Oleta River State Park
- Address
- 3400 N.E. 163rd Street
- North Miami, FL 33160
- Phone
- (305) 919-1844
- Area
- Neighborhood
- South Florida
- Price
- $6.00 per vehicle. Limit 2-8 people per vehicle.
- Web Page
- http://www.floridastateparks.org/oletariver/
Type of Makom
- Parks Type
- Park
Semi-useful stuff
Mikomos rating
Description
The Oleta River State Park is the largest urban park in the Florida State Park system. The park is located on 1043 acres (4.2 km²) - 993 acres (4.0 km²) of land and 50 acres (0.2 km²) of inland water - on Biscayne Bay, in the northeastern end of the city of North Miami in Miami-Dade County, Florida, and adjoins the Biscayne Bay Campus of Florida International University. In some documents, the park is designated as the Oleta River State Recreation Area. The park contains one of the largest concentrations of Australian Pine trees (an invasive species) found in a Florida State Park.
The central feature of this park is the mouth of the Oleta River, for which it is named. The river has drawn human inhabitants to the area since about 500 B.C, when its shores served as a campground for Tequesta Indians. It was used by U.S. troops (who called it Big Snake Creek) in 1841 during the Second Seminole War, and further explored in 1881 by Captain William Hawkins Fulford, whose ventured inland to what is now the city of North Miami Beach. The area became more heavily settled in the 1890s and in 1922, developers changed the name from Big Snake Creek to the Oleta River.
The river itself no longer flows to the Everglades, but remains a popular area for canoeing. The park also boasts some of the best wilderness bike trails in the country, and is a frequent host for triathlons and other extreme sports events.
There is a beach on Biscayne Bay, kayak rentals, and primitive cabins.[1]
(From their website) "Oleta River State Park offers 15 miles of mountain-bike trails ranging in skill level from novice to advance. We have a beautiful man-made beach, rustic log cabins for camping, and nine picnic pavilions available to rent for your next event. The Blue Moon Outdoor Center rents canoes, kayaks, and bikes."
Tips
- The beach here is not always populated. Use your discretion.
- Kayaking is a nice way to spend some time. But be aware that if either one of you doesn't know what their doing you may capsize which might create an awkward situation, and will also get you very wet.
