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.

I have passed this park many times while getting on and off the Turnpike. Today was finally that…read moreday that I stopped to checked it out and it ended up being the perfect afternoon for a park stroll. PGA National Park is a 35 acre public recreational park in Palm Beach Gardens. In the mid-1980s the city negotiated with developers during the construction of the PGA National residential and golf course community. As part of the 1985 master development agreement, this land was preserved as public green space, so that local residents would have a place to enjoy the outdoors during the area's rapid growth. Located just off Northlake Boulevard and Ryder Cup Boulevard, the park has become an important community gathering place for outdoor recreation. Over the years, the city has continued to expand the park's amenities. Today it features three large multi purpose athletic fields for soccer, football, and lacrosse, along with tennis courts, basketball courts with varying rim heights for different age groups, a playground, a mini putting green, picnic pavilions, and a fishing dock overlooking the surrounding lake. The day I visited, the park was bustling with activity. A football game was underway on one of the fields, families were gathered under the pavilions, and others were out enjoying the walking paths and playground. It was great to see so many people making use of the park. Thanks to the city having the foresight to preserve this land decades ago instead of becoming another development, it remains a place where the community can play and enjoy a little bit of nature in the middle of a city.

Great park but NO PETS. We drove here with our dog based on another review that said pets were…read moreallowed. Dogs are not allowed. Basketball, tennis, playground, covered sitting areas. Lots of ducks

Ironwood Neighborhood Park is a pocket park located across from Palm Beach Gardens Elementary…read moreSchool. Pocket parks are generally less than half an acre in size and can offer a variety of amenities for the public. This type of mini park arose from a desire within communities to create spaces for outdoor recreation instead of adding more buildings or leaving land vacant. Originally, the land for this park was intended to serve as an entrance to the city. Plans changed when city founder John D. MacArthur decided he needed a closer entrance to the RCA plant. The land was owned by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation for years before it was sold to a developer, who then returned it to the city to meet a requirement for providing recreational space. Built in 2017, the park was designed by Deputy Director of Public Services and Emergency Management, Angela Brown. What makes this pocket park so special is the creative playground equipment. Ironwood Neighborhood Park features two zip lines, a swing set, climbing equipment, and a slide. The park also has picnic tables and a water fountain. For safety, the play area is fully fenced in. I couldn't resist trying the seated zip line myself and it was so much fun. It is disability accessible as well. This well thought out park is a valuable recreational resource for the neighborhood.

Bruner Pond Park was named in honor of James Herbert Bruner, a prominent citizen of Martin County…read more James was born January 29, 1919 in Lovedale, Florida. He came to Stuart in 1925 and went on to make many contributions to the town as a civic leader, politician, businessman and developer. Many buildings, stores and improvements in Stuart were a result of his influence. He passed away on March 20, 1999 in Stuart. Located near historic downtown Stuart is this small park. I was looking for someplace to enjoy a snack and this worked out perfectly. Bruner Pond Park has a short walking path that loops around the pond. Along the way are benches and a little bridge you can walk over. This is a peaceful little spot to take a break. The park isn't very big, but the pond in the center makes it feel relaxing and scenic. I walked around the path for a bit and enjoyed the quiet atmosphere and the turtles lounging on an island in the pond. If you're already exploring downtown Stuart, it's worth stopping by.

I loved I really relax in the place is very secure and I recommend it. You must go earlyread more

I was planning on eating dinner at Frigate's up the street but when I saw the pictures of this park…read moreonline I had to make a detour first. Lake Side Park is located in the Village of North Palm Beach. It is behind a neighborhood with homes that have back yards that seem to blend in to the park providing them with a stunning view at the back of their properties. Park amenities include a basket ball court although the netting for basket is missing, a sand volleyball court, a playground with swings, and a large Tiki hut picnic shelter that can be rented if you ten or more people and you are a city resident. There are also large trees and paved paths that wind through the park. Some people have homes that have back yards that seem to blend in to the park providing them with a stunning view at the back of their properties. The real jewel of the park is the beach access to the Intracoastal Waterway. The park has a hard packed beach you can stroll down. It can be accessed from one end of the park by just stepping on the sand and at the other steeper end of the park there are two stair ways that lead down to the beach. Across the water you can see the condos lining Singer Island. This is a great place to enjoy the breeze and watch the boats sail by. If you are in the area I highly recommend stopping by to take in the beautiful scenery.

