On the last Saturday of each October, Friends’ sponsors the Gopher Weedon Trail Run, an 8 kilometers (4.9 miles) professionally timed run. Held on the Preserve’s trails and boardwalks, the run flows through mangroves, salt marsh and Florida scrub habitat. Often the participants will see wildlife along the trail, including egrets, herons, roseate spoonbills, and the slow-moving gopher tortoise (a threatened species for which the race was named). Indian mounds and dune ridges make the trail especially unique.
After the race, refreshments, and awards ceremony and lunch complete the event. Before leaving, a visit to the Center’s exhibit hall and 1,000+ year old canoe completes the morning event.
Register for the Gopher Weedon Trail Run!
Each year the race caps out at 200 participants, the maximum number to not disturb the habitat. Early registration is a must! Click on the registration link above for details on this year’s race and registration.
Closing Out the Year
December's Annual Meeting of Friends of Weedon Island celebrated the year's success with a super spread of goodies, approval of updated bylaws, election of officers, and a raffle of artwork by Friends' artist Kelly Quinn. [...]
Gopher Weedon Trail Run Registration is Open!
The 8th Annual Gopher Weedon Run is October 27 and REGISTRATION is now open: https://www.active.com/st-petersburg-fl/running/distance-running-races/gopher-weedon-2018. If you're tired of pounding the pavement on the same ole 5K race course, Gopher Weedon offers you the opportunity to enjoy 8 [...]
Gopher Weedon Makes An Entrance!
At a December 7th evening event, the Friends of Weedon Island unveiled a bronze sculpture of Gopher Weedon for display in the Preserve Center's lobby. The sculpture honors the federally endangered gopher tortoise that is frequently [...]