6503 North Ocean Drive
Dania Beach
Website
The dominant species at Dr. D. Von Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park is Homo sapien. People. The park is packed with beach goers, boaters, anglers, picnickers, bicyclists and others just having a good time. Just to the north of the park is Port Everglades, with its massive cruise ships heading out to sea. It has its quiet spots, including an overlook at a manatee preserve, but this is not wild, open spaces.
Mizell-Johnson, formerly known as John U. Lloyd State Park, occupies about two miles of barrier island, bordered on the west by the Intracoastal and on the east by the Atlantic. The beach is narrow but it does draw its share of shore birds. We even spotted a loggerhead shrike along the beach, probably drawn to the area by the barbed wire-topped fence that separates the park from the adjacent Coast Guard station.
There's plenty of parking, generally speaking. The north end of the park, which features a jetty and boardwalk along with picnic pavilions and beach, was packed when visited (a Sunday afternoon in March). Other lots, however were empty. The park has plenty of restrooms, a restaurant, a environmental education center and a short nature trail.
View Larger Map
|