Loxahatchee Group - Fran Reich Preserve: Hidden Wildness Hike (~3 miles) Register

Date and Time:
Sun, Feb 22, 2026; 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM  (Eastern)

Organized By: Loxahatchee Group

Location: 14795 Loxahatchee Rd, Pompano Beach, FL 33076, USA

Map | Directions

Join us for a slow, ~ 3 miles exploratory hike through Fran Reich Preserve — a small but surprisingly wild pocket tucked between development and the vast Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. This outing is less about distance and more about noticing what often goes unseen.

We’ll move at an unhurried pace, pausing to observe the preserve’s subtle stories: animal tracks and scat, deer paths, burrows, feathers, seasonal plants, and the shifting signs of wildlife that use this area as a corridor between habitats. On past visits we’ve encountered meadowlarks, owls, wading birds, dragonflies, and clear evidence of mammals moving through — and every walk here reveals something different.

This is a place where quiet moments matter. Expect time to look closely, ask questions, and simply experience the calm of a landscape most people pass without realizing it’s there.

Trail Conditions (please read carefully)

Fran Reich is beautiful and rugged. Participants should be comfortable with uneven terrain and changing conditions, including:

• Lightly graveled trail sections
• Old, uneven, broken hardpan (weathered blacktop with shell fragments)
• Dirt trails with exposed roots
• A deep ditch crossing with running water
• Muddy stretches
• Occasional standing water (up to ~5 inches, depending on recent rain)
• Short sections of thick weeds/brush

Each visit to Fran Reich feels different depending on recent rain, light, and what’s moving through.

And yes, there may be a peaceful surprise or two along the route.

Level: Moderate

Cost: Free

Bring: Waterproof hiking shoes or boots and long pants are recommended. A walking stick is helpful for the uneven terrain.

Additional Directions: There is no dedicated parking for Fran Reich Preserve. To reach it, take Loxahatchee Road in Broward County all the way west until the road dead-ends at the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge entrance. If you don't have an NWR pass, turn left just before the refuge gate and park in the open area between the levee road and the water. We will meet just to the right of the Loxahatchee NWR entrance gate.

Cancellation Policy: Steady rain cancels