I've been wanting to visit this ERM park ever since visiting its neighbor, Juno Dunes Natural Area…read more The last time I tried to visit, the very small parking lot was full. From the road, this park looks to be all scrub, but like the other park, it contains multiple habitats inside. The first paved walk leads to a very nice pavilion overlooking the River. The view was peaceful and beautiful. Trying to access the unpaved trails, however, proved problematic. We turned onto the red path, only to find that the marker stakes had most of the red faded away and were difficult to find. At one point there is a huge fork in the path with no direction on which way to go. The end of the trail is practically non existent, with no clear path, but it does return us to the park entrance. I insisted on trying to get to Ski Beach- whatever that was! It looked about a 1/3 the way of the yellow trail. The path was very sandy, and difficult to walk on for that reason, and it seemed to take forever! When we finally found Ski Beach, we found another Park kiosk, a garbage can, and a tiny path down to... a beach! and the Intracoastal. We watched fish swim by, and lots of boats go by. This could be a nice place to wade or further explore, if you lugged all of your things here. ERM, would have loved finding a bench here, so we had someplace to take our shoes on and off. We did not continue down the yellow trail due to being exhausted, but I would like to do this again. The landscape was nice- just difficult to walk in due to the white sand. We saw a cactus in bloom, a snake, and a TON of lichen. Lichen everywhere! It really looked like little fairy landscapes to me. I think I finally identified Florida rosemary too! Kudo to ERM for the map/brochures. My kids pore over every aspect of it while we walk, trying to find all the natural items pictured, excitedly matching the pictures to plants. Thank you!

Jupiter Ridge is located south of the Jupiter inlet. It is part of the Great Florida Bird and…read moreWildlife Trail. This natural area is made up of 274 acres of scrub that contain five native Florida ecosystems: scrub, scrubby flatwoods, mesic flatwoods, depression marsh and mangrove swamp, It is one of the few places you can go in Jupiter to see how Florida looked before it was developed. Thirty one plant species live here as well as threatened and endangered species like the large-flowered rosemary, the Florida scrub-jay; and the gopher tortoise. Jupiter Ridge is owned by the state Conservation and Recreation Lands project which is managed by Palm beach County. This natural area has the longest shoreline along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway of any other natural area in Palm Beach County. There is also 7,600 feet of water frontage along the Intracoastal Waterway along the Loxahatchee River/Lake Worth Creek Aquatic Preserve. There are three hiking trails, the paved Little Blue Heron Trail, (0.2 miles), the sand Scrub Lizard Trail (1.7 miles). and the sand Pawpaw Trail (0.6 miles). The sand trails really give your legs a work out and there is no shade so the sun can be brutal. The natural area has canoe and kayak access from Ski Beach and you may be able to spot manatees. There is also an observation platform on the Little Blue heron Trail that overlooks Old Lake Worth Creek. Jupiter Ridge Natural Area is open to the public, sunrise to sunset, seven days a week.

I really love visiting Palm Beach Gardens for its upscale vibe and lush, tropical surroundings just…read moreminutes from the Atlantic beaches. The parks are always top-notch, and Gardens Park is no exception. You'll find it next to Palm Beach Gardens City Hall. I was looking for a place to get some walking exercise, and this park fit my needs perfectly. Gardens Park is primarily designed for sports enthusiasts. There are nine baseball fields, all of which were quite busy on a Saturday afternoon. The park also features six open-air batting cages, four covered batting cages with pitching mounds, a bankshot basketball court, an artificial turf field that is home to the Miracle League of the Palm Beaches, and three playgrounds, one of which includes disability-accessible play equipment. Gardens Park is very safe and family-friendly. The entire park is well maintained, with spacious baseball fields, shaded playgrounds, batting cages, picnic areas, and plenty of parking. Even if you are not there for youth sports, this is one of the nicest community parks I have come across.

Whenever I pass by a Veterans Park, I make it a point to stop and pay my respects. Nearly every…read moretown has a dignified green space where communities can honor local service members and gather for commemorative events such as Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies. Some are humble, while others are grand. I would place this one somewhere in the middle, adequate and well maintained. The five stars are for all of the service members honored here. This half-acre park is tucked behind the North Palm Beach Library. It features an outdoor amphitheater, commemorative plaques, memorial benches, flags, and a walkway lined with bricks from the Memorial Brick Program. A large open area with surrounding seating makes this the ideal setting for Veterans Day or Memorial Day ceremonies. This park offers a peaceful place for the community to come together in remembrance of our military heroes.