USFWS · Florida

Pelican Island Wilderness

President Theodore Roosevelt set aside tiny Pelican Island as a bird haven on March 14, 1903, ordering the first federal land dedication to wildlife and thus creating the National Wildlife Refuge System. Pelican Island Wilderness and National Wildlife Refuge is comprised primarily of water in the wide lagoon of the Indian River. Human development near the shoreline currently threatens the fragile but highly productive waters. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is trying to acquire an insulating buffer zone along the eastern boundary. Fifteen threatened and endangered species live here, including manatees. A huge natural supply of fish provide food for wading birds that nest in the area.

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).

Wilderness5 acresUSFWSFLDesignated 1970
Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Pelican Island Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
StateFlorida
Size5 acres
Designated1970, by Congress
Center point27.80° N, 80.43° W
Night skyNoticeable light pollution (Black Marble reading 90)

Boundary map

1 outline

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees

The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Pelican Island Wilderness60°70°80°90°January: 2.68 inches of precipitationFebruary: 2.48 inches of precipitationMarch: 3.69 inches of precipitationApril: 2.94 inches of precipitationMay: 4.32 inches of precipitationJune: 6.78 inches of precipitationJuly: 6.21 inches of precipitationAugust: 7.55 inches of precipitationSeptember: 7.62 inches of precipitationOctober: 6.11 inches of precipitationNovember: 3.19 inches of precipitationDecember: 2.83 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 63.5°F averageFebruary: 65.6°F averageMarch: 68.8°F averageApril: 72.9°F averageMay: 77.4°F averageJune: 81.3°F averageJuly: 82.9°F averageAugust: 83.0°F averageSeptember: 82.0°F averageOctober: 77.6°F averageNovember: 71.5°F averageDecember: 66.5°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Vero Beach 4Se, 10 miles from the center point at 20 feet, station USC00089219 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 56 inches a year.

Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from trails and water, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit and group-size rules.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 25 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Guidebooks for Florida

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Five-Star Trails: Gainesville and Ocala
    Sandra Friend and John Keatley, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Hiking the Gulf Coast
    Joe Cuhaj, 2016
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Day Hiking Southwest Florida
    Johnny Molloy, 2014
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Pelican Island Wilderness?

5 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Pelican Island Wilderness?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Pelican Island Wilderness in?

Florida.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Pelican Island Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1970.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How do I get to Pelican Island Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 27.796° N, 80.433° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Are there historic places near Pelican Island Wilderness?

The National Register has 25 listings within 15 miles, including Lawson, Bamma Vickers, House and Old Town Sebastian Historic District East.

Source: Register Atlas

Sources

  • Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
  • Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
  • Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
  • Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
  • Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.