Photo Tour: Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
An urban oasis nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway.

 

This would be the second time on my trip that I was cursing myself for not bringing my wallet with me, while praying to God that Hugh Taylor Birch State Park took tap-to-pay at their main entrance and it wasn’t one of those parks where they asked you to leave cash in an envelope. I respect the honor system too much and wasn’t going to go in unless I could pay the $2 pedestrian fee.

Of course, if I had paid more attention, I would have realized I could’ve paid for my day pass on the Florida Parks website, but I digress. 

And as luck would have it, as I approached the main entrance, I could make out the manned booth, which at the very least meant being able to ask what my payment options were. 

Tap-to-pay it was.

Park map in hand, I planned my route through the 2.5-mile unpaved loop, which intersected a few times with the bicycle, car, and skate-accessible drive. The unpaved loop includes a few offshoots into other points of interest in the park such as the visitor center, the garden center, the restaurant, beach access, the youth camp areas, the butterfly garden, the picnic areas, and most importantly for me, the mangrove habitat.

At my normal pace of 20 minutes per mile, it would have taken me a little less than an hour to complete the loop. But once photo stops and genuine enjoyment of the park were factored in, I was pretty sure it would take me somewhere between 2 and 3 hours.

I took a slight right at the Baby Tortoise Crossing sign and took a small detour down to the visitor center, Terramar, which used to be Hugh Taylor Birch’s home. Now, it contains displays on the history of the area and its unique ecosystem. Unfortunately for me, it was closed today.

A few steps down the same path is The Grill at the Grove. This space was equal parts souvenir store, bar, and outdoor lounge area. The park runs somewhat parallel to the Intracoastal Waterway and Ft. Lauderdale Beach, which you can access from the Beach Gate at the back end of this area.

If you intend to kayak or paddleboard, the Boathouse slightly north of here is where you could rent those and launch off into Lake Helen.

But since I’m not doing any of that, onward! 

(This would also be the place where you’d want to start the Mid Trail Audio Tour if that’s your thing)

Back in the day, there used to be a narrow-gauge train that took passengers around the park, complete with an audio tour. 

All that remains nowadays is a trestle that crosses one of the lakes, peeking out at those that venture a tiny bit off the path.

Speaking of which, as I slide down a muddy path in an attempt to get closer to the water, I can hear the laughs and the swishing of paddles making their way down the lake. 

Is this what a crocodile feels like? Unseen, tucked under the cover of mangrove roots and hazy waters?

At every turn, roots bent, twisted. Fallen over but always reaching. To the sky, to me.

A skeleton key, reclaimed by the stories it was meant to unlock.

The butterfly garden is mostly quiet, except for the creak of the wood under my feet. 

A meditation garden and picnic area signals my turnaround point.

A horde of jet skis rips through the Intracoastal Waterway before slowing down as they approach the docks.

The water taxi that stops here would have been the easiest, nicest, and fastest way to get to the Riverwalk. So naturally, I chose to keep walking.

And thank God I did, because I got to see the mangroves up close:

With more time/a better plan, a visit to Bonnet House Museum & Gardens next door would have been the perfect way to round out the day. But for now, I’d be heading to the Riverwalk.

 

Hugh Taylor Birch State Park is located at 3109 E Sunrise Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL, an open 365 days a year from 8am to sunset.