Living in Florida's Space Coast
River Grove Trail
River Grove Trail sits about three and a half miles south of State Road 520 on South Tropical Trail, built out between 2001 and 2003 on lots averaging four tenths of an acre. Every home that has changed hands here has an in ground pool. Dues are $425 a year and buy two docks with gazebos, one on the Indian River and one on a community lake.
River Grove Trail In Merritt Island, Florida
The entrance is a street called The Trails At Hidden Harbor, which comes off South Tropical Trail and immediately branches. Long Sandy Circle carries most of the addresses and loops back on itself. Spanish Cay Drive picks up the rest. Nothing here connects through to another subdivision, and the interior lanes bend around the community's lakes rather than running straight, so the only traffic on your street is people who live on it.
This was a compact early 2000s build, 2001 to 2003, and the plans are more interesting than the era usually delivers. Courtyard layouts show up repeatedly, with the pool set in the middle of the house and multiple rooms opening onto it. Living area runs 1,968 to 3,396 square feet, typically about 2,491, in four bedroom and three bath configurations. One and two story homes are split roughly evenly. Three car garages are the norm and lots run 0.34 to 0.48 of an acre.
Every single home has an in ground pool, which is not a figure of speech, it is the actual rate. Nearly half are screened. Beyond your own back yard, the association maintains two docks with gazebos, one on the Indian River and one on one of the community's larger lakes. Three of the last eleven homes to trade carried water frontage of their own. The rest look at trees, lakes or their own courtyard.
River Grove on the Trail collects $425 a year from every parcel and that figure has been consistent, which is rarer than it should be. The money covers grounds maintenance, the park area and the two docks. There is no gate, no clubhouse and no age restriction. On utilities, most homes run septic with public water, and a few carry irrigation wells, so budget for a septic inspection and ask whether the well serves anything besides the sprinklers.
Pricing has run $556,000 to $775,000 with the middle at $645,000 and about $260 a square foot. Time to contract has been around 23 days, and sellers have settled near 97 percent of their original asking price, so this is a firm market with a short window. County tax bills range from roughly $3,429 to $6,066, with the middle near $5,031. Storm shutters are already installed on most homes here, which is worth noting on your insurance quote.
River Grove Trail At A Glance
River Grove Trail at a glance, from the courtyard pools to the two community docks.
| Detail | What you get |
|---|---|
| Location | South Merritt Island, about 3.5 miles south of State Road 520 off South Tropical Trail |
| Built | 2001 to 2003, essentially a single build cycle |
| Home size | 1,968 to 3,396 square feet, about 2,491 typical |
| Bedrooms | 3 to 5, most commonly 4 |
| Bathrooms | 2 to 4, typically 3 |
| Lot size | 0.34 to 0.48 acre, about 0.40 typical |
| Construction | Concrete block, stucco and poured concrete, shingle and tile roofs |
| Levels | An even mix of one story and two story homes |
| Pools | In ground pools on every home, roughly half screened, many in courtyard configurations |
| Association | River Grove on the Trail, mandatory, $425 a year on every parcel |
| Association amenities | Two docks with gazebos, one on the Indian River and one on a community lake, plus a park and grounds maintenance |
| Water frontage | A minority of homes carry their own frontage, most on the community lakes |
| Garage | 2 to 3 bays, 3 typical |
| Utilities | Public water on most homes, septic tanks common, a few irrigation wells |
| Storm protection | Storm shutters already fitted on most homes |
| Streets | The Trails At Hidden Harbor, Long Sandy Circle, Spanish Cay Drive |
| Gated | No, and no age restriction |
| Price range | $556,000 to $775,000, around $260 per square foot |
River Grove Trail Details
Two Docks For $425 A Year
The association keeps one dock with a gazebo on the Indian River and a second on one of the community lakes. For an annual figure most island subdivisions spend on an entrance sign, you get real river access without owning waterfront, which changes the math on what you need to buy.
Courtyard Pools
Several of these homes were built with the pool in the middle of the floor plan and rooms opening onto it from three sides. It is a design you rarely see in Brevard outside of custom work, and it makes the pool part of daily life rather than something you visit on weekends.
