Tall Cypress Natural Area

Just discovered this gem near my house. I loved the area and was excited for some nature in my life. So my friend and I packed the bags for the day (thinking to spend 2 hours there) and headed out with my dog. This is where my stars fall. I went on a Saturday around 11am, but the walkways were not heat resistant. My dog could barely stand on the walkway and we had to leave quite soon. I don’t know what it is about the material but it just emits heat. I’d love to go back and see what else there is out there, but bringing my dog is a big thing on walks for me, and it upset me that the walkway was THAT hot. On a funny note, we ran into friends while they were entering and we were exiting. I hope they had fun with their twin girls– as long as they had sneakers on. I will go back, I was just very disappointed that it didn’t live up to the afternoon I expected.

Very nice, mostly shaded nature trail. I’ve been many times and seen everything from squirrels, raccoons, armadillos, possums and Ospreys. The boardwalk is just under a half mile and it’s pretty quiet although you can hear the occasional car out on the street. Only thing I’d be careful of is the boardwalk itself, it must be made with a fiberglass composite or something similar. Rest your arms on it and you might get a similar feeling to certain cactus’s (don’t ask how I know about the cactus part). You can’t see it but you’ll feel it. Overall is very well built and maintained, also has bathrooms near the parking lot. Good job City of Coral Springs.

Unfortunately we do not have much nature in South Florida due to development, development and more development. Sometimes I like to pretend that I live in a less developed area and I spend an hour or so at this natural area. It is an oasis amongst the hustle and bustle of South Florida. I am proud to be part of the group of students that worked on saving this area. Back in the late 80’s an amazing Coral Springs High School tree hugging teacher named Charles Deveney lead the campaign to save this area which was located right next to his portable!
The county does a phenomenal job of taking care of this park and I would like to thank the employees that work here. The bathrooms are always impeccable as well. The path through the park is beautiful and if you go early in the morning you see quite a few photographers with the big cameras here. It is also very quiet. Once about ¼ of a way through the boardwalk I saw two juvenile raccoons that were practically white! Must have been some kind of genetic mutation. There are a couple of picnic tables in the front parking lot. I don’t think they want you to bring food into the actual park so visitors are not tempted to feed the wildlife. Love this place!

Color me jaded. After heading to Big Cypress and The Everglades, though, I wasn’t too impressed. Yes, it’s a nice place to sort of get away from the urban sprawl (it’s next to a residential area, after all), but you cannot compare the flora and fauna to that of The Everglades or Wakodahatchee (which I plan to visit in a few weeks, but just from reading about it and hearing from other fellow photographers, I can tell it will be amazing). We met a fellow naturalist that made it interesting and entertaining and showed us the elusive ghost orchid and pond apples, among other plants. He also recommended Green Cay and other spots to visit for wildlife encounters. I honestly enjoyed meeting him and learning about the plants. The boardwalk is about half a mile, I wish we had seen some wildlife, he did mention that there are some owls mating, but we just were not lucky enough to see them that day.

There is one thing that Broward County does 10X better than Miami-​Dade — park land. Oh wait, and Korean food, but we’ll get to that another time. Tall Cypress is a little blurb of ancient Florida amid Coral Springs’ suburban sprawl.
It’s like going to the Big Cypress National Preserve, without driving 50 miles west on US 41 or Alligator Alley. While it’s not a huge plot of land, it actually is big enough to make you feel as if you’re in the middle of a large swamp. And unlike most swamps, this one is a clean walk, thanks to the elevated boardwalk. Two gazebos provide serene places to relax.
If in the area, check this park out, especially if it’s a nice dry, cool day.

The best kept secret in Coral Springs, this tiny park pays homage to the natural beauty of South Florida. A large boardwalk loops around the grounds, so you can appreciate the foliage without having to wade through some of the more boggy, marshy areas. The whole loop is fairly small, so it makes an easy trek for adults and children alike. They also have two gazebos perched on the outskirts, so you can just sit and enjoy the lush paradise. Cypress trees, ferns, pond apple trees, and several others, all weave together to create an idyllic escape from the surrounding suburbia. Even during the more painfully hot months, the towering trees provide a fair amount of shade to make being outdoors tolerable. In addition, signs along the path can make the experience educational, conveying fun facts about the flora, fauna, and creatures that inhabit Tall Cypress Natural Area.
So come and get a little exercise while admiring a beautiful expanse of Floridian nature. The Tall Cypress Natural Area is a hidden gem just waiting to be discovered!