Malabar

The  Richard  E. Cameron Sr. & Volunteers Nature Preserve  (also known as the Cameron Preserve) is 100 acres of preserve owned and maintained by the Town of Malabar. The trails here are open to walkers, cyclists, and equestrians, who are directed to travel the trails in different directions to reduce trail user collision. To view all trails within the Cameron Preserve and how they connect to other nearby trail systems, check out the Town of Malabar's  Trail Map .

The  Swallow-Tailed Kite Trailhead  (pictured below) is the main entrance to the Preserve and located at the end of Corey Road. Roadside parking is available for vehicles.

Two other  access points  are located on the northern boundary of the Preserve which allow trail users to enter from the paved Al Tuttle Trail (shown in green). These access points do not have parking.

Built by volunteers from Malabar's Trails and Greenways Committee, the Cameron Trail Shelter offers a shaded place to rest and birdwatch within the Preserve. It is located about X miles from the Swallow-Tailed Kite Trailhead and is identified as CTS on preserve signage.

New signage and maps are posted at access points to the Cameron preserve as well as along the interior trails.

The  Malabar Scrub Sanctuary  encompasses 577 acres of protected habitats including xeric (dry) hammock, scrub, scrubby flatwoods, pine flatwoods, sand pine scrub, ponds, sloughs, and depression marshes. The Sanctuary is split into two tracts of land on either side of the Cameron Preserve, referred to as Malabar Scrub Sanctuary East and West, and is managed by Brevard County’s Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program.

The Sanctuary is home to many kinds of flora and fauna including the Florida scrub-jay, gopher tortoise, and Eastern indigo snake. Trails throughout the sanctuary offer hiking, biking, and wildlife viewing opportunities.

The main access points for the Malabar Scrub Sanctuary (East) are the  Sandhill Trailhead,   Malabar Community Park,  and the  Al Tuttle Trail  via the Capon Street Pedestrian Bridge.

Both sections of the Malabar Scrub Sanctuary can also be accessed via connecting trails within the Cameron Preserve.

Visitors to the Malabar Scrub Sanctuary (East) will immediately notice that Malabar Woods Rd. continues through the property, though it is no longer open to vehicle traffic. The abandoned stretch of pavement now functions as a 3/4 mile trail through the heart of the Sanctuary popular with walkers and cyclists.

There are also many natural surface trails within the East and West portions of the Sanctuary that wind through the scrub, like this one near the Malabar Community Park trailhead. Keep an eye out for the  Florida scrub jay  while you take in the scenery.

The main access points for the Malabar Scrub Sanctuary (West) are from the  Englar Ave. Trailhead  and the  Briar Creek Blvd. Trailhead. 

Both sections of the Malabar Scrub Sanctuary can also be accessed via connecting trails within the Cameron Preserve.

Aside from serving as a trailhead for the Malabar Scrub Sanctuary (East),  Malabar Community Park  also offers various amenities and recreation opportunities including picnic benches, a pavilion, a baseball/softball field, a soccer pitch, a basketball court, a tennis court, a playground, restrooms, and a fitness park.

Directly across from the Park, enjoy 18 holes of challenging disc golf in a nature preserve at the Malabar Disc Golf Preserve.

The Sandhill Trailhead, located at 1400 Marie St., serves as the southern entrance to the Al Tuttle Trail and the eastern entrance to the Malabar Scrub Sanctuary (East).

Amenities at the Sandhill Trailhead park include a pavilion, picnic tables, horse stables, ADA accessible restrooms, and a fire pit (burn permit required).

 Turkey Creek Sanctuary  in the neighboring town of Palm Bay provides even more opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, and paddling near Malabar.

Besides the trails, the 130 acre sanctuary includes a Nature Center with educational programs and a 1.8 mile boardwalk. Visitors may glimpse all kinds of wildlife as they explore including manatees, alligators, turtles, otters, and gar fish in the creek or birds such as osprey and owls in the woods. Native Florida vegetation found within the Sanctuary includes sand pines, scrub and turkey oaks, cactus, wire grass, scrub paw paw, large flower rosemary, and more.

Turkey Creek Sanctuary trails consist of natural surface pathways and wooden boardwalks over marshy areas and creeks.

The mountain bike trails within Turkey Creek Sanctuary are maintained by the Brevard Mountain Bike Association.

Launch your kayak, canoe, or paddleboard from Turkey Creek's canoe launch area. Parking is available a short walk from the launch off Briar Creek Blvd.

More information about paddling on Turkey Creek along with maps for two paddling routes can be found on the  Turkey Creek Sanctuary Society website .

A paddler coming into the launch from Turkey Creek.