MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — In Martin County, some of the most breathtaking roads come with a natural roof overhead.
Towering banyans, sprawling live oaks and tropical greenery create the county’s famous tree tunnels — shaded corridors that have become symbols of Old Florida charm and attractions for visitors year-round.
“If you visit Martin County, you may want to take a drive through Stuart’s famous tree tunnel,” said Marc Aveni, deputy director of Public Works for Martin County. “It’s unique.”
“Oh, it’s wonderful,” Aveni added. “There’s nothing like it in the entire county. Maybe the entire state.”
The best-known canopy stretches are along SE St. Lucie Boulevard in Stuart, where massive banyan trees arch over the roadway for about a quarter mile.
“The roots are growing down from the top of the trunk,” said Martin County horticulturist Samantha Smith. “They reach the earth and then they harden off to create the actual centralized trunk structure.”
Smith said the banyans are likely around 150 years old and are not native to Florida.
She said that as the aerial roots expand and harden into new trunks, the trees slowly shift their growth pattern over time.
“There are 47 individual trees,” Smith said. “But each of the trees has started to walk in a horizontal direction.”
The twisting branches and hanging roots create a whimsical, almost storybook-like setting that draws photographers and curious visitors alike.
“Just one of our favorite trees,” said Steve Moorhouse, who was visiting from Clermont. “Wherever we go in South Florida — not too many of them in Central Florida.”
There are two ways to experience the Stuart banyan tree tunnel: You can walk along the sidewalk or drive in a vehicle.
Another famous tunnel can be found along South Beach Road near Jupiter Island and Hobe Sound.
The Hobe Sound banyan tunnel features another dramatic canopy of sprawling banyan trees draped over the road.
“People come from all over the state to take a look at this and drive up and down — the motorcycles, convertibles — and just enjoy this piece of Martin County,” said Martin County arborist Todd Warren.
And if two tree tunnels are not enough, Martin County has a third scenic canopy known as the 12-Mile Tree Tunnel along Martin Highway/County Road 714, also known locally as the Martin Grade Scenic Highway.
Unlike the banyan tunnels, this roadway is made up of native Florida vegetation.
“That is an Oak scenic highway,” Smith said. “So, there’s lots of cabbage palms and oaks, heritage oaks that sort of create this beautiful archway out there.”
The scenic drive features dense native hardwoods, live oaks and coastal plants that stretch for miles beneath a shaded canopy that many describe as a glimpse into Florida’s past.
Whether it’s the twisting banyans of Stuart, the coastal canopy of Hobe Sound or the miles-long oak corridor inland, Martin County’s tree tunnels continue turning ordinary drives into unforgettable journeys.