Really Florida!

There’s a wildlife preserve that’s unknown to most South Florida residents. In fact, I’d say that even most people living within 10 miles of it don’t know it’s there! Which one is it? The J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area in Loxahatchee.

Now I want to qualify my statement a little. Anyone who travels on Northlake Boulevard west of the Beeline has seen a sign for J.W. Corbett. However, that sign does not mark the entrance to J.W. Corbett (that would be too easy). The sign is just more-less stating, “oh by the way, there’s a wildlife management area around here”.

To get to the wildlife area’s entrance, you have to take a little trip into the back of beyond. Well, it feels like that at any rate, and I live around here! Take Northlake west until it dead-ends on Seminole Pratt-Whitney and turn right; you’ll end up on a dirt road.

A few miles down the road (and it’s thankfully graded fairly well) you’ll see a sign for the Everglades Youth Camp on the right, and J.W. Corbett on the left.

You need to pay an honor fee to get into the preserve, and there’s a little house/store on your left where you can buy a map…and a hunting permit (yikes!). Yes, there is hunting in J.W. Corbett in season, but you should be fine as long as you stay on the trail and boardwalk area.

When I was there last, there was not a soul around. No cars in the parking area. No (human) footprints anywhere. No voices, no nothing.

Just David, me and the wildlife.

There was definitely wildlife, although we didn’t see much aside from raccoons and hawks. However, there were tons of deer tracks and signs of feral hogs rooting around. I can see why they allow hunting — it looked like there had been a deer and hog convention out there!

A portion of the Florida Trail also cuts through J.W. Corbett, and the trail head is in the parking area.

I’ll write up more later, but for the time being I thought I’d leave you with a photo, taken at J.W. Corbett. More info and pictures from the trail and boardwalk to come!