Plantation Preserve Linear Trail

Plantation, Broward County


turtles
7050 West Broward Boulevard
Plantation

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There are by our count, 9 bizillion golf courses in South Florida. Plantation Preserve might be the only one built with a nature trail that runs through it. The linear trail is 1.1 miles long, hard-surfaced and bordered by ponds, canals and wetlands for pretty much its entire length, with the links not far beyond. The golf course is a vital piece of Plantation city history, dating back to 1950 and attempts to convince the Broward County Commission to extend Broward Boulevard, the city's main drag, farther west. The course also occupies a significant archeological site.

History:When Plantation took over the property in 2001, officials wanted to redevelop the golf course in a way that made it useful to more than local hackers, and they wanted to do it in a way that recalled the land's past as part of the Everglades. Thus, the linear trail was born. Parts of it are manicured landscape, parts of it a bit more wild, particularly the wet habitats.

What You'll See: The trail is lined with live oaks, cypress, cabbage palms, wax myrtle, pickerel weed, cocoplum, fire bush, muhlberry, geiger, spider lilly and more. All that attracts lots of birds, including great egrets, limpkins, great blue herons, warblers, cardinals, jays, thrashers, mockingbirds and more.

Amenities: The trail is 1.1 miles long and hard surfaced, wide enough to comfortably accomodate pedestrians, joggers, bikers and rollerbladers, while wheelchair accessible. There are plenty of interpretive signs and markers identifying plants. There are also plenty of places to sit for a bit and enjoy the scenery. There is plenty of parking in the golf course and club lot. Two notes: There are two trailheads, the main entrance off West Broward and a second off Tropical Way. The trail is linear, meaning the farther along the trail you walk, the farther you have to walk back. Out and back the length of the trail is 2.2 miles.

Nearby: This is section of Broward County is not particularly rich nature sites. To the southwest several miles lies Tree Tops Park and Pine Island Natural Area, while Secret Woods Natural Area lies to the southeast.

Cover Photo: We spotted this pair of peninsular cooters a short distance into our hike along the Plantation Preserve Linear Trail. In a way, they capture what the designers intended the trail to be, representing its wild side for both golfer and nature lover. The pond is both water hazard and habitat.

Click on the photos below for full-sized images and detailed descriptions.

  • The Trail
    the trail
  • A Marsh
    marsh
  • Water Hazard, Water Habitat
    pond
  • A Cypress Dome
    cypress dome
Getting There ...
Plantation Preserve Linear Trail sits along the south side of Broward Boulevard west of Florida's Turnpike. The easiest way to get there is via Broward. Enter and park at the city-owned Plantation Preserve Golf Course and Club.

Photo Gallery for Plantation Preserve Linear Trail

Click on the photograph to see an enlarged image. Click on the name to read more about the species.



Published by Wild South Florida, PO Box 7241, Delray Beach, FL 33482.
Photographs by David Sedore. Photographs are property of the publishers and may not be used without permission.