April 9th, 2011 | 
Author: 
Weedon Island for any length of time, insect repellant is highly recommended. The majority of hiking trails are near water and mangroves abound; perfect breeding ground for biting insects. The normal rules apply, a pair of sunglasses, sunscreen and a water bottle for hydration are always recommended.Getthing There:
Weedon Island is located in the northeast part of St. Petersburg south of Gandy Boulevard.
Coming from the south, head north on 4th Street North (US 92 N) and make a right onto 83rd Avenue North (heading east). 83rd Avenue North will become Patica Road NE and then San Martin Boulevard NE as it passes over Riviera Bay. Make a right onto Ridgeway Drive NE which will become Weedon Drive NE as you enter Weedon Island proper.
Coming from east or west, take Gandy Boulevard and head south on San Martin Boulevard. Make a left onto Ridgeway Drive NE.
The Trail:
I parked at the visitor center for Weedon Island Preserve. There are other areas to park along the approach to the visitor center but parking is more abundant at the center versus the small areas along Weedon Drive NE.
Before setting out on the ride, there are a multitude of trails around the visitor center. Several boardwalk trails run along the southern side of the center. These mostly go through wetlands and mangroves abound.
On the tower boardwalk trail, there is a fine observation tower that gives a 360° view of the preserve. From the top, you can see distant views of downtown St. Petersburg, downtown Tampa and the Progress Energy Bartow Plant.
The boardwalks provide many opportunities to view the mangrove ecosystem and there are numerous overlooks for viewing wading birds or just relaxing and taking in nature at its finest.
After exploring the area around the visitor center, I hit the road and traveled south along Weedon Drive NE. Not far from the center, you can rent kayaks for navigating around the many canoe trails that weave in and out of the mangroves that surround the preserve. A little further south, you encounter the fishing pier and boat launch. It is a small cramped area and, I don’t believe, you can launch anything much bigger than a canoe at the single launch. There are restrooms, a drinking fountain and a fine view of Riviera Bay from the fishing pier.
Make left onto San Martin Drive Northeast and you will be heading toward St. Petersburg. There is very little shoulder to the roadway. It is a relatively narrow two-lane road but most cars are used to sharing the roadway with bicycles. Once you pass over a small bridge, San Martin turns into 83rd Avenue NE. Start looking for an intersection with Macoma Drive Northeast. All this is part of the future North Bay Trail the city of St. Petersburg envisions. The actually trail is under construction but portions of it are complete and this the beginning of one such portion.
The trail will run along Macoma for a couple of blocks and the trail will curve to run parallel to a tree-lined canal.
After a short spin heading west, you will see a wood bridge spanning the canal you’ve been paralleling. Turn south onto the bridge and approach the intersection of 1st Street Northeast with 78th Avenue Northeast.
Once past the bridge, it is a straight shot south down 1st Street Northeast. A bike lane exists on both sides of 1st Street Northeast until you reach the traffic signal at 62nd Avenue. From there, large portions of the North Bay Trail are under construction.
Once you get past the traffic light at Placido Bayou, the trail is pretty much finished until you get near 31st Avenue. A short portion just southwest of the Shriner’s campus is not finished but you can navigate the short distance where it picks up again.
This is where I stopped reviewing the trail. Where it intersects the Walter Fuller Park to Coffee Pot Bayou trail (previously reviewed), you can head down Coffee Pot Boulevard NE and catch the Island Loop trail or the downtown St. Petersburg trail that I previously reviewed as the “St. Petersburg Eastern Loop”. Taking the Island Loop portion of the trail will bring you back to the traffic light at 62nd Avenue and you can then reverse the instructions to return to the Weedon Island Preserve.
Posted in Pinellas County | 
Tags: Bicycle Trail, Bicycling, Cycling, North Bay Trail, Pinellas County, St. Petersburg, Trail, Trails, Weedon Island
Very nice photographs my friend
BTW – the trails around the visitors center are for foot traffic only.
No Bikes on the trails.
Well, except maybe the one that struck a member of my family recently while traveling at high speed on a trail marked “No Bicycles” and “Foot Traffic Only”
Cycling enthusiasts – please be considerate.
I did ask the park official if it was acceptable to walk the bicycle along the trail and he said that was acceptable. My post in no way endorses biking along any trails that are marked for pedestrians.
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Very nice pictures and information. Maybe one day they will actually start construction on the San Martin Blvd portion of the North Bay Trail.
Thanks for the post Duane. I’ve signed the petition. I always get nervous biking over that two lane bridge connecting Weedon Island area and NE St. Petersburg.
Cheers & Happy Trails ~ John
I visited Weedon Island Preserve in 2010. The tower, boardwalk, and fishing pier were fantastic and worth my drive from Sarasota. More excellent photos and info. Take care.
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