Port Orange Causeway Park

Although this park under the Dunlawton Causeway is small, it provides a rewarding glimpse into the 1,000-acre Port Orange Wildlife Sanctuary, a 4-mile stretch of islands in the Halifax River/Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). The southern side of the park has fishing piers, boat launches and a manicured, grassy shoreline, all of which provide excellent vantage points for scoping Port Orange Critical Wildlife Area and mudflats at low tide. The Critical Wildlife Area is a nesting site for up to 400 pairs of Brown Pelicans, White Ibises and a few pairs of American Oystercatchers. Sunrise and sunset are excellent times to view hundreds of birds arriving or departing the island. Occasionally, Reddish Egrets, night-herons, Magnificent Frigatebirds and Roseate Spoonbills are spotted. The northeast corner of the park offers views of mudflats and oyster bars on the west side of the ICW’s main channel. At low tide, shorebirds may be present. A fishing/observation pier on the western side of the park is a good vantage point from which you might spot Caspian and Sandwich Terns year-round, and in winter, Peregrine Falcons, Great Black-backed Gulls and Common Loons. Five or six guided walks are led each year by Halifax River Audubon. Expect heavy boat and fishing activity on weekends and holidays.  Click here for more information on the Port Orange Critical Wildlife Area.