7715 Forest Hill Boulevard
West Palm Beach
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Two things before you visit Okeeheelee: make sure you're wearing a good pair of walking shoes, and pick up a map of the grounds, online or at the entrance to the nature center building. Okeeheelee has more than two miles of paved and unpaved trails that twist around 90 acres of pine flatwoods and wetlands, making both the shoes and the map essential to maximize a visit.
The nature center building is open limited hours during the week (check the website for times), but the trails are accessible sunrise to sundown every day. There is a large parking lot, observation platforms, bird blinds on the east marsh, benches, interpretive signs along the trails, an outdoor classroom and a wildlife enclosure.
One thing that becomes evident quickly is the extent to which a wildfire that occurred in 1990 has affected the area. There are trails named after the burn; prescribed burns occur regularly to maintain the health of the various habitats. Also note that the center is part of Okeeheelee Regional Park, operated by Palm Beach County. There are sundry ballfields, picnic shelters and other facilities, but the trails are fairly removed from them. There are lakes and ponds throughout the park that attract wading birds and water fowl. Take our Virtual Tour of Okeeheelee Nature Center.
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