Fox Lake is a little-known, but beautiful, kayaking spot, accessible from the boat ramp at Fox Lake Park in Titusville Florida. Except for the park, the lake’s shoreline is undeveloped and bordered along the western edge by the Fox Lake Sanctuary, a recent 2,500-acre purchase by the Brevard County Environmental Hazard Land Program.
From the boat ramp, paddling north along the western edge brings you to a small stream that runs a few hundred yards into the wetlands and opens into a small pond. Expect to see a variety of wading birds like egrets and herons, as well as some ducks, cormorants, and other species. If you paddle north from the boat ramp to the opposite shoreline, then follow that shoreline east and you’ll find yourself circling a point and heading north once more. Scan the trees for kingfishers, anihingas that spread their wings to dry themselves, raptors high in the trees, and much more. Alligator and otter sightings are always a possibility. You will soon reach a channel through the emerging aquatic vegetation and then a channel about a mile long that leads to South Lake.
South Lake is a somewhat larger lake and can get choppy in windy conditions, so be careful and choose your day wisely, but paddling along the western shoreline you will reach the mouth of another stream. Enter this stream and follow it to the west southwest. You may see two other canals coming out to the right if they are not too cut off, but keep left following this stream and you will come to another small lake. The southern end of this lake is dominated by a mound. Called a garbage dump, this mound is actually made up of mussel shells and other debris discarded by the area’s previous inhabitants, the Ais Indians, who became extinct shortly after initial contact with European culture.
You are also now inside the Fox Lake Sanctuary and have just paddled the sanctuary’s designated paddle trail. Land access from Fox Lake Park is currently under development, and once it opens in April 2013, Fox Lake Sanctuary will have 7 miles of sign-posted hiking and mountain biking trails. The Sanctuary is adjacent to other conservation lands and is home to white-tailed deer, wild pigs, wild turkeys, Florida bush jays, wood storks, sand cranes, and many other species. The Florida black bear has been photographed by remote cameras sensitive to motion.
The only launch site is Fox Lake Park and all boats must be launched from the boat ramp. To get there from Interstate 95, take Exit 215 and head east on State Road 50 for approximately 0.3 miles. Turn left at the light onto SR-405 (South Street). Drive north for approximately 2.2 miles until you reach the Fox Lake Road intersection. Turn left (west) and follow Fox Lake Road until it ends in the park.
