Mountaineering a circuit of this huge protect in central Palm Seaside County, its suburban environment rapidly soften away.
Rounded moist prairies shimmer within the solar between scrub ridges and expanses of pine flatwoods the place wildflowers flourish.
Prairie expanseFrequent to all Palm Seaside County pure lands, a core accessible path, the Blue Heron Nature Path, ends at a magnificence spot.
Main from the trailhead to an remark deck on a melancholy marsh, this half mile round-trip intersects the Pine Lily Mountaineering Path and the Torres Mountaineering Path.
Path junctionThe yellow-blazed Pine Lily Mountaineering Path and red-blazed Torres Mountaineering Path allow as much as 4.3 miles of mountain climbing if taken individually.
Our 3.6 mile loop blends them collectively on an tour into the center of the protect.
Crossover level with equestrian trailsSources
Overview
Location: Royal Palm BeachLength: 3.6 milesTrailhead: 26.730950, -80.249041Address: 110 Nature’s Means, Royal Palm BeachFees: FreeRestroom: NoneLand Supervisor: Palm Seaside CountyPhone: 561-233-2400
Open dawn to sundown. No pets or bicycles.
Equestrians can entry a separate devoted entrance for his or her path system. Go to the official web site for particulars and an equestrian allow.
Instructions
Hike
Start by checking the kiosk to seize a map and begin alongside the Blue Heron Nature Path, instantly crossing the Pine Lily Mountaineering Path at a marked junction.
The sidewalk winds into an immersive panorama of pine flatwoods with a grassy understory, coloured by wildflowers in spring and fall
TrailheadCurve round a cluster of noticed palmetto and myrsine on the base of a pine earlier than a straightaway.
Among the noticed palmetto clumps sport a silvery-blue hue. Cross a turnoff to the Torres Mountaineering Path on the strategy to a boardwalk.
The walkway stretches out over a nook of one of many many moist prairies protected by this protect. Seasonally dry out, they grow to be lush swimming pools after summer time rains.
Ferns alongside the prairie’s edgeAt 0.2 miles, the top of this accessible path is a roofed remark deck surrounded by the prairie.
Sawgrass and Virginia willow occupy the cove; if dry, the higher basin could also be carpeted with sheets of periphyton peeling away from the sand beneath.
Return to the Torres Path and switch proper. Posts with crimson squares flank the slim footpath by the flatwoods.
Torres PathDotted with yellow blossoms, St. John’s-wort rises from grassy patches between the pines. Topped with spherical white blooms, bathroom buttons rustle in a spring breeze.
Wind between clumps of noticed palmetto, expecting tiny yellow bladderworts poking from this seasonally moist flatwoods.
St. John’s-wortCurve by a stand of pines the place pennyroyal thrives amid the pine duff.
Intersect a broad forest highway at 0.4 miles, the route of the Pine Lily Mountaineering Path. Flip left to begin the longer clockwise circuit round this protect.
A proper will make a shorter loop simply across the moist prairie on the finish of the accessible path.
Path junctionInstantly, there’s a way of vastness due to the sheer measurement of the open prairie on the precise, its rim outlined by distant pines.
Younger longleaf pines rise in candle stage below their forebearers. The 2-track is simple to comply with, though there are yellow circle blazed posts for affirmation
Two-trackAt 0.6 miles, a Y within the path isn’t marked. The left aspect returns to the parking space.
Bear proper to rejoin the far finish of the Torres Mountaineering Path, now following crimson marker posts alongside a mowed two-track.
Its first marker is almost hidden amongst tall, waving golden-hued chalky bluestem.
Torres Path markerOne other submit confirms the path veers proper at what seems like a junction. Equestrians share this path, so there could also be highway apples to keep away from.
Shiny yellow blooms of tickseed peep out of pine straw. Curve previous a swath of tall, waving grasses.
The trail turns into tender white fine-grained sand. It should fill your footwear; anticipate to empty them in a while.
Younger longleafAscend by the pines previous younger longleaf in all levels of progress, some sporting furry arms. Low-bush blueberry thrives below the subsequent stand of tall, skinny pines.
