Weedon Island Preserve facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Weedon Island Preserve |
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IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
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View of the preserve from top of observation tower
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 Weedon Island Preserve
Location in Florida
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| Location | Pinellas County, Florida, USA | ||||||||
| Nearest city | St. Petersburg, Florida | ||||||||
| Established | June 13, 1972 | ||||||||
| Governing body | Pinellas County Park Department | ||||||||
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The Weedon Island Preserve is a large natural area in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. It covers about 3,190 acres along the western shore of Tampa Bay. This special place is mostly an estuary, which means it's where fresh water from rivers mixes with salty ocean water.
You'll find different types of natural areas here. These include mangrove forests, pine flatwoods, and maritime hammocks. Many native animals and plants call this preserve home. It's also an important archaeological site. Scientists have found several shell mounds here. These mounds show that people lived on this land thousands of years ago.
Weedon Island Preserve was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on June 13, 1972. The state of Florida bought the island in 1974. It officially opened to the public in December 1980. Today, Pinellas County helps manage and care for the preserve. The preserve is named after Leslie Washington Weedon. He was a doctor from Tampa and also an amateur archaeologist.
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Fun Things to Do at Weedon Island Preserve
Weedon Island Preserve offers many ways to explore nature. You can enjoy hiking, kayaking, fishing, and even learn about history.
Explore Nature Trails and Observation Towers
The preserve has 4.7 miles of nature trails for hiking. About 2 miles of these trails are boardwalks and paved paths. These are easy to use for everyone. The other 2.7 miles are natural dirt trails.
A 3,000-foot boardwalk trail leads to a 45-foot tall observation tower. This is the tallest tower in Pinellas County! On a clear day, you can see much of the preserve and Tampa Bay. You might even spot the cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg. There are also three smaller observation platforms along the trails. These are great spots for watching birds and other wildlife. They are also perfect for taking amazing photos!
Paddle Through Mangrove Tunnels
If you love being on the water, try the 4-mile South Paddling Trail. This trail is perfect for canoeing or kayaking. It winds through cool mangrove tunnels within the preserve. You can bring your own boat or take a guided tour. ECOmersion is a company that offers kayak tours here. Their guides can lead you through the beautiful mangrove tunnels. It's a unique way to see the preserve!
Fishing and Picnics
You can also go fishing from the pier at the end of Weedon Drive NE. If you want to relax, there are picnic tables available. It's a great spot to enjoy a meal outdoors after your adventures.
Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center
The Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center opened in 2002. It's a great place to learn about the preserve's past and present. The Center focuses on the natural world, local culture, and archaeology.
Discover History and Wildlife
The Exhibit Hall has fun, interactive displays. You can learn about the unique animals and plants that live on Weedon Island. It also teaches you about the ancient people who lived here. You can even see some Native American artifacts from Weedon Island online.
A special item at the Center is a 40 feet (12 m) dugout canoe. It was found right in the preserve! Experts believe this canoe is about 1,100 years old. It might have been made by the Manasota people.
The Preserve's Ecosystem
Weedon Island Preserve is mostly made up of water and wetland areas. It sits along the northwest shore of Old Tampa Bay. Long ago, during high tides, the preserve was a true island. Now, it's a low-lying piece of land surrounded by smaller islands.
In the 1950s, many ditches were dug here to control mosquitoes. The drier, higher parts of the preserve are called upland ecosystems. These make up about 1,100 acres of the preserve's total area.
Programs and Events for All Ages
The preserve offers many educational programs and events. These are often free and fun for the whole family!
Learn and Explore with Experts
Each month, you can join guided hikes to explore the trails. There are also archaeology classes where you can learn about ancient history. You can attend speaker series to hear from experts. If you love photography or bird watching, there are meet-ups for that too. You can also learn about protecting our environment in sustainability workshops. Check the preserve's Eventbrite page for a list of current activities.
Special Annual Events
Weedon Island Preserve also hosts several special events each year. These include:
- Archaeology Academy: A one-day event to learn about archaeology.
- Annual Gopher Weedon Trail Run: A fun run on the preserve's trails.
- Archaeology Lectures Series: Talks about archaeological discoveries.
- Salty Topics: A lecture series about coastal topics.
- Florida Stories: Events that highlight authors from Florida.
Any donations made at these events help support the Weedon Island Preserve.
Visiting Hours
The preserve is open every day, from sunrise to sunset. The Cultural and Natural History Center has different hours. It is open Thursdays through Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. On Sundays, it's open from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Images for kids
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Entrance to Weedon Island Culture Center
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View of the boardwalk leading to the Preserve's observation tower
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Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center (Entrance)
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Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center
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Airport Waiting Room Ruins
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Airport Waiting Room Ruins (From the Trail)
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View of the dedication of the Paul L. Getting nature trail dedication
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Elevated Boardwalk
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View from the boardwalk
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Observation Tower
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Mangrove Hammock
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View of the Boardwalk from the Observation Tower
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Cabbage palms, complete with some information about cabbage palms
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A view of pine flatwoods from the nature trail
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- Milanich, Jerald T., Ann S. Cordell and Vernon J. Knig. (1997) Archaeology of Northern Florida, A.D. 200-900: The McKeithen Weeden Island Culture University Press of Florida. ISBN: 0-8130-1538-3
