Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge

Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge, was established September 30, 1969. It is a coastal refuge bisected by the Indian River Lagoon into two separate tracts of land totaling over 1000 acres. The 735 acre Jupiter Island tract provides some of the most productive sea turtle nesting habitat in the United States, and the 300 acre sand pine scrub mainland tract is valued because more than 90 percent of this community type has been lost to development in Florida. Sand pine scrub habitat is restricted only to Florida and an adjacent county in Alabama.

The headquarters for the refuge is located on the mainland portion of the refuge on U.S. Federal Highway 1, two miles south of Bridge Road (State Road 708) and it is located 20 miles north of West Palm Beach in Martin County, Florida.

At the headquarters you can visit an exhibit room, gift shop, environmental education classroom, and walk a short nature trail. The nonprofit Hobe Sound Nature Center, the refuge's cooperating association, operates the exhibit room, gift shop, and classroom. With more than 121,000 visitors a year, children of all ages learn about the beauty of these unique Florida environments and participate in turtle walks, summer camps, evening forums, and scrub tours. For additional information about the Nature Center programs please call 772-546-2067. To contact the refuge manager call 772-546-6141.