An Experience of a Lifetime
Guided Nighttime Sea Turtle Walks
Guided sea turtle walks are fully booked for 2025. Join our wait list to be notified of cancellations in the event of an opening!
Join our turtle scouts and wildlife educators at the Hobe Sound Nature Center for our FWC-permitted, guided turtle walks and experience one of nature’s most magical events. This educational experience is hosted on Thursday and Friday evenings during the months of June and July (excluding July 3 & 4), 2025. Our turtle walks begin in the museum at the Hobe Sound Nature Center at 8:00 p.m. for registered guests, followed by a short presentation about sea turtle natural history and conservation. After the presentation, everyone will convene at the Hobe Sound Public Beach, where our expert guides will take you on a magical nighttime journey to witness a mother loggerhead build her nest, lay her eggs, and return to the sea. A walk will be suspended no later than midnight if no turtles are identified. For more information, see the FAQs at the bottom of this page.
Spaces are limited! Online registration and a non-refundable a fee of $20* is required for each participant age 3 and above. *Fees are used to support HSNC environmental education and interpretive programs.
WHAT TO BRING: We recommend that participants bring bug spray and water. We also recommend wearing comfortable clothing and appropriate footwear (i.e., for walking the beach). If you have further questions you may contact us by e-mail (info@hobesoundnaturecenter.org) or phone: (772) 546-2067.
Sea Turtle Count at the Refuge Beach
Did you know? Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge is home to a 3.5-mile stretch of beach that welcomes more than just human visitors each summer — it's also a nesting ground for hundreds of endangered and threatened sea turtles, including Leatherbacks, Loggerheads, and Green sea turtles!
Want to track how many stop by this season? Follow us for weekly updates through the end of nesting season on October 31st!
Sea Turtle Nesting @ Nathaniel P. Reed NWR
Greens - 57 Nests
(Chelonia mydas) - The green sea turtle is the largest hard-shelled sea turtle. They are herbivores, eating mostly seagrasses and algae. This diet is what gives their fat a greenish color (not their shells), which is where their name comes from.
Loggerheads - 630 Nests
(Caretta caretta) - Named for its large head, which supports powerful jaw muscles that enable them to feed on hard-shelled prey, such as whelks and conch. Loggerheads are the most abundant species of sea turtle that nests in the United States.
Leatherbacks - 165 Nests
(Dermochelys coriacea) - The largest turtle in the world. They are the only species of sea turtle that lack scales and a hard shell. They are named for their tough rubbery skin and have existed in their current form since the age of the dinosaurs.
FAQs
What species of sea turtle might I see?
The loggerhead sea turtle is the only species we are permitted (FWC) to view during our guided walks.
How should I dress?
We recommend long pants, long-sleeved shirt, and comfortable, close-toed shoes.
Can I take pictures?
Flash photography is strictly prohibited. Your “turtle scouts” will illuminate the nest with a red light for ideal picture taking.
What if we don't see a nesting sea turtle?
There is no guarantee that you will be able to witness a nesting sea turtle on your walk, as are at the mercy of mother nature and spontaneous, natural events. However, if our expert field guides are unable to identify a nesting turtle during your scheduled walk, you may attend a future turtle walk at no extra cost.
What age range is recommended for this nighttime sea turtle walk?
This is a late evening activity that typically takes a few hours, possibly lasting until midnight or later. Please take this into consideration when making reservations.
How many sea turtles will I get to see nest?
One. All participants, we hope, will be able to witness one nesting loggerhead sea turtle.
Do I need to bring anything?
We recommend bringing bug spray (apply at beach, as needed) and water. Flashlights are strictly prohibited.
What if it rains or there is lighting?
Walks will continue, rain or shine. However, walks will be canceled in the event of lightning within close proximity.
Will restrooms be available at the beach?
Yes, restrooms should be available, as well as drinking fountains. However, the Hobe Sound Public Beach determines closing times, with facilities ideally open during the activity and closed thereafter, though this can vary.
Sea Turtle Nesting
What happens during Loggerhead sea turtle nesting season?
From February - October, female sea turtles return to land to lay eggs, typically at night. The female crawls out of the ocean and carefully chooses a spot to nest. She constructs a "body pit" by digging with her flippers and rotating her body side to side. She will then dig an egg chamber and lay her eggs; the average clutch size ranges from 80 to 120 eggs. When she is finished nesting, she will cover the eggs and return to the ocean. She may return in 2-4 weeks to lay another clutch of eggs during the nesting season.
