Footprints and Ripples

The country girl in me believed that state parks in some way mimic the large wild spaces one would find in the country, areas filled with beautiful flora, fauna, and opportunities for discovery. The idea that a state park could be a small piece of land tucked in between the Intracoastal and A1A in urban Ft. Lauderdale challenged my country girl spirit.

With plans to visit as many Florida State Parks as possible in my retirement, I took an afternoon and drove to Hugh Taylor Birch State Park in Ft. Lauderdale. The website described hiking opportunities as a “20-minute leisurely walk through a native maritime tropical hardwood hammock ecosystem,” and I arrived prepared for a short stroll in a city park, most likely a boardwalk. However, I was pleasantly surprised.

In a small amount of space, this park had a bit of everything! A long oval shaped one-way drive surrounds the park. Most of the parking is along this drive. Winding, canopied nature trails weave in and out along the way. Along the trails, small signs describe some of the flora in the small forest, but I would have loved to see more and better signage.

The drive includes a designated lane for pedestrians, bikers, and inline skaters as well, and all took advantage of the gorgeous day. The welcoming west side of the trail which borders the Intracoastal and includes benches and picnic tables shaded by trees impressed me—what a great escape from the urban chaos just minutes away. I walked through a meditation garden and stepped along a labyrinth. There was a small playground and clean restrooms nearby (although the restroom in the small restaurant screamed for attention).

The park also includes a small concession to rent canoes, kayaks, paddle boards, jet-skis, beach chairs and beach umbrellas—just about anything a person might need for a little getaway. The beach is easily accessed just past the Park and Ocean Restaurant. This casual restaurant, snuggled beneath what looked like large Seagrape trees (not sure that’s what they were), includes an In-house brewery, Shady Brewing, that offers specialty beers with a taste of Florida. What could be better than a cold beer and some island music to end the afternoon? I chose the bartender’s favorite, a light beer with a hint of Mango, called Mangolandia, enjoying it along with the fish tacos.

At the end of my visit, I had walked about 2.5 miles and spent two hours in the park.

I purchased an annual pass for the Florida State Parks at the beginning of January and have visited only two thus far—and they could not have been more different—but the country girl in me is good with that now. Sometimes, smaller does the trick. Either way, it has been a great investment of $60. I look forward to the next one!