Palmetto Trailhead Park is located on land owned by the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County…read more(SWA). There are two trailheads you can hike from. I previously took the hike from the northern entrance, which begins at the SWA Administration parking lot. Today's hike started from the southern trailhead, located off the southwest corner of N. Jog Road just before 45th Street.
In 1986, the SWA discovered endangered snail kites nesting on land that had been planned for a future landfill. Because the birds are federally protected, the agency was required to preserve approximately 300 acres of nesting habitat. This protected area also provides important habitat for other native wading birds, including the threatened wood stork. Wildlife that has been spotted here includes bald eagles, little blue herons, tricolored herons, great egrets, great blue herons, roseate spoonbills, sandhill cranes, red-shouldered hawks, pileated woodpeckers, deer, otters, alligators, and bobcats. The SWA has also partnered with universities to study the birds and their habitat.
The trails opened to the public in 2008. The SWA Greenway Trail System includes five miles of the Ocean to Lake Trail, which also passes through Grassy Waters Preserve and Apoxee Park. In total, the Ocean to Lake Trail stretches 61 miles through natural areas from the Atlantic Ocean to Lake Okeechobee. The SWA Greenway Trail is also part of the East Coast Greenway, a long-distance trail network that allows hikers and cyclists to travel through natural areas from Biscayne National Park to the St. Croix River in Maine.
The trails pass through several classic Florida ecosystems, including pine flatwoods, wet prairies, marshes, cypress swamps, and cabbage palm hammocks. They are clearly marked, with maps and interpretive signs at every trail junction.
I hiked from the parking lot to the Owahee Trail, which follows the edge of the wetlands and protects one of the last remaining sections of the northern Everglades. Along the way, there were beautiful views of marshes, wet prairies, and cypress wetlands. This is usually an excellent place to spot alligators but I didn't see any today. I definitely heard them though. I did see a turtle, several fish, and plenty of ibis. I also saw a family of sandhill cranes, two adults and a juvenile at the entrance to the park.
The trails are open seven days a week from sunrise to sunset. I'll definitely be back in the fall when the weather is cooler, and hopefully I'll spot a few gators when I return.