Green Cay Wetlands – Florida Hikes - Primal Outdoor Members Portal

Created in 2004, Inexperienced Cay Wetlands is a vibrant oasis of grassy marshes, cypress strands, and tree islands.

It appears to be like prefer it’s at all times been right here. And that was the concept: convey a chunk of the Everglades again to a area turned city.

Anticipate a bountry of hen species alongside this stroll

Whereas its marshes have been designed to filter reclaimed water, they appeal to a bounty of birds, reptiles, and mammals squeezed out by improvement.

The park is a legacy of longtime Florida Path Affiliation members Ted and Trudy Winsburg, mates who grew prize peppers at Inexperienced Cay Farms.

An interpretive panel recounts the Winsbergs legacy

As neighboring farmers offered to builders, they opted for conservation, grateful their land already supported wildlife.

Practically 100 acres of their unique farm is now beneath these wetlands.

Expanse of wetland plants and cypress-topped island

The place peppers grew, wetlands now flourish

Two boardwalk loops radiate from a central boardwalk behind the character heart: a half-mile loop counterclockwise, or a mile loop clockwise.

Our 1.2 mile perimeter loop begins clockwise from the entrance doorways of the character heart, utilizing the outer parts of each loops.

Shade comes from tree islands and rain shelters

Sources

Overview

Location: Boynton BeachLength: 1.2 mile loopTrailhead: 26.485338, -80.162109Address: 12800 Hagen Ranch Rd, Boynton BeachFees: FreeRestroom: On the nature centerLand supervisor: Palm Seaside CountyPhone: 561-966-7000

Open dawn to sundown. Restrooms open 7-7. No pets or bicycles.

All pathways and boardwalks are accessible. Please don’t convey meals onto the boardwalks.

Instructions

From Florida’s Turnpike, exit on Boynton Seaside Blvd. Drive east one block and switch proper on Hagen Ranch Highway. Drive south a number of miles till you see the doorway for Inexperienced Cay Wetlands on the left.

Hike

Coming into the complicated on a boardwalk via a shady perimeter, face the character heart. Begin a fringe stroll by turning left.

Grazing near a wall of vegetation, the boardwalk jogs out farther over the water right into a straightaway.

Expanse of blue with marsh and rain shelter along boardwalk

Open water edged by marsh

Near the sting of the marsh, it overlooks open water, providing the most effective of each habitats.

A bumpout with a bench presents the primary of a sequence of interpretive panels. Approaching the subsequent flip, hover over arrowhead and alligator flag.

Large building beyond marsh and open water

Wanting again in direction of the character heart

Cross open water via a rain shelter, a broad roofed spot with benches. A jog results in a straightaway right into a dense marsh dotted with pond apple bushes.

Ascend over a levee bisecting the wetlands, a possible place to see alligators sunning.

Alligator on the levee

Bridge open water to an island, the trail tunneling beneath tall cypress bushes. Rising from the island, make a bend alongside a cove the place anhingas nest late winter.

Flip east in direction of a rain shelter edged by a thicket of big leather-based fern.

Rain shelter amongst big ferns

The encompassing flag marsh alongside the next straightaway is at all times productive for birding, with purple gallinules generally sighted.

Previous the subsequent bumpout, ascend to an island topped by a dense hardwood hammock. On it, a chickee hut gives a relaxation cease at a half mile.

Immature purple gallinule

Leaving the shady island, descend to a jog throughout open water, aiming for one more island. These protrusions of forest mimic the tree islands of the Everglades.

As the principle boardwalk glides previous the island, a aspect path climbs to a rain shelter tucked right into a palm hammock.

Leaving an island on a boardwalk connecting to two more

The boardwalk tacks between islands

Crossing a puzzle of marsh and open water, meet the junction of the lengthy and brief boardwalk loops at an island topped with royal palms.

Turning proper trims this hike to a mile. To remain on the perimeter loop, proceed straight forward beneath the palms, jogging previous paradise bushes.

Junction of boardwalks in front of island topped with royal palms

The place the boardwalk loops meet

A rain shelter sits beneath a big strangler fig. Continuing into the open, begin the arc across the south finish of the wetlands.

Cross the central grassy levee earlier than a flip west over the pond marsh. Edged with alligator flag, it’s a number of the deepest water within the wetlands.

Open water edged with boardwalk and alligator flag

Deep water on the southwest nook of the loop

It’s one other possible place to see alligators. After the bend round it, a ultimate rain shelter gives a spot to sit down and look out over open water.

An interpretive panel recounts the historical past of the land and the way the Winsbergs cared for it.

Boardwalk with large building and island in view

Final leg of the boardwalk

A ultimate marshy stretch faces the incoming central boardwalk and a sequence of purple martin birdhouses.

Flip left on the T intersection to exit across the Nature Heart, finishing a 1.2 mile hike. If you happen to haven’t already, go to the reveals and reward store inside.