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    Seacrest Scrub Natural Area

    4.3 (12 reviews)

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    Ariel W.

    This a 54 acre preserve that protects the rare scrub habitat which formed on top of sand dunes when the sea level fell. There aren't very many of these communities left because since they were on high land and dry they were the first to be used for commercial development. There is less than 2 percent of the original scrub habitat left in Palm Beach. I came to explore the area because it is listed as a site on the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail which is a network of 510 place to view wildlife across the state. Seacrest has a parking lot, bicycle rack, and an educational board. There is a gate to the trails that has a sign urging you to keep it closed to protect the gopher tortoises in the preserve from getting out. There are two trails, a paved nature trail that is .18 miles and a natural earth hiking trail that is 1.15 miles. The hiking trail is where you would need to go to see wildlife. Seacrest is home to several protected plants and animals such as the gopher tortoise. I was lucky enough to see one at the end of my hike. I also saw a cardinal in a tree. Some of the plants I saw were American Beautyberry, slash pines with their pine cones which were used by settlers for lumber, sand pines, and pokeweed which has purple and black berries that feed wildlife but are poisonous to humans. Seacrest is home to hundreds of species of plants and animals. Some mammals you might see include the Gray Fox, armadillos, Gray Squirrels, and raccoons. Unfortunately the natural area is also home to Golden Orb Spiders also known as Banana Spiders. I have never seen so many in one place. They were everywhere in the trees. If you have arachnophobia stay far away from here. Except for the spiders I enjoyed my hike here. Since the scrub pine is on top of dunes there was an incline on part of the hike. I will be back to explore more of the area when the weather cools down. Kudos to Palm Beach for saving and protecting this ecologically important area.

    Gopher tortoise
    Lidia K.

    This natural area is practically entirely dedicated to Gopher Tortoises! The location has its own small parking lot (free parking), and right as you enter the park there is a small gate to keep the tortoises from wandering out near the road. The property is fully fenced in and also very large with a few different trail loops that you can walk in with gopher tortoise dens directly next to the main path. It's very dry (perfect for the tortoises, but maybe not the people!) and doesn't have a stream or pond, but it is shaded throughout the location, so that's a plus! I really enjoyed my visit and being able to see so many tortoises who weren't shy of having their photos taken!

    Luani S. D.

    This is gorgeous! It has lots of shade. Can get pretty hot out there though so bring cold water! Came around 11am didn't see any tortoises but it was 90 degrees and pretty hot out, someone told us to come later on in the day to see the tortoises. There are several paths so don't listen when other people say it's 1 small path. It's a pretty big space and there is even a large loop on the perimeter to walk, but no shade and all sun. I highly recommend going here! Very beautiful, lots of cactus to view. Watch out for dog poop though, it's in the walk space in some of the areas.

    Billy W.

    Sooo I am really interested in these public habitats that South Florida has to offer. I appreciate nature walks and breathing in that quiet air. I live within a bike ride of Seacrest Scrub and I noticed that it doesn't seem to get much traffic, if any. I thought, perhaps, that it was closed to the public for whatever reason. Turns out it is totally open, it's just overrun with spiders. Just overrun my friends - with huge & intimidating spiders. o_0 When I got home I put on my safari outfit to appropriately set the mood in order to do a little research at floridabackyardspiders.com (which is a nifty little website by the way). It appears this natural area is infested with spiders of the Family Araneidae and Tetragnathidae a.k.a. orbweaver spiders a.k.a. banana spiders. The insects do appear to be harmless - but this is a potential nightmare for anyone with arachnophobia. It's also very difficult to walk the paths because of the spiders' webs. No thanks!

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    6 years ago

    Small 1 mile path but beautiful scrub pine trees. We saw pair of kestrels hunting as well.

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    Review Highlights - Seacrest Scrub Natural Area

    Seacrest is home to several protected plants and animals such as the gopher tortoise.

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    Wakodahatchee Wetlands - Tri colored heron with the blue eggs

    Wakodahatchee Wetlands

    4.8(332 reviews)
    5.0 mi

    This place is such a hidden gem in Delray Beach! Wakodahatchee Wetlands is packed with wildlife,…read moreand the boardwalk trail makes it easy to soak it all in without disturbing the natural habitat. On my recent visit, there were so many wood storks nesting!! I spotted babies peeking out of nests, along with adults perched on eggs. It felt like stepping into a real-life nature documentary. Beyond the storks, I also saw a marsh rabbit, anhingas, several types of ducks, and even a Great Blue Heron just casually doing its thing. What makes this spot even cooler is that the wetlands are man-made, but they've become a thriving ecosystem--proof that nature finds a way when given the chance. It's free to visit, and there's plenty of parking. Even when it looks full, just be patient--spots open up quickly with people coming and going. The full loop is about ¾ of a mile, with a few covered seating areas along the way if you want to pause and take it all in. Definitely wear a hat, bring water, and don't forget your camera--you'll want it. If you live in or are visiting Palm Beach County, this is 100% worth checking out. Peaceful, scenic, and full of surprises!

