Overview: Two things before you visit Okeeheelee Nature Preserve: make sure you're wearing a good pair of walking shoes, and pick up a map of the grounds, online or at the entrance to the nature center building. Okeeheelee has 2.5 miles of paved and unpaved trails that twist around its 90 acres of pine flatwoods and wetlands, making both the shoes and the map essential to maximize a visit.
The nature center building is open limited hours during the week (check the website for times), but the trails are accessible sunrise to sundown every day. There is a large parking lot, and a wildlife enclosure.
History: Palm Beach County bought the land that would become the nature preserve in 1973. At the time, only 10 acres of the 90 acres total were in a natural state. After reclamation and restoration, Okeeheelee Park opened in 1993.
What You'll See: Okeeheelee Nature Preserve is mostly pine flatwoods, with the East Marsh and pond toward the west. The flatwoods are a mix of slash pines and cabbage, or sabal, palms, with understory plants that include saw palmetto, wild coffee and inkberry. We've seen a mix of birds, including sandhill cranes, red-bellied woodpeckers, bluejays and great blue herons. You might encounter a gopher tortoise, like the one shown above, and you might spot white-tailed deer in an enclosure. The marsh and the pond are great places to look for wildfloweers as well as wildlife.
One thing that becomes evident quickly is the extent to which a wildfire that occurred in 1990 has affected the area. There are trails named after the burn; prescribed burns occur regularly to maintain the health of the various habitats.
Amenities: Okeeheelee offers plenty of parking, a nature center with exhibits, gift shop, restrooms and drinking water, a butterfly garden, an enclosure with wild deer, plus 2.5 miles of natural surface hiking trails. There are observation platforms, bird blinds on the east marsh, benches, interpretive signs along the trails and an outdoor classroom.
Nearby: Proably the closest preserve would be the Apoxee Trail on North Jog Road, a mile north of Okeechobee Boulevard. We're guessing Royal Palm Beach Pines Natural Area is maybe a 20-minute drive away, Acreage Pines Natural Area a little farther.
Links: The Institute for Regional Conservation's plant inventory for Okeeheelee Nature Cener is here. It is not listed on the Great Florida Birding Trail.
Of Note: Admission is free to both the grounds and the nature center. Okeeheelee Nature Preserve is open sunrise to sunset every day of the year. Check the website for days and hours of the nature center.
Cover Photo: A gopher tortoise roaming a grassy area near the nature center.
History: Palm Beach County bought the land that would become the nature preserve in 1973. At the time, only 10 acres of the 90 acres total were in a natural state. After reclamation and restoration, Okeeheelee Park opened in 1993.
What You'll See: Okeeheelee Nature Preserve is mostly pine flatwoods, with the East Marsh and pond toward the west. The flatwoods are a mix of slash pines and cabbage, or sabal, palms, with understory plants that include saw palmetto, wild coffee and inkberry. We've seen a mix of birds, including sandhill cranes, red-bellied woodpeckers, bluejays and great blue herons. You might encounter a gopher tortoise, like the one shown above, and you might spot white-tailed deer in an enclosure. The marsh and the pond are great places to look for wildfloweers as well as wildlife.
One thing that becomes evident quickly is the extent to which a wildfire that occurred in 1990 has affected the area. There are trails named after the burn; prescribed burns occur regularly to maintain the health of the various habitats.
Amenities: Okeeheelee offers plenty of parking, a nature center with exhibits, gift shop, restrooms and drinking water, a butterfly garden, an enclosure with wild deer, plus 2.5 miles of natural surface hiking trails. There are observation platforms, bird blinds on the east marsh, benches, interpretive signs along the trails and an outdoor classroom.
Nearby: Proably the closest preserve would be the Apoxee Trail on North Jog Road, a mile north of Okeechobee Boulevard. We're guessing Royal Palm Beach Pines Natural Area is maybe a 20-minute drive away, Acreage Pines Natural Area a little farther.
Links: The Institute for Regional Conservation's plant inventory for Okeeheelee Nature Cener is here. It is not listed on the Great Florida Birding Trail.
Of Note: Admission is free to both the grounds and the nature center. Okeeheelee Nature Preserve is open sunrise to sunset every day of the year. Check the website for days and hours of the nature center.
Cover Photo: A gopher tortoise roaming a grassy area near the nature center.