At 1.2 miles, attain clearly-marked path junction D, the place a spur path heads east to an alternate entrance to the protect. Proceed alongside the crimson blazes.
Junction DNow edged by a sea of noticed palmetto below sparse pines, the two-track turns into much more sandy, not simply within the ruts.
Scattered cabbage palms seem on a shift within the understory to extra woody vegetation.Swoop alongside the south fringe of the protect beneath one other immense prairie.
Sandy pathIt’s simple to overlook the turnoff at 1.7 miles the place the Torres Path makes a pointy proper off the two-track. The trail straight forward results in the equestrian trailhead.
Look ahead to a faint two-track heading north, a crimson blazed submit quickly confirming the route.
Shifting from sand to grass, changing into virtually indistinguishable from its environment, it passes a giant hog plum.
Scout for the blaze postsProceed alongside the faint monitor amid prairie grasses by a narrows of flatwoods between prairies. Merge right into a sandy highway that floods.
One other submit confirms the route. Shift to a well-defined footpath on the subsequent blaze submit, curving by seasonally moist flatwoods.
Emerge previous the again aspect of a “No Horses” signal to a different sandy highway, becoming a member of the equestrian path heading north.
ShelterAt 2.2 miles, a welcome roofed shelter with a picnic desk and non-potable pitcher pump sits trailside.
Take the chance to empty the sand out of your footwear. A kiosk right here sports activities an summary map.
Maintain proper at this junctionExit this clearing within the route of the East Parking Lot signal and crimson blaze submit. Butterworts develop in soggy mats of grass.
Ascending on a grassy two-track by the pine flatwoods, shift right into a drier understory with pennyroyal and hog plum.
Drop by a minor prairie drainage lined with St. John’s-wort.
Minor drainageAt 2.7 miles, meet the subsequent path junction at a kiosk throughout out of your preliminary junction of the Torres and Pine Lily Trails.
An indication with a P factors in the direction of the trailhead by way of the route that introduced you to this junction from the Blue Heron Path sidewalk.
For the longer route, flip left to proceed clockwise by its northerly arc.
Path junctionNow following yellow blaze posts, ascend right into a drier pine flatwoods. There are nonetheless boggy spots close by, bathroom buttons and bladderworts signaling their presence.
The hard-packed two monitor continues north by tall pines.
A gap on the precise reveals open sky over the preliminary prairie visited by the Blue Heron Nature Path.
Distant prairieMaking light curves by chalky bluestem grasses, proceed to ascend. Blue-eyed grass beckons from the bottom of a bracken fern.
At 3.1 miles, bear proper previous a junction with a spur path to the North Parking Lot, as your car is on the East Parking Lot.
T junctionThe 2-track turns into sandy once more. Cross a gopher tortoise crossing signal; this northeast nook of the protect is the most probably place to see them.
Scrubby oaks and poison ivy be a part of the combination of understory crops beneath the pines.
Turning south, stroll previous plenty of ferns earlier than a clearing the place the fence line and homes past are seen.
Northeast nook of the protectCurve previous the nook of the neighborhood, the path sticking near it to remain on excessive floor east of the preliminary moist prairie.
Changing into a broad path in an open understory, it clears the neighborhood by 3.4 miles. Head south alongside an isthmus of pine flatwoods between prairies.
Pine flatwoodsGoing through a closed car gate on the trailhead, bear proper on the blaze submit to comply with the slim footpath.
It reaches the Blue Heron Nature Path sidewalk. Flip left to exit, ending the hike after 3.6 miles.
Finishing the circuitPath Map
Discover Extra!
Video
Mountaineering Royal Palm Seaside Pines
Slideshow
See our images from Royal Palm Seaside Pines
Close by Adventures
Official Web site
Creator of over 40 books, Sandra Pal established FloridaHikes.com in 2006 to broaden on the sector analysis she’d accomplished for her first six mountain climbing guides. She has been honored with lifetime achievement awards from the Florida Path Affiliation and the Florida Outside Writers Affiliation.
