US-3635
Madira Bickel Mound State Historic Site
Florida's first designated State Archaeological Site — a 10-acre coastal preserve on Terra Ceia Island near Palmetto, protecting a flat-topped ceremonial mound of sand, shell and village debris measuring 100 by 170 feet at the base and standing 20 feet tall. Excavation has established 2,000 years of occupation across the Manasota, Weedon Island and Safety Harbor periods.
At a glance
- Entry
- Free
- Hours
- See park page →
- Operating position
- See park page →
- Tables
- Yes
- Shade
- See park page →
- Restrooms
- None
- Water
- Bring your own
- Grid
- EL87qn
More about this park
Official park page Florida State Parks → Trail maps, closures, facilities and current alerts, kept current by the agency. Activation history POTA.app — US-3635 → Every activation, activator and hunter log for this park. This guide covers conditions on the ground, not the logbook.Getting in
Parking
Short drive from the Tampa Bay area. Small site — you can walk the whole thing in a few minutes. Setup took 10 minutes from arrival.Access
Florida State Archaeological Site. A walkway runs under Spanish moss trees and sabal palms to the base of the mound, with interpretive signs along the path.Setting up
Where to operate
Picnic tables provided a solid operating position with room nearby for a full eight-radial field.Antennas
A JPC-12 vertical with all eight radials. Everything came up clean with no technical issues. No SWR figure recorded.Before you go
Park rules
This is a protected archaeological site. Nothing in the report suggested any restriction on operating, but treat ground disturbance — stakes, radials near the mound — with more care than you would at an ordinary park.My activation reports from here
One write-up so far.