Johnson Preserve

The Floyd C. Johnson and Flo Singer Johnson Preserve at Braden River is home to 44 acres of old Florida. The preserve is a story of community action and partnership - thanks to Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, Friends of Keep Woods, and numerous residents who worked with Manatee County to protect the landscape.

Location

9906 Clubhouse Dr,
Bradenton, FL 34202
Map

Hours

Johnson Preserve is open daily 365 days a year from sunrise to sunset. Trespassing after hours outside of programs and special events is prohibited and vehicles left unattended will be towed at owner's expense.

Things to Do

A Wild Florida Landscape

Winding paths lead through the longleaf pine flatwoods, flanked by palmettos, wiregrasses, and wildflowers. As the trail nears the river, pines give way to the oak hammock – filled with live oaks, air plants, and orchids. At the water’s edge, ferns carpet the ground as hickories and tupelos tower overhead.

The Braden River

The Braden River is a “blackwater river”, where the water is stained tea-colored from the tannins in the forest leaves. The river meanders from eastern Manatee County, flowing downriver to Ward Lake (also known as Evers Reservoir) and Jiggs Landing. The reservoir provides drinking water to the City of Bradenton. Traveling past the small dam on the reservoir, the river turns north and mixes with saltwater, turning brackish. Here mangroves grow along the edges as the river widens, emptying into the Manatee River, near State Road 64.