Environmental Resources Management: Natural Areas https://discover.pbc.gov/erm/NaturalAreas/Forms/AllPages.aspx RSS feed for the Natural Areas list. Tue, 28 Apr 2026 09:00:27 GMT Microsoft SharePoint Foundation RSS Generator 60 en-US Environmental Resources Management: Natural Areas https://discover.pbc.gov/erm/_layouts/15/images/siteIcon.png https://discover.pbc.gov/erm/NaturalAreas/Forms/AllPages.aspx Lake-Okeechobee-Connector https://discover.pbc.gov/erm/NaturalAreas/Lake-Okeechobee-Connector.aspx Category: Public
Location: Lake Okeechobee
Title: Lake Okeechobee Connector
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​​​​The parking lot will be closed until further notice while construction is done to widen Highway 98.  

​​ Lake Okeechobee Connector

West side of Highway 98, one-half mile south of the Martin / Palm Beach County line

Picture showing the trailhead at Lake Okeechobee Connector 

Greenway connection for part of the 1,300 mile long Florida National Scenic Trail 

 

At a Glance     

Connecting lands for long-distance hiking 

At 8 acres, this small site will provide passage for hikers from DuPuis Management Area to Lake Okeechobee while hiking on the Ocean to Lake Trail, connecting it to the larger Florida National Scenic Trail.   

Features

  • Important connection between the Ocean to Lake Trail and the Florida Trail
  • Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail Trailhead (LOST)
    • Trailer Parking, Bicycle Rack, Information Kiosk, Fenced Corral, Nonpotable Water Pump
  • Part of the Jeaga Wildways.
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​ External Links 

Ocean to Lake Trail  (Florida Trail Association)

Florida National Scenic Trail

 

 

]]> System Account Fri, 17 Jun 2016 16:32:19 GMT https://discover.pbc.gov/erm/NaturalAreas/Lake-Okeechobee-Connector.aspx Pawpaw https://discover.pbc.gov/erm/NaturalAreas/Pawpaw.aspx Category: Non-Public
Location: Palm Beach Gardens
Title: Pawpaw
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​ Pawpaw Preserve

East side of Ellison Wilson Road, approximately 0.1 mile north of PGA Boulevard

Close up picture of a four-petaled pawpaw flower in bloom at Pawpaw Natural Area  

Be on the lookout for the endangered four-petaled pawpaw

At a Glance     

Home to a rare plant, found nowhere else on earth

At 3 acres in size, Palm Beach County's smallest natural area is a really big deal.  Several four-petaled pawpaw plants have made their homes here in the scrub habitat.  This plant is ranked endangered both by the state of Florida and the United States Federal Government because it only grows in Palm Beach and Martin Counties - nowhere else in the world!  

Features

  • 44 species of native South Florida plants
    including listed species Fourpetal pawpaw, Shell-mound pricklypear, and West Indian mahogany
  • 62 species of native South Florida animals
    including listed species Gopher tortoise, Red widow spider

Before You Go 

This site is limited to pedestrian traffic only to protect endangered species that live here.

There is no on-site parking.​​ The closest public parking is 0.5 miles north at Juno Park, 2090 Ellison Wilson Road, North Palm Beach.


 Links 

Photos 

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