Overview: The emphasis at Peaceful Waters is on things wet — aquatic plants, wading birds and other animals that require the presence of water for their livelihood. It is small, only about 30 acres but it makes the most of those 30 acres with a short boardwalk (1,500 feet) that connects a series of trails that meander through a series of impoundments. No part of Peaceful Waters seems remote or inaccessible. You just have to walk a bit to find the right view.
This is the kind of place where you bring friends and family visiting from the north so they can see a bit of the real Florida. It is nature, so you can't guarantee what you'll see but you will almost certainly see something cool. And for our money, it's one of the best birding places in Palm Beach County.
Peaceful Waters sits within Wellington's Village Park. Once inside the park, signs point to the sanctuary. Parking is plentiful but at a slight distance from the sanctuary entrance. Check out the retaining pond near the preserve entrance for cormorants and other birds. There are retention ponds that are part of a water treatment plant just north of Peaceful Waters where ducks and a few waders gather. It's screened off by hedges, but there are a few vantage points where birds can be seen.
History: Peaceful Waters dates back to 2006 when Wellington official took 30 acres of water utility property and created a series percolation ponds. Not ordinary percolation ponds, mind you, but percolation ponds with an added purpose of mimicking a typical Florida wetland and a sanctuary for the creatures who live there. The preserve opened in 2008.
What You'll See: Wading birds — herons, egrets, white and glossy ibis — are plentiful. Cormorants, hawks are present, and in winter so are a variety of ducks, including hooded mergansers, wood ducks and northern shovelers. We 've also seen a few passerine birds, including blue jays and warblers. The trails are an easy walk, the boardwalk offers interpretive signs. Note: we understand that there are no alligators within the sanctuary, but that can change without notice. A bit of caution should be used when walking the trails and approaching water. This is Florida, after all.
Amenities: There is plenty of parking in various lots but at some distance from the preserve itself. There are restrooms, drinking water and vending machines at the lot closest to the preserve.
Nearby: Wellington Environmental Preserve is to the west; to the south about 15 minutes away is the main entrance to Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge.
Links: Neither the Great Florida Birding Trail nor the Institute for Regional Conservation has data for Peaceful Waters Sanctuary.
Of Note: Admission to the preserve is free. The Village Athletic Complex is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Cover Photo: A river otter sticks head ever so briefly over the rim of the levee bordering one of the ponds. Otters don't tend to stay around very long, and in my haste to get this shot, i slipped and my camera nearly took a bath. Second photo: Roseate spoonbills foraging in the shallow waters of the sanctuary. Spoonbills are among the most spectacular of South Florida's avian assortment.
This is the kind of place where you bring friends and family visiting from the north so they can see a bit of the real Florida. It is nature, so you can't guarantee what you'll see but you will almost certainly see something cool. And for our money, it's one of the best birding places in Palm Beach County.
Peaceful Waters sits within Wellington's Village Park. Once inside the park, signs point to the sanctuary. Parking is plentiful but at a slight distance from the sanctuary entrance. Check out the retaining pond near the preserve entrance for cormorants and other birds. There are retention ponds that are part of a water treatment plant just north of Peaceful Waters where ducks and a few waders gather. It's screened off by hedges, but there are a few vantage points where birds can be seen.
History: Peaceful Waters dates back to 2006 when Wellington official took 30 acres of water utility property and created a series percolation ponds. Not ordinary percolation ponds, mind you, but percolation ponds with an added purpose of mimicking a typical Florida wetland and a sanctuary for the creatures who live there. The preserve opened in 2008.
What You'll See: Wading birds — herons, egrets, white and glossy ibis — are plentiful. Cormorants, hawks are present, and in winter so are a variety of ducks, including hooded mergansers, wood ducks and northern shovelers. We 've also seen a few passerine birds, including blue jays and warblers. The trails are an easy walk, the boardwalk offers interpretive signs. Note: we understand that there are no alligators within the sanctuary, but that can change without notice. A bit of caution should be used when walking the trails and approaching water. This is Florida, after all.
Amenities: There is plenty of parking in various lots but at some distance from the preserve itself. There are restrooms, drinking water and vending machines at the lot closest to the preserve.
Nearby: Wellington Environmental Preserve is to the west; to the south about 15 minutes away is the main entrance to Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge.
Links: Neither the Great Florida Birding Trail nor the Institute for Regional Conservation has data for Peaceful Waters Sanctuary.
Of Note: Admission to the preserve is free. The Village Athletic Complex is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Cover Photo: A river otter sticks head ever so briefly over the rim of the levee bordering one of the ponds. Otters don't tend to stay around very long, and in my haste to get this shot, i slipped and my camera nearly took a bath. Second photo: Roseate spoonbills foraging in the shallow waters of the sanctuary. Spoonbills are among the most spectacular of South Florida's avian assortment.
