Practice The Art of Silence & Watch!

Tree tops park: Is An oasis of ancient live oaks, tropical hammocks, and wetlands covering more than 140 acres in Davie, Tree Tops Park is a success story for conservation, as this former dairy farm was once slated to become a golf community before Broward County protected it for its residents in 1980. In addition to its walking trails amid the beautiful oak canopy, this extensive park is also home to equestrian and canoe trails and connects directly to Pine Island Ridge Natural Area. The trail drops down to skirt the edge of a wetland area, where you hear the chirps of crickets and frogs. When you reach the paved trail, keep going—it leads to the start of the marsh boardwalk. The marsh is a shallow wetland, reminiscent of the Everglades habitats that used to surround these rocky ridges. Swamp lilies rise from mats of purple pickerelweed, and duck potato waves in the breeze. Sawgrass and giant leather ferns lend a primeval feel. Turn right at the T to walk down to the end of the boardwalk. Lance-leaved arrowhead surrounds a small tree island, while alligator flag grows from the deeper water. The boardwalk ends at an observation platform with benches, a great place to watch for alligators and wading birds.go up the ramp beneath the fig, entering a scene straight from Swiss Family Robinson as you climb up the tall tower into the canopy. Although the tower isn’t tall enough to let you look over the canopy, the view from within is beautiful, as you can look into the canopy and see butterfly orchids, wild pine, and resurrection fern in the limbs of the ancient live oaks. As you come down the staircase, notice the other crumbling ruins of the farm being eaten up by the vegetation around you, a concrete slab and stairs vanishing under the waves of green. At the bottom of the tower, take a right down the short set of stairs and turn right. At the T intersection with the paved trail, turn left. At the next T, turn right as the trail winds past a bench and through a grove of oaks. Where the paved trail loops back on itself, turn right to follow the footpath into the oak forest, brushing by indigoberry and wild coffee as you come up to another trail junction. To the right is a dense thicket. Turn left. Emerging at an open spot, you see the park road and pavilions to the right. At the trail intersection, continue straight, and you meet up with the paved trail again. Make a quick right, then a left to get back on the natural footpath through the forest.