Kayak Titusville Florida’s Fox Lake
Fox Lake is a little known, but beautiful kayaking spot accessible from the boat ramp at Fox Lake Park in Titusville Florida. Except for the park, the shoreline the lake is undeveloped and bordered along the western edge by the Fox Lake Sanctuary, a recent 2,500 acre purchase by the Brevard county Environmentally Endangered lands program.
From the boat ramp, paddling north along the western edge takes you a small creek the extends a few hundred yards back into the wetlands, and opens into a little pond. Expect to see a variety of wading birds such as egrets and herons, as well as some ducks, cormorants and other species. If you paddle from the boat ramp due north to the opposite shoreline, then follow that shoreline to the east you will find yourself rounding a point and heading North once again. Scan the trees for kingfishers, anihingas spreading their wings to dry, Raptors high up in the trees, and much more. Sightings of alligators and otters are always a possibility. Soon you will reach a channel through the emergent aquatic vegetation and then a canal of about one mile in length leading to South Lake.
South Lake is a somewhat larger lake and can get choppy in windy conditions, so take care and choose your day wisely, but by paddleling along the Western shoreline you will come to the mouth of another creek. Enter this creek and follow it to the west southwest. You may see two other channels leading off to the right if they are not too weedchoked, but stay to the left following this creek and you will come to another small lake. The southern end of this lake is dominated by a mound. Called a midden, this mound is actually comprised of mussel shells and other debris discarded by the previous inhabitants of the area, the Ais Indians which died out shortly after initial contact with European culture.
You are also now within the Fox lake Sanctuary and have just paddled the sanctuary’s designated paddling trail. Land access from Fox Lake Park is currently under develop and upon opening in April of 2013, Fox Lake Sanctuary will have 7 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails with signage leading the way. The Sanctuary is contiguous with other conservation lands and is home to white tail deer, wild hog, wild turkey, Florida scrub jays, wood storks, sand hill cranes, and many other species. Florida black bear have been photographed by remote, motion sensitive cameras.
The only launch site is Fox Lake Park and all watercraft must be launched from the boat ramp. To get there from Interstate 95, take exit 215 and head east on State Road 50 for about 0.3 miles. Turn left at the stop light onto SR-405 (South Street). Drive north for about 2.2 miles until you reach the intersection of Fox Lake Road. Turn left (west) and follow Fox Lake Road until it ends at the park.
