“If you’ve been to southern Florida and haven’t stopped into Blowing Rocks Preserve on Jupiter Island, you are missing out. The environmental preserve, owned and maintained by The Nature Conservancy, boasts the largest Anastasia limestone outcropping along Florida’s entire eastern coast! The main attraction are the “”blow holes”” caused by waves breaking and spraying water upward through holes eroded in the rock. Under the right conditions, they can spray up to 50 feet in the air! As you walk out to the coastline you will pass through a number of coastal ecotones in the preserve. First, you will encounter maritime hammocks & mangrove wetlands as you pass through sea grapes, gumbo limbo, Sabal palms, and other species native to the area (invasive species are removed in an attempt to preserve the indigenous plants. As you emerge from the canopy you will traverse beach dunes before coming up to the limestone outcroppings. The preserve includes an educational center, native plant nursery, boardwalk, oceanside path, and a butterfly garden. The Hawley Education Center features rotating natural history and art exhibits and offers environmental education classes and workshops. You can also take a walk along the Indian River Lagoon via a boardwalk where you will find interpretive signs about the plants, wildlife, and area environment.

The preserve is an awesome place to spend a day with plenty to see and do. Check out this QuickVid on YouTube I put together after my last visit in January 2020.”