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Secret Woods Nature Center
Butterfly Island
One of the newest additions to Secret Woods is Butterfly Island, a 3,800-square-foot walk-through butterfly garden. There you will find more than 20 different species of plants that attract butterflies. The 250-foot path that winds through the garden has three benches along the way to sit and relax. Some of the butterflies commonly seen in Butterfly Island are the monarch, zebra longwing, cloudless sulphur, queen, gulf fritillary, giant swallowtail, and atala hairstreak.
Julia Assembly Hall
Julia Assembly Hall is 2,175 square feet of rustic charm. The interior has tongue-and-groove walls with exposed wood-beam ceilings. This room will comfortably seat as many as 75 guests at your choice of 60-inch round tables or 72-by-20-inch rectangular tables. It has a residential-type kitchen with two microwave ovens, a 24-cubic-foot refrigerator and a four-burner range with an oven. Adjacent to the hall is a wheelchair-accessible 2,400-square-foot open-air amphitheater, which will seat 100 persons along with six wheelchairs.
Included in the rental are the tables and chairs as well as use of the kitchen and the amphitheater. The hall is available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays, and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Rental times include setup and cleanup.
The rental fee for the hall is $700 for a 12-hour day. A fully refundable $200 cleanup/security deposit is also required.
For information call the park office at 954-791-1030.
Nature Trails
Secret Woods has two nature trails. The Laurel Oak Trail is a mulched trail that is 1,200 feet long. It has several seating areas along the way for you to stop and enjoy the natural beauty that surrounds you. The New River Trail consists of a boardwalk made almost entirely of recycled plastic lumber that winds its way out to the shore of the South Fork of the New River. It is 3,200 feet long and has several rest stops and observation points along the way.
Laurel Oak Trail
The Laurel Oak Trail is a 1,200-foot mulched nature trail that takes you from a hardwood hammock through a tidal marsh area and back. When you begin your walk along the Laurel Oak Trail, you are surrounded by laurel oaks, live oaks, sabal palms, wild coffee, green- and red-tipped cocoplum, beautyberry, and white stopper, to name just a few. As you continue down the trail, you will come to a series of four bridges that will carry you through a tidal marsh. There you will see plenty of leather ferns, pond apple trees, white mangroves, and a variety of palms. Along your walk you will see and hear a great many birds, squirrels, and a good variety of crabs and lizards. There are several seating areas along the way for stopping and enjoying your surroundings.
New River Trail
The New River Trail is a 3,200-foot boardwalk trail constructed almost entirely from recycled plastic lumber. It will take you through three different ecosystems. Your journey begins in a hardwood hammock where you are surrounded by native Florida vegetation such as laurel oak trees, sabal palms, white stopper, wild coffee, strangler figs, and cocoplum, to name just a few. As you get closer to the river, you will come to a tidal marsh area. The boardwalk will then rise above the water line, and you will be able to walk through a tidal marsh area that is completely under water during high tide. There you will see leather ferns, red and white mangroves, pond apple trees, and cypress trees.
Monarch Interpretive Center
The Monarch Interpretive Center is a 2,000-square-foot facility with many exhibits to be enjoyed by visitors of all ages. In the Center you will find a live, working bee hive. Watch as the bees make honey, keep the hive clean, and bring back pollen. You will also see a reptile habitat with snakes native to the area. We have three computer kiosks with many interactive programs that will teach you about plant, animal, and marine life, as well as weather and soil. On display are artifacts of Native Americans from this area, and a beautiful mural depicting Native Americans as they approach Stranahan House to trade their wares. The Monarch Interpretive Center has a video room where educational videos about the Everglades and Florida's flora and fauna can be viewed upon request. There are several hands-on activities for children to enjoy as well. The Center is open seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; admission is always free.
Swallowtail Classroom
The Swallowtail Classroom is our environmental education classroom. The environment comes indoors for an exceptional opportunity to learn about the flora and fauna in the area. This room is equipped with many different habitats with live native animal displays, as well as many examples of native plants and trees to further enhance the learning experience.
The Swallowtail Center can accommodate classes of up to 20 persons. Secret Woods staff can custom-tailor a lesson plan to meet the needs of most groups looking to learn more about the local environment.
For program information, fee schedules, and reservations call one of our park naturalists at 954-791-1030.
A little history...When the approximately 30 acres known as the Rebecca Cohen Subdivision were scheduled for rezoning to make way for a marina parking lot in 1971, there was an outcry from local citizens who wanted to preserve their "secret woods." The rezoning was canceled and the Nature Conservancy (a nonprofit organization) bought most of the property. Broward County made an agreement with the Nature Conservancy to purchase the land back within three years.
The County followed through in 1975, and over the next decade, purchased additional parcels of land while also receiving some donations, to bring the park to its current size of 56 acres. The nature center, the first in the County, was opened in 1978 and then designated as an Urban Wilderness Area by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners.
For more information, contact:
Secret Woods Nature Center
2701 W. State Rd. 84
Dania Beach, FL 33312
Office: 954-791-1030
Fax: 954-791-1092
SecretWoods@broward.org
We also invite you to visit our other Broward County Parks.
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