Fern Forest Nature Center is a delightful 247-acre nature preserve that was opened to the public in 1985, showcasing one of South Florida's finest collections of preserved native plants. The designated Urban Wilderness Area dates back to the turn of the 20th century, when it was named Cypress Creek Hammock and designated to protect state farmlands. In 1979, the site was surveyed by scientists from Florida Atlantic University and redesignated under its current name to protect more than 200 species of native Florida plants. Today, it is home to over 30 species of native ferns, including the endangered primitive whisk fern.

Visitors can explore interpretive exhibits at the park's nature center, which also offers extensive indoor and outdoor special event rental facilities. Outside, the mile-long Prairie Overlook Trail offers a 20-foot observation platform, while the ADA-accessible Cypress Creek Trail meanders along a boardwalk within a hardwood hammock and maple and cypress forest. Other attractions include a Sensory Garden Trail, a Maple Walk, and the Fern Lore Garden sculpture by artist Jerome Meadows.

201 S Lyons Rd, Coconut Creek, FL 33063, Phone: 954-357-5198

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