Desoto National Memorial
“De Soto National Memorial, in Manatee County 5 miles west of Bradenton, Florida, commemorates the 1539 landing of Hernando de Soto and the first extensive organized exploration by Europeans of what is now the southern United States. The memorial includes 26 acres, where the Manatee River joins Tampa Bay.” (from Wikipedia) Thank you Diane McConnell for letting me know about this park. She writes that the crushed shell trails through mangroves are wide and flat.
“A visitor to De Soto National Memorial can quickly experience four distinct natural ecosystems along the park’s half mile nature trail. The park is situated along the south shore of the Manatee River at the mouth of Tampa Bay. The Bay is a subtropical estuary consisting of open water and a mixture of mangrove and salt marsh vegetation in the tidal zone.” Map Phone 941-792-0458 x105 Website
The Nature Trail winds along the shoreline and through several Florida ecosystems, including a mangrove forest like the one that De Soto’s men would have encountered when they landed. Trails include interpretive signage and waysides that tell the story of the De Soto Expedition and the natural history of the area.
Covid restrictions as of March 2020: “De Soto National Memorial’s parking lot, nature trails, and restroom facilities are open. The Visitor Center remains closed. ”