Pelican Island was the first designated
National Wildlife Refuge in the country.
Location:
Our public use areas are located on the Historic Jungle Trail, in Indian River County off of U.S highway A1A, 3.7 miles north of the Wabasso Beach Road (CR 510) or 3.3 miles south of Sebastian Inlet. Interpretive exhibits are located at our trailheads and along our trails. A restroom is available at the trailhead to Birds Impoundment Trail.
Helpful Information:
- Pelican Island NWR website
- The First Refuge is Born
- The Pelican Island Story
- Pelican Island NWR Brochure (Note map with historic Jungle Trail)
- Pelican Island NWR Facility Map
Photos by Dandy Lewis
We were delighted to be able to visit the very first National Wildlife Refuge in the country. The trail is a lovely meandering drive with lots of trees. We saw a hawk but it flew away before we could get a photo.