    Beautiful park. It's about 4000 steps to walk around. Two plus around and you can get your daily…read morenumber ! While we didn't see any alligators, we did see beautiful iguanas, birds and vegetation! Very well kept park. Many benches and stops for shade if needed. PS it's free! I'm sure a donation would be welcomed https://www.wildsouthflorida.com/wakodahatchee.wetlands.html

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    Wakodahatchee Wetlands - Wood stork

    Wood stork

    Wakodahatchee Wetlands - Great Blue Heron at Wakodahatchee Boardwalk

    Great Blue Heron at Wakodahatchee Boardwalk

    Wakodahatchee Wetlands - Blue eggs

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    Blue eggs

    Green Cay Wetlands - Green iguana

    Green Cay Wetlands

    4.7(187 reviews)
    5.9 mi

    This place is an absolute gem in Palm Beach County -- a stunning 1.5-mile boardwalk winding through…read more100 acres of constructed wetlands, and every step of the way there is something to take in. Informational plaques are posted throughout, making it easy to learn about the native trees and bird species you encounter along the walk. The boardwalk is also stroller and wheelchair friendly, so it truly is a place for everyone! Come prepared: hat, sunscreen, and binoculars are a must, and don't forget your walking shoes. If you live nearby and love the outdoors, this is also the perfect spot to get your steps in while soaking up nature and staying active -- a workout that doesn't feel like one! My husband and I originally planned a quick visit and ended up staying for nearly three hours -- this place has a way of pulling you in. We chose to walk the boardwalk first and save the nature center for last, but if you're visiting from out of area or just want more context before you explore, I'd recommend flipping that order. The nature center is packed with information about the wetlands ecosystem, the wildlife that calls it home, and the fascinating history of the site itself -- none of which I knew before visiting. Grab a map before you head out! On our walk, we spotted an alligator gliding through the pond, turtles, and an impressive variety of bird species. The sounds were incredibly peaceful, and the stretches of shaded tree hammocks offered the perfect reprieve from the sun. We came across Gumbo Limbo trees, sabal palms, and strangler figs among other beautiful native species. It was truly a magical experience, and I cannot wait to come back!

    An absolutely stunning experience that takes you on a boardwalk journey across the marshes of south…read moreFlorida. If you are a wildlife person you'll be thrilled with the abundance and biological diversity this park has to showcase. Alligators, dozens of bird species, and tons of subtropical plant species abound. Both kids and adults of all ages will find plenty of wonder in this little slice of nature heaven.

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    Green Cay Wetlands
    Green Cay Wetlands
    Green Cay Wetlands - Cypress knees

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    Cypress knees

    The Thomas A. McGillicuddy Eco-Park at Quantum  Corporate Park - Gopher tortoise in his burrow

    The Thomas A. McGillicuddy Eco-Park at Quantum Corporate Park

    5.0(2 reviews)
    4.0 mi

    Great place to visit. Plan your hike and go.. Authentic…read morenatural habitat for gopher turtles and furry woodland creatures .

    Eco Park is a nature preserve in the 550 acre Quantum Corporate Park. In 2020 it was the largest…read moreundeveloped tract left in the city. It was purchased with the goal of transforming it into a residential, retail, entertainment, and industrial complex. The park is named in honor of long time Boynton Beach real estate breaker Thomas Albert McGillicuddy (1936-2019). The 60 acre Eco Park was created in 1988 when Quantum Park Plat #3 was filed with the County. 23 acres were designated as an active park and the rest off the park is a natural upland pine flatland preserve. The park has a large parking lot and natural earth trails that a run a mile and half throughout the park. During my visit I first took the trail along the water where I saw common moorhens swimming. The trail then curved back into the pineland preserve where I saw threatened gopher tortoises. Gopher tortoises have been hunted for meat, run over by vehicles, and sold as pets but the greatest blow to their population has been the destruction of their habitat. It was so nice to see them safely protected in the park. I really enjoyed my hike here today. The city has asked residents for ideas on what amenities they would like added to the park. Hopefully kayak launches, picnic pavilions, restrooms, paved trails and a boardwalk will be added to increase the recreational use of the park.

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    The Thomas A. McGillicuddy Eco-Park at Quantum  Corporate Park
    The Thomas A. McGillicuddy Eco-Park at Quantum  Corporate Park
    The Thomas A. McGillicuddy Eco-Park at Quantum  Corporate Park

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    Walking Path At Southern Region Water Reclamation Facility

    Walking Path At Southern Region Water Reclamation Facility

    3.8(4 reviews)
    6.1 mi

    I have been to Green Cay across the street many times through the years but today I was curious…read moreabout this area across the street. It turns out it is also part of the wetlands that make up Green Cay. I often see birds flying across the road between the two areas. These 100 acre Wetlands along with Wakodahatchee were created by the Southern Region Water Reclamation which allows them the ability to recycle two to three million gallons per day of the highly treated wastewater. This acts to conserve fresh water resources while providing refuge to wildlife and a place for people to exercise and enjoy nature. In this area there is a small parking lot and a paved mile long walking path with benches that takes you around a lake. It took me about 15 minutes to do the loop. It is not as scenic as Green Cay where instead of going around the water they have built boardwalks that take you over the water and up close to nature. There are also many more birds at Green Cay along with alligators, snakes, racoons, bob cats, marsh rabbits and turtle. While that wildlife is found here too, it not as abundant. Still the walk has its charms with large trees dripping in Spanish moss providing shade along the route. While I didn't see any wildlife on my walk it was still very nice. What I did see was a lot of cute doggies out with their owners. The main reason I would come here is to be able to bring my dogs which are not allowed at Green Cay. Any exercise path in a nature is a good one and I was happy to have discovered this one at long last.

    A clever use of otherwise unused land for making a park here, this walking path loops around the…read morelake adjacent to the water reclamation facility. They have good signage and the walking path is one-way (counter-clockwise) to improve social distancing during these pandemic times. The path is quite well shaded. At the start, a small peninsula has a bench with a lovely view. I sat here for a bit taking a work phone call before starting my quick walk around the lake. There is a very small parking lot with room for no more than 10 cars. [Review 14582 overall, 81 of 2021, number 1201 in Florida.]

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    Walking Path At Southern Region Water Reclamation Facility
    Walking Path At Southern Region Water Reclamation Facility - Someone decorated a tree.

    Someone decorated a tree.

    Walking Path At Southern Region Water Reclamation Facility

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    Seacrest Scrub Natural Area - parks - Updated May 2026

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