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This is a 243-acre forested island in the sea of concrete that is much of Broward County. It was purchased in 1978 as a Designated Urban Wilderness Site. Here, you'll find cypress/maple swamp, tropical hardwood hammock, open prairie and oak/cabbage palms. The park features nature trails, a half-mile wheelchair accessible boardwalk, a garden, picnic tables (no grills or fires allowed) and a scenic overlook, gopher tortoise habitat, nature exhibit hall, as well as an amphitheater, assembly hall and shelter available for rent. Halls are on a first-come, first-served basis and hold a maximum 150 people. Rental permits are $600 plus a $175 clean-up deposit. Boots are recommended for the sometimes-soggy red maple swamp trail, while butterflies and aquatic creatures often can be seen from the park's Butterfly Bridge. Nature walks available on Sundays, weather permitting, starting at 1 p.m. for $2 per person.

Watchable wildlife:
Look for black-and-yellow striped zebra longwing butterflies and orange ruddy daggerwings as they flit through the forest. Songbirds, red-shouldered hawks, and gray squirrels are common. Gray fox and bobcats are occasionally seen.

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South Florida recreation facilities, Broward County recreation facilities, Northeast Broward recreation facilities, Northwest Broward recreation facilities, Coconut Creek recreation facilities