Resources
Resources for exploring the area
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Exploring Coconut Creek
Anchored by some of Broward County’s larger parks and natural lands, including Tradewinds Park and Fern Forest Nature Center, Coconut Creek was formerly a farming district.
It sat along the edge of the Everglades, bounded by the Hillsboro River at the county line. The rivers and creeks that flowed east were replaced by drainage ditches.
In 1956, a developer purchased several hundred acres and began a planned community he called Coconut Creek.
By the late 1960s, it grew densely enough to incorporate as a city. Since the 1980s, both city and county snapped up what natural habitats remained.
Coconut Creek has more green space than other cities in Broward, fitting in well with its careful attention to keeping its tree canopy.
Trails and Parks near Coconut Creek
Crystal Lake Sand Pine Scrub Natural Area Winding through a diminutive forest of sand live oak, gopher apple, and sand pines, the accessible 0.4-mile trail through Crystal Lake Natural Area celebrates scrub.
Doris Davis Foreman Wilderness A pretty patch of tropical hammock hides amid the bustle of suburbia in Parkland in Broward County on the half-mile loop through Doris Davis Foreman Wilderness Preserve.
Fern Forest Nature Center A bounty of ferns awaits where three miles of trails introduce you to a slice of Florida’s past, a tropical forest surrounding the original floodplain of Cypress Creek near Fort Lauderdale.
Helene Klein Pineland Preserve In just 13 acres, Helene Klein Pineland Preserve packs in a nice walk through a variety of habitats within an urban forest along busy Hillsboro Blvd.
Kristin Jacobs Natural Area Discover an oasis of natural habitats in the heart of suburbia within the 57 acre Hillsborough Pineland on 1.8 miles of largely accessible trails in Coconut Creek.
Tradewinds Park One of the largest parks near Fort Lauderdale, Tradewinds Park provides a surprising variety of activities, from farm animals and butterflies to miles of trails.Featured Articles
Florida’s Best Urban Parks (10/27/2016) When you live in a tightly packed space, you need somewhere green as your go-to place nearby. These are our top picks for parks in Florida's urban areas, chosen for their diversity of outdoor activities and/or their unique green spaces.