variety of wildlife. Mostly an estuarine preserve, it contains a mix of upland and aquatic environments, including mangrove forests, pine/scrubby flatwoods, and maritime hammocks, and it is home to a diverse range of local fauna. The preserve is also a registered archaeological area, with multiple shell mounds discovered on the site that bear witness to the presence of ancient peoples who lived on the land for thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans.
The Weedon Island Preserve was officially recognized as a historic site on June 13, 1972, when it was included on the National Register of Historic Places. Weedon Island and its surrounding islands were purchased by the state of Florida in 1974, and the island was officially opened to the public in December of 1980. In 1993, the state entered into a leasing arrangement with Pinellas County for the purpose of managing and maintaining the park. The land is currently under the management of the county’s Department of Parks and Conservation Resources. The name Weedon Island Preserve is derived from Dr. Leslie Washington Weedon, a Tampa doctor who was also an amateur archaeologist.
Natural trail loops are available for hiking on a total of 4.7 miles of nature trails, with 2 miles of those being boardwalks and paved paths that are ADA accessible and the remaining 2.7 miles being natural trail loops. Approximately 3,000 feet of Tower Boardwalk trail takes tourists to a 45-foot-tall observation tower, which is the tallest of its kind in Pinellas County. From this tower, one may see a large portion of the Preserve and Tampa Bay, as well as the cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg, depending on the weather conditions. Along the trails, there are three additional observation platforms that provide opportunity for bird and wildlife viewing, as well as excellent photographic opportunities.
In addition to hiking, the preserve maintains a 4-mile canoeing/kayaking loop known as the South Paddling Trail, which can be done on your own. It winds through mangrove tunnels within the preserve and provides access to the bay on both sides of the walkway. Visitors interested in exploring the paddling route are welcome to bring their own vessels or sign up for an ECOmersion guided tour. ECOmersion is a kayak tour company based in the area whose mission is to get people outside and in touch with nature through kayaking tours. A once in a lifetime experience on Weedon Island Preserve is provided by ECOmersion’s experienced crew while the tide is in high tide. The trip takes visitors through the mangrove tunnels of the preserve’s famed Florida mangroves.
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