3700 Turtle Run Boulevard
Coral Springs

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Tall cypress indeed. Pond and bald cypress are the defining features of this 66-acre remnant of a cypress and hardwood swamp. That it still exists is due in large measure to the efforts of students at nearby Coral Springs High School, who fought to preserve it. And it is a peaceful spot. So much so, that we came across a couple reading their Sunday newspaper at one of the pavilions.

As you would expect, with cypress comes water. An elevated boardwalk provides the only pathway through the site. There are several sitting areas and observation platforms at key points along the way. The cypress, figs, maples, willows, gumbo limbo and pondapples enclose the site, making it seem much larger than it really is and isolate visitors from the rest of the world.

We found the forest filled with both migratory and wading birds, including wood stork, cat bird and warblers. Site managers say it has one of the most diverse list of resident species of any natural area in Broward County. There is a large parking lot — large enough to accomodate several buses, informational kiosks, restrooms and drinking water. The trail isn't all that long but it does meander through a variety of ecosystems and is marked with interpretive signs. if you don't live nearby, it's worth the trip, say in conjunction with a visit to nearby Fern Forest Nature Center.

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