As soon as a part of the huge IBM complicated in Boca Raton the place the private laptop was born, Pondhawk Pure Space protects 79 acres of scrub habitats and wetlands.
The slough sits between two sand ridges and was the place the Hillsboro River started, however dried up as IBM excavated the realm to create Blue Lake.
Blue LakeOnce we first visited, a relict pond apple swamp contained a few of the largest bushes we’d seen. In 2025, it was stunning to search out them gone.
Of their place, a wetland has been re-created inside a fold of scrub habitats topping the Atlantic Coastal Ridge.
WetlandSources
Overview
Location: Boca RatonLength: 2.5 milesTrailhead: 26.387421, -80.115656Address: 1501 Spanish River Blvd, West Palm BeachFees: FreeRestroom: On the libraryLand Supervisor: Palm Seashore CountyPhone: 561-233-2400
Open dawn to sundown. No pets or bicycles. Use solar safety as a lot of the hike is in open scrub.
Restrooms and a water bottle filling station are contained in the library.
Instructions
Hike
From the Spanish River Library, comply with the broad concrete walkway alongside the waterway to a pedestrian bridge with an indication for the pure space.
Flip proper after crossing the bridge to stroll the Spanish River Path alongside a rewilded shoreline of Blue Lake.
Bridge to PondhawkAt a big kiosk with maps at 0.2 mile, enter Pondhawk Pure Space on a sidewalk resulting in a boardwalk. As with all Palm Seashore County pure areas, it has a core accessible route.
Previous a strangler fig, meet the beginning of a Storywalk, pages from a kids’s e book organized so as on interpretive-style indicators across the loop.
Pondhawk trailhead kioskFlip left, curving alongside a restored marsh rim between waving sheafs of cordgrass to succeed in an statement deck.
Water ranges fluctuate, however there’s often a pond on the south fringe of this marshy melancholy.
Marsh rimProceed alongside the pathway alongside a line of palmettos and oaks, turning off it at 0.4 miles onto a slender sandy path, the South Mountain climbing Path.
Marked with posts with a yellow circle, it winds by a low scrub habitat nearby of a line of condos to the southwest.
Begin of the South Mountain climbing PathLoop by a mature stand of sand pines offering an island of shade. Condos stand within the distance past the property fence.
Snaking by open scrub, the path doubles again on itself earlier than continuing previous the condos into scrubby flatwoods with scattered pines.
Scrub expanseCross a two-track street at a bench at a mile and enter the shade of a mature sand reside oak hammock. Hold look ahead to these marker posts on this open understory.
Emerge on a sandy path within the solar to graze the south fringe of the restored wetlands.
Shady hammockStaying within the woodlands alongside its edge, the footpath is as soon as once more tough to comply with; comply with the markers. Rounding a small hill, stroll previous a dense cluster of ferns in a low spot
Attain the accessible path on the entrance boardwalk after 1.3 miles. A return to the parking space from this level makes for a 1.5 mile hike.
Circling the marshTo proceed your hike to discover the rest of the protect on the North Mountain climbing Path, flip left.
Go by the loop turnoff on the concrete walkway and enter the shade of an oak hammock.
Rejoining the primary path close to the doorway boardwalkCurving alongside a line of blue-tinted noticed palmetto, the trail enters a palm-pine flatwoods.
Step off the concrete at 1.5 miles to comply with a softly cushioned footpath on pine needles beneath tall pines. Pink squares on posts mark the path.
Begin of the North Mountain climbing PathA transition to scrubby flatwoods and scrub occurs rapidly, the footpath turning into sandy.
A pointy left curve steers the trail previous the condos alongside Blue Lake and turns the path inward into a really immersive sand pine scrub.
Sand pine scrubZigzag between stands of enormous fluffy sand pines, visitors noise briefly filtering in from Yamato Blvd alongside the protect’s northern boundary.
Look ahead to gopher tortoises because the path swings south by the scrub. Marsh ferns rise from a moist space.
Gopher tortoisesNot far previous a sand street crossing, the North Mountain climbing Path ends the place it meets the sidewalk at 1.9 miles. Flip proper to finish that loop.
Go the doorway to the South Mountain climbing Path and the statement deck earlier than sealing the loop at 2 miles.
Finish of the North Mountain climbing PathMake a proper to exit through the boardwalk to the kiosk alongside the Spanish River Path.
One other proper flip leads south to the pedestrian bridge for Spanish River Library to finish this 2.5 mile hike.
Return to the libraryPath Map
Discover Extra!
Video
Mountain climbing Pondhawk Pure Space
Discover Extra!
Slideshow
See our pictures from this hike
Close by Adventures
Path Map (PDF) Official Web site
Articles collectively researched, written, and photographed by Sandra Good friend & John Keatley, Florida authors and publishers of FloridaHikes.com.
