Facilities

River Branch Preserve was acquired in 2009 for preservation purposes. It is approximately 350 acres of marshes and shallow waterways, with several islands. This preserve is located between Dutton Island Preserve and Tide Views Preserve, and it is bordered on the west by the Intracoastal waterway. There are currently no manmade structures in this park with the exception of some canoe/kayak trail signs marking the waterways.

The channels are tidal in nature, and most of the waterways cannot be navigated at low tide. At high tide, the waterways provide excellent venues for kayaks, canoes, and ecotourism excursions. The lands have been maintained primarily in their natural state, and the flora and fauna are outstanding.

The River Branch Preserve connects two other City parks; the Tideviews and Dutton Island Preserves. Except for the public access points at the Dutton and Tideviews Preserves, access to the marsh is very limited due to tidal conditions. However, it was envisioned during the acquisition that the park would be made accessible for passive public uses such as canoeing, kayaking and fishing. To facilitate this process, The City has begun a Study to produce a Marsh Master Plan to which will include a roadmap for projects over the next 10 to 20 years to improve public access to this area.