Four Tenths Of An Acre
Lots run 0.34 to 0.48 of an acre, which is generous for an early 2000s build and roughly double what the production subdivisions in central Merritt Island platted in the same decade. There is space between houses, and the tree cover has had twenty five years to fill in.
Three Car Garages As Standard
The typical home here has three bays. On an island where boat trailers, golf carts and a second work vehicle are normal, that third bay is the difference between a tidy driveway and a permanent parking problem.
Storm Shutters Already Installed
Most homes came with or have added storm shutters, and several carry impact rated glass. Bring your protection documentation to your insurance quote, because opening protection is one of the few line items that reliably moves a Florida wind premium.
A Single Build Cycle
Everything went up between 2001 and 2003, so the roofs, systems and code standards are within a couple of years of each other. That makes value predictable and appraisals straightforward, and it means the whole neighborhood tends to hit maintenance milestones at about the same time.
Homes For Sale In River Grove Trail
Current availability in River Grove Trail. Homes here are few and turn over slowly given the size of the plat, so it is worth setting up an alert rather than checking in occasionally.
River Grove Trail Frequently Asked Questions
What are the HOA dues in River Grove Trail?
$425 a year, charged to every parcel, paid to River Grove on the Trail. That covers grounds maintenance, the park and the two community docks. There is no clubhouse, no pool complex and no gate to fund, which is why the number has stayed where it is.
Is there boat access from the neighborhood?
Yes, through the association. There is a dock with a gazebo on the Indian River and a second dock on one of the community's lakes. A small number of homes carry their own frontage. For anything larger than a day boat, look carefully at draft and at where you would keep it.
Does every home really have a pool?
Every home that has changed hands here has had an in ground pool, and about half are screened. Several are courtyard style, set into the middle of the floor plan. Have the pool surface, equipment and any screen enclosure evaluated separately from the home inspection.
Is the neighborhood on septic or sewer?
Most homes are on septic tanks with public water. A few properties also have wells, generally for irrigation. Get the septic system inspected and pumped as part of your due diligence, and confirm what any well on the property actually serves.
Is River Grove Trail gated?
No. The entrance from South Tropical Trail is open. What keeps it quiet is that no street inside connects to anything else, so there is no through traffic, and the lanes curve around the lakes rather than running straight.
What do homes cost here?
Between roughly $556,000 and $775,000, with the middle at $645,000 and about $260 a square foot. Time to contract runs around 23 days and sellers have been settling near 97 percent of their original asking price, so plan on a fairly firm negotiation.
What are property taxes?
County bills have run about $3,429 to $6,066 with the middle near $5,031. Because a sale resets the assessed value, a buyer today should expect the higher end of that band rather than whatever the current owner is paying.
How far is it to the causeways?
State Road 520 is about three and a half miles north for Cocoa Beach, Cocoa and Interstate 95. The Pineda Causeway is a short run south and connects to Suntree, Viera and Melbourne. Both are useful, which is part of why this end of South Tropical Trail holds value.
The Trails At Hidden Harbor, Merritt Island 32952
River Grove Trail is in the 32952 ZIP code on South Merritt Island, roughly three and a half miles south of State Road 520 along South Tropical Trail. The turn is The Trails At Hidden Harbor, on the east side of the road if you are heading south. From there, Long Sandy Circle takes the first and second lefts and Spanish Cay Drive branches at the water. The Indian River is a short walk west of the plat, which is where the community dock sits.
This is a middle position on the island, which is the point. State Road 520 is a few minutes north for Cocoa Beach, the mainland and Interstate 95, and the Pineda Causeway is a similar run south toward Suntree, Viera and Melbourne. Port Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center are a longer haul up Courtenay Parkway to State Road 528, and Orlando International Airport is about an hour and fifteen from the driveway.
Near River Grove Trail In Merritt Island
Considering River Grove Trail?
There are not many homes in here, so when one becomes available the people who already know the neighborhood move first. My partner Nichole and I can get you on Long Sandy Circle to see the layout, walk you down to both docks, and tell you honestly how the courtyard plans live day to day. Call or text (321) 212-7676 and we will set it up.
