Every time I step onto a Florida trail, I wonder, “What will I see this time?”
I passed through part of the Loxahatchee Slough Loop Trail when I completed my third section of the Ocean to Lake (OTL) Trail. The Loxahatchee Slough is part of Palm Beach County’s protected natural areas which are maintained mostly by the Environmental Resources Management. How fortunate we are to have these natural protected areas. (For a list of Palm Beach County multi-use trails: https://discover.pbcgov.org/erm/Pages/JeagaWildways.aspx)
With easy parking at 11885 Beeline Highway, I arrived just as a 10K run completed. County staff, still on site from the run, showed me the trails on a map and explained trail conditions. Water had flooded a section of the last leg of the return on the Loxahatchee Slough Loop, so I opted for a longer hike on an extended loop to stay dry. I also included the out and back to the observation tower which I found was just steps away from the OTL trail section I had hiked from Riverbend Park to Beeline Highway. The same county staff member also hooked me up with a new trail app, Avenza Maps. This app displays the maps in pdf format but also shows your location on the map. I found this very helpful!
I began the trail by 9:45 a.m., hiking clockwise around the loop. Another hot Florida day—already! I stopped at the restroom about a half mile in (clean and roomy) and changed into my shorts, quite happy I remembered them this time. There was a bench just outside the restroom next to the water. This, and the picnic table at the tower, were the only rest spots on the trail. I would have welcomed a couple more benches—especially along the last section. Once again, I found myself sitting on the roadside in the shade of a pine tree for a snack and rest.
With the exception of the blazing hot sun, the trail, a dirt road with lovely surroundings, was easy to hike. I passed sand pine, wax myrtle, saw palmetto, cabbage palms, tall grasses and remnants of spring flowers. With recent rains, water approached the trail on both sides. My only company were the Ibis and butterflies until about one mile from the finish when I passed a man headed in the opposite direction.
I enjoyed the beauty of my 5.5-mile hike, completing it in less than three hours with my two breaks. With the exception of the sounds coming from the Beeline Highway on the last portions of the trail, it was a quiet, peaceful hike.
(Loxahatchee Slough Natural Area. 11855 Beeline Highway Palm Beach Gardens, FL. https://discover.pbcgov.org/erm/NaturalAreas/Loxahatchee-Slough.aspx)
Footprints and Ripples 