Hiking the barrier island nature trail - Blog

By:  BW Admin  (1/16/2022)

Date:  1/15/2022

This trail is listed on the All Trails website as "a 5.1 mile out and back trail located near Dania, Florida that offers the chance to see wildlife and is rated as moderate". On the Florida Hikes website this is listed as "an easy half-mile interpretive nature trail". After checking this out yesterday at this point I honestly still couldn't tell you what the hell this trail is supposed to be.

Hard to say where this officially starts, the instructions seem to be start walking North from the Dania Beach pier and stay to the left until you hit the trail. I did this and eventually found something resembling a trail after a few dead ends that ended at the creek. I didn't see any official mention of the trail on any signs or anything. Once on it it was mostly a sand path about 6 feet wide until you get to around the northern end of Whiskey Creek. From there I ended up walking mostly either along the beach or through Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park, and by this I mean walking through beach goers picnics and parking lots and so forth. I went as far as the northern jetty which seems to be the end according to all trails, but it was closed so I didn't quite reach the end.

When on the path it was mostly sand, hard packed in some places but as loose as on the beach in others. I switched between flip flops and bare feet depending on the terrain, calves were slightly sore at the end but nothing too bad. There are multiple public restrooms along the route.

The highlight was a massive bee hive hanging beside the southern section of the trail. I was walking when a voice from RIGHT BEHIND ME said "here take a picture of this" and tapped me on the shoulder to point out the hive. Scared the bejesus out of me, thought I was completely isolated, couldn't hear his bare feet on the sand behind me...

Not much more to say about this one, not too impressive overall. I would say if you are out for exercise do the whole thing, although it is pretty close to just walking on the beach. If you are in it for the nature aspect I would suggest taking the trail to where you get near the park, you will see boats to the left in the creek and picnic tables on the right, and then turn back.