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Bluefield Ranch |
Bluefield Ranch has existed as a conservation area
in
 St
Lucie county since 1998. Today was my first visit. I
would like to compare it to Dupuis of Martin.
 It
is a large tract with alot of wildlife. There are several fire roads
or double track trails for hiking, biking or horses.
The first thing
you notice out there is the quietness. We rode several miles across
old pasture to an oak hammock were I saw a 4 point buck.
There are
patches of forest that edge the pasture land and you can witness the
pioneer plants retaking the disturbed pasture. Sloughs and wetlands
draw untold wildlife to the area. Bluefield is home to Bald Eagles,
Hawks, Burrowing Owls, Deer, Turkey and of course
 Feral
Pigs.
The area is also rich with history, as Seminole camps,
prohibition stills and logging camps were located on and near the
property.
The area is 3,285 acres and is part of the Orlando ridge. Scrub,
Flatwoods, Wetlands and Hammock are the dominating ecosystems. The
existing trails are mostly flat grass double track with small patches
of sand. You can ride for at least 10 miles at present. There is a
look out tower that over looks a wetland and primitive
 campsites
are scheduled for the future.
I will ride here again and some of us are thinking of pursuing
permission to expand the trail system to include some single track
bike trails. Check it out and let us know. If there is enough interest
(we
need trail crews) we will pursue this project. If not, I will ride
the fire roads for the time being (dry when other trails are flooded).
All and all it is a very interesting area. Trail systems on the
Treasure Coast are available but it takes people power to create them.
(--Paul Johnson)
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