Hickory Bluff Preserve

Take a visual tour of Hickory Bluff

The 150-acre Hickory Bluff Preserve overlooks the St. Johns River and contains many natural communities including mesic and scrubby flatwoods, oak hammock, cypress domes, floodplain swamp, and wet prairie.

While hiking the trails, you may identify distinct natural communities by the presence of certain plants:

• Scrubby flatwoods are characterized by an overstory of pines, a midstory of rusty lyonia and sand live oak, and an understory of palmetto that is common along the blue and red trails.


• Oak hammocks, which occur in the presence of longterm fire suppression, are characterized by an overstory of tall oaks and an understory lacking diversity and are common along the blue trail near the river bluff and around the pavilion.


• Cypress domes, along both trails, are characterized by a dome-like appearance of a cypress stand tree-line.


• The floodplain swamp along the blue trail by the river is characterized by bald cypress, hickory, ash and slow moving black water.


• Wet prairie are characterized by open areas of herbaceous vegetation such as grasses, sedges and wildflowers.

The preserve was acquired by Volusia County Government using Volusia Forever funds with the assistance of a grant from the Florida Communities Trust. 

 Wildlife along the trail many include osprey, eagle, great blue heron, barred owl, gopher tortoise, alligator, river otter, bobcat, deer and turkey.

Management plan
Map and directions
Trail Map [PDF]
Plant list [PDF]
Animal list [PDF]
Preserve rules [PDF]

Volusia County conservation lands are managed using a program of professionally accepted principles of resource and ecosystem management for the benefit of, and enjoyment by, present and future generations.