Overview There are no nature trails at Palm Beach County's West Delray Regional, but don't let that fool you. There are wildflowers and wildlife aplenty here, just around its ample margins and around its 38 acres of ponds and lakes.
West Delray is largely devoted to what might be called orphan activities, the kinds of things you don’t typically see in parks. But it is far west — we’re guessing a half-mile west of 441 — next to the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, and it is quiet. Peaceful. Makes for a nice evening stroll. It’s at the terminus of Atlantic, west of 441 on the north side.
History: Palm Beach County bought the land for the park as part of a 1999 effort to preserve undeveloped land in the county's Agricultural Reserve west of Delray Beach and Boynton Beach.
What You'll See: There are pine woodlands, small open fields and marshes along the margins of lakes. During our visit there, we saw or heard cormorants, anhingas, ibis, cardinals, mockingbirds, pig frogs, raccoons, and marsh rabbits. Plants included coastal plain willow, cat-tails, Spanish needle, cypress and pines. There are signs posted warning of alligators.
Amenities: West Delray Regional Park offers plenty of parking, restrooms, a walking trail and picnic benches. There is a mountain bike course (rated moderate), and facilities for radio-controlled boats, cars and helicopters, an archery range and equestrian trails. Check the website for full details.
Nearby: Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge is perhaps five minutes to the north. Daggerwing Nature Center is 10 minutes to the south off Glades Road. Green Cay Nature Center and Wakodahatchee Wetlands are also about 10 minutes away.
Of Note: West Delray Regional Park is open sunrise to sunset every day of the year. Admission is free. The entrance to the park is on the north side of Atlantic Avenue at its terminus.
Cover Photo: A flock of double-crested cormorants perching high in the Australian pines that surrounds West Delray Regional Park. There's a lot of water in the park, and where there's water, there's fish, cormorant's favorite food. Second photo: There is an abundance of cypress trees, an indication that much of West Delray was once swamp.
West Delray is largely devoted to what might be called orphan activities, the kinds of things you don’t typically see in parks. But it is far west — we’re guessing a half-mile west of 441 — next to the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, and it is quiet. Peaceful. Makes for a nice evening stroll. It’s at the terminus of Atlantic, west of 441 on the north side.
History: Palm Beach County bought the land for the park as part of a 1999 effort to preserve undeveloped land in the county's Agricultural Reserve west of Delray Beach and Boynton Beach.
What You'll See: There are pine woodlands, small open fields and marshes along the margins of lakes. During our visit there, we saw or heard cormorants, anhingas, ibis, cardinals, mockingbirds, pig frogs, raccoons, and marsh rabbits. Plants included coastal plain willow, cat-tails, Spanish needle, cypress and pines. There are signs posted warning of alligators.
Amenities: West Delray Regional Park offers plenty of parking, restrooms, a walking trail and picnic benches. There is a mountain bike course (rated moderate), and facilities for radio-controlled boats, cars and helicopters, an archery range and equestrian trails. Check the website for full details.
Nearby: Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge is perhaps five minutes to the north. Daggerwing Nature Center is 10 minutes to the south off Glades Road. Green Cay Nature Center and Wakodahatchee Wetlands are also about 10 minutes away.
Of Note: West Delray Regional Park is open sunrise to sunset every day of the year. Admission is free. The entrance to the park is on the north side of Atlantic Avenue at its terminus.
Cover Photo: A flock of double-crested cormorants perching high in the Australian pines that surrounds West Delray Regional Park. There's a lot of water in the park, and where there's water, there's fish, cormorant's favorite food. Second photo: There is an abundance of cypress trees, an indication that much of West Delray was once swamp.
