Blueways & Paddling Trails

Go Beyond the Beach. Paddle your way through New Smyrna Beach coastal waterways.

While the vast Canaveral National Seashore is the region's standout park, the New Smyrna Beach Area boasts a variety of smaller, beloved parks. Whether you’re looking for land or water trails, you'll find both here!

A couple of our top picks include Bird Rookery Paddle, a 2.9-mile blueway trail that launches from behind the Marine Discovery Center, offering a chance to observe a range of local bird species. Another gem is the Mosquito Lagoon, a collection of spoil islands and tidal creeks that serve as a sanctuary for more than 4,000 animal and plant species.

Bird Rookery Paddle

Ideal for novices, this peaceful 2.9-mile trail, which launches behind the Marine Discovery Center, passes under the North Causeway and through the New Smyrna Beach City Marina, through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission’s Salt Marsh Restoration Project, and along a seawall built by Scottish colonists in the mid-1700s. The highlight, however, is six species of birds that nest on a pair of mangrove islands, which were protected by the Presidential order in 1908 thanks to avian enthusiast Theodore Roosevelt. To keep the area thriving, pack binoculars or a camera with a strong zoom lens, as visitors should never step onto these sites. April through September is the best period to see nesting birds.

Mosquito Lagoon

This shallow 2.12-mile trail, laid out by a local Eagle Scout, is well suited for first-time paddlers. A series of spoil islands (formed decades ago when the Army Corps of Engineers dredged the Intracoastal Waterway) shelter a maze of tidal creeks from the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the larger Indian River Lagoon—widely considered North America’s most biodiverse estuary—Mosquito Lagoon teems with more than 4,000 animal and plant species, including roseate spoonbills, dolphins, and sea turtles. Visiting in the summer? Bring bug repellant; the trail lives up to its namesake.