Overview: 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 and a nature trail through a marine hammock. Shore birds mingle with sunbathers along Mizell-Johnson's lengthy beach. The birding here is good enough to land the park a spot on the Great Florida Birding Trail. Mizell-Johnson is also a critical sea turtle nesting area.
Mizell-Johnson, formerly known as John U. Lloyd State Park, occupies about two miles of barrier island, bordered on the west by Whiskey Creek aka New River Sound and on the east by the Atlantic. To the north, Port Everglades and its massive cruise ships. The beach is long and narrow with extensive dunes behind it.
History: Florida bought the land for the park in 1954 after a 30-year battle for its preservation by John U. Lloyd, a Broward County lawyer. Jim Crow was a live and well at the time, and it was designated as a "colored" beach. Problem was there was no permanent connection to the mainland, so beachgoers had to be ferried back and forth. In the early 1960s, Dr. Von Delany. Mizell and Eula Mae Gandy Johnson, two civil rights leaders, conducted "wade-in" protests that led to the end of Broward County's segregated beaches in 1962. Mizell-johnson opened as a John U. Lloyd State Park under in 1973. In 2016, State Sen. Christopher Smith, D-Fort Lauderdale, pushed the Florida Legislature to re-name the park after Mizell and Johnson. Other parts of the park are named after other civil righs leaders and key figures in the park's history.
What You'll See: Mizell-Johnson is perfectly situated along the barrier island, isolated from the distractions of near by cities. The north jetty is a busy place, packed with people fishing or watching the cruise ships manuevering out of the port. Shore birds, including ring-billed gulls, laughing gulls, herring gulls and lesser black-backed gulls forage along the beach. Pelagics, including magnificent frigatebirds are often spotted from the park. Mizell-Johnson is a refuge for migrators during fall and spring.
Amenities: 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, rentals, a boat launch and a nature trail.
Nearby: Broward County's Anne Kolb Nature Center and West Park is a mile or so to the south.
Links: The Great Florida Birding Trail's page on Mizell-Johnson is here. The Institute for Regional Conservation's plant inventory is here.
Of Note: The Mizell-Johnson State Park is open 8 a.m. to sunset every day of the year. There is an admission fee of $6 per car, $4 for single-occupant cars and motorcycles as of this writing (June 2024). Check the website for updates.
Cover Photo: A ring-billed gull forages in the surf. Second photo: the extenisive beach dunes.
Mizell-Johnson, formerly known as John U. Lloyd State Park, occupies about two miles of barrier island, bordered on the west by Whiskey Creek aka New River Sound and on the east by the Atlantic. To the north, Port Everglades and its massive cruise ships. The beach is long and narrow with extensive dunes behind it.
History: Florida bought the land for the park in 1954 after a 30-year battle for its preservation by John U. Lloyd, a Broward County lawyer. Jim Crow was a live and well at the time, and it was designated as a "colored" beach. Problem was there was no permanent connection to the mainland, so beachgoers had to be ferried back and forth. In the early 1960s, Dr. Von Delany. Mizell and Eula Mae Gandy Johnson, two civil rights leaders, conducted "wade-in" protests that led to the end of Broward County's segregated beaches in 1962. Mizell-johnson opened as a John U. Lloyd State Park under in 1973. In 2016, State Sen. Christopher Smith, D-Fort Lauderdale, pushed the Florida Legislature to re-name the park after Mizell and Johnson. Other parts of the park are named after other civil righs leaders and key figures in the park's history.
What You'll See: Mizell-Johnson is perfectly situated along the barrier island, isolated from the distractions of near by cities. The north jetty is a busy place, packed with people fishing or watching the cruise ships manuevering out of the port. Shore birds, including ring-billed gulls, laughing gulls, herring gulls and lesser black-backed gulls forage along the beach. Pelagics, including magnificent frigatebirds are often spotted from the park. Mizell-Johnson is a refuge for migrators during fall and spring.
Amenities: 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, rentals, a boat launch and a nature trail.
Nearby: Broward County's Anne Kolb Nature Center and West Park is a mile or so to the south.
Links: The Great Florida Birding Trail's page on Mizell-Johnson is here. The Institute for Regional Conservation's plant inventory is here.
Of Note: The Mizell-Johnson State Park is open 8 a.m. to sunset every day of the year. There is an admission fee of $6 per car, $4 for single-occupant cars and motorcycles as of this writing (June 2024). Check the website for updates.
Cover Photo: A ring-billed gull forages in the surf. Second photo: the extenisive beach dunes.
