The wildest beach in Florida next to the most biodiverse estuary in North America. Early Native peoples made this their home and several enormous shell middens remain. One of them, Turtle Mound, is among the largest in the United States.
This lengthy stretch of undeveloped beach offers visitors the opportunity to experience Florida as it was millennia ago. Sunlit clouds, crashing surf and shifting sands enchant visitors and immerse them in nature’s rhythms. The Seashore entrance is within the 30-mile radius of the Florida Aquatic Gems project but this astounding stretch of Atlantic coastline extends south all the way to the Kennedy Space Center. Find your own stretch of beach in the late afternoon shade of a dune and let the surf lull you with its primordial sound.
The western side of Canaveral National Seashore lies along Mosquito Lagoon, part of the most biodiverse estuary in North America. Early Americans made this resource-rich area their home and several enormous shell mounds are located here. One of them, Turtle Mound, is among the largest in the United States. One of the other major middens, Castle Windy, sits further south and is accessible by an exceptional trail that crosses the barrier island through a low-lying maritime hammock where the trees are kept short by salt air and powerful ocean winds. The middens are made primarily of discarded oyster and clam shells and form a monumental tribute to Florida’s pre-Columbian population. One can easily imagine the first Americans appreciating the same pristine beaches that, even today, look much as they did thousands of years ago.
The western side of Canaveral National Seashore lies along Mosquito Lagoon, part of the most biodiverse estuary in North America. Early Americans made this resource-rich area their home and several enormous shell mounds are located here. One of them, Turtle Mound, is among the largest in the United States. One of the other major middens, Castle Windy, sits further south and is accessible by an exceptional trail that crosses the barrier island through a low-lying maritime hammock where the trees are kept short by salt air and powerful ocean winds. The middens are made primarily of discarded oyster and clam shells and form a monumental tribute to Florida’s pre-Columbian population. One can easily imagine the first Americans appreciating the same pristine beaches that, even today, look much as they did thousands of years ago.
Extraordinary Excursions
- Visit Turtle Mound, a monumentally large Native American shell midden
- Walk, play, and swim along the longest stretch of wild beach on Florida’s east coast
- Traverse the barrier island on the Castle Windy Trail through an unusual miniature forest to a towering Native shell midden