Yamato Scrub - Nice Trails Close to Home

We are fortunate here in Boca Raton, that when the city was being developed, there was some visionary person (or persons) looking out for the preservation of our natural landscape.  The city has more beach property that is public than most other Florida coastal cities, with Spanish River Park, Red Reef Park and the South Beach Pavilion providing two miles of beautiful lifeguard-protected beach for our use. 

The Yamato Scrub Natural Area is another treasure that has been kept undeveloped for years and, as part of the Conservation and Recreational Lands Preservation 2000 Project, is now open to the public.  The habitat encompasses 217 acres of flatwoods with slash pines and saw palmettos, a scrub community of sand pines, and a 10-acre wetland area, with 2.8 miles of trails throughout the area.

You may come across some of our protected plant and animal species--the airplant Spanish moss, the gopher tortoise and the scrub lizard.  Animal life you may see include birds such as the red-bellied woodpecker, the northern cardinal, the mottled duck, osprey, or the red-tailed hawk; and reptiles such as the rough green snake or the eastern racer, the green anole or the six-lined racerunner; and of course raccoons and squirrels.  Besides the soft sand and pine needle trails, there is a short paved nature trail for the less adventuresome. 

There is parking and entry into the preserve just off Clint Moore Road south of Congress Ave, or you can bike on the El Rio Trail to entry just north of Clint Moore.