Upcoming Events

Need to Know
  • Fees: All programs are free with a valid entrance pass. Learn more about fees on our Visit Us page.
  • Reservations: Space may be limited and reservations may be required for some tours, please see the program descriptions for more information.
  • Cancellations: Some programs are subject to weather conditions and may be cancelled due to inclement weather.
  • Come Prepared: Always check the weather conditions before leaving home and dress appropriately for the day. This might include wearing a hat, sunglasses, long sleeves, long pants, and walking shoes. We recommend that you bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and insect repellent.
  • A parent or guardian must accompany all youth under the age of 18. All participants must come prepared to be good listeners, pay very close attention to the walk leader, stay with the group, and be respectful of wildlife and other visitors.
  • Trails. Trail surfaces are either mowed grass, shell-rock gravel, or a wooden boardwalk. Trails are mostly flat without steep inclines, but some trails have uneven surfaces and exposed roots. 
  • Note for large groups Please contact refuge staff at least one month in advance to make a reservation for guided tours of groups larger than five (5) individuals. Reservations allow staff to avoid conflicts between other groups and resource management activities, and to arrange logistics for those groups requesting services.

March 2024

Bioblitz "Picturesque Plants" All March

Get your iNaturalist on by downloading the free iNaturalist app! As Spring approaches, new plants bloom all over the Refuge. We need your help finding all the new blossoms! More information here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/picturesque-plants 

Birding on the Marsh Trail - Mondays at 7:30 am

Join a Refuge naturalist on a 1 mile walk around the Marsh Trail to look for birds. Meet at the Marsh Trail pavilion. This will be a slower paced hike on packed gravel and grass trails. Visitors are encouraged to bring your own binoculars and scopes, as well as wearing comfortable shoes and clothing. Pocket laminated fields guides will be available for borrow but are limited in quantity. 

Tram Tours - Monday to Friday at 10 am, 1 pm Tuesday (March 5, 19, 26), Wednesdays, Thursday (March 14), Fridays, Saturday March 9

Walking and biking are a great way to see the Refuge, but sit back and relax on this educational tour via tram! Each row seats three people, but the middle seat is very small. Unless you have a small person sitting between two people, we will seat you two to a row. The tram also has a running board approximately 6 inches off the ground, hand rails on the side of each bench, and a hand hold at the ceiling of the tram. Seats are not assigned with your reservation and we recommend arriving at least 10 minutes prior to the start of the tour. Tours are approximately 90 minutes long. Maximum number of passengers is 8 people. Reserve your spot(s) by calling the Visitor Center at 561-734-8303.

Cypress Swamp Boardwalk Tour - Saturdays (March 2, 9) and Sunday, March 3 at 11:00 am

Join us to learn about the plants and wildlife you might see along the Cypress Swamp Boardwalk. This guided walk will last about one-hour and the boardwalk is 0.4-miles. The boardwalk can be slippery after rain so please wear shoes with traction.

Basic Nature Photography - Friday, March 15 at 1:00 pm

Nature Photography has many areas of interest, macro, wildlife and scenic photography.  What is your interest?  Come and join Tom Wozniak to explore the how and why to make better Nature images. This is a beginner workshop in digital camera photography (not open to cell phone photographers) to help you understand how to use you camera equipment better. Please have basic knowledge of your camera’s functions and settings.  We will be discussing photo techniques, composition and camera functions and settings. Please bring your camera manual if you have one. Meet at the Visitor Center. Reservations are required 24 hours prior to the class by calling the Visitor Center at 561-734-8303. Class is limited to 5 participants and there are no walk-ins

Morning Photography Walking Tour – Sundays, 15 minutes after sunrise 

Grab your camera and join Peter and Lora Lekos for a guided walking tour to view and photograph wildlife in its natural settings. The walking tour is approximately two hours and participants should expect to walk 1-2 miles. Meet at the Marsh Trail Pavilion 15 minutes after sunrise. Space is limited and reservations are required - Call the Visitor Center at 561-734-8303.

Morning Photography Tram Tour –  Saturday, March 9 and Sundays, 15 minutes after sunrise 

If you love photography on the Refuge but sometimes find it difficult to walk so many miles to get the perfect shot, you should join Dr. Pete and Lora Lekos for a photography tram tour! Each row seats three people, but the middle seat is very small. Unless you have a small person sitting between two people, we will seat you two to a row. The tram also has a running board approximately 6 inches off the ground, hand rails on the side of each bench, and a hand hold at the ceiling of the tram. Seats are not assigned with your reservation and we recommend arriving at least 10 minutes prior to the start of the tour. Tours are approximately 90 minutes long. The tram can accommodate up to 8 people and reservations are required. The schedule for the upcoming month is always released on the first Wednesday of the month. Call the Visitor Center at 561-734-8303.

April 2024

Tram Tours - Monday to Friday at 10 am, 1 pm Tuesday (April 2, 16, 30), Wednesdays, Thursday (April 4, 18), 

Walking and biking are a great way to see the Refuge, but sit back and relax on this educational tour via tram! Each row seats three people, but the middle seat is very small. Unless you have a small person sitting between two people, we will seat you two to a row. The tram also has a running board approximately 6 inches off the ground, hand rails on the side of each bench, and a hand hold at the ceiling of the tram. Seats are not assigned with your reservation and we recommend arriving at least 10 minutes prior to the start of the tour. Tours are approximately 90 minutes long. Maximum number of passengers is 8 people. Reserve your spot(s) by calling the Visitor Center at 561-734-8303.

Morning Photography Walking Tour – Sundays, 15 minutes after sunrise 

Grab your camera and join Peter and Lora Lekos for a guided walking tour to view and photograph wildlife in its natural settings. The walking tour is approximately two hours and participants should expect to walk 1-2 miles. Meet at the Marsh Trail Pavilion 15 minutes after sunrise. Space is limited and reservations are required - Call the Visitor Center at 561-734-8303.

Morning Photography Tram Tour –  Sunday, April 7, 15 minutes after sunrise 

If you love photography on the Refuge but sometimes find it difficult to walk so many miles to get the perfect shot, you should join Dr. Pete and Lora Lekos for a photography tram tour! Each row seats three people, but the middle seat is very small. Unless you have a small person sitting between two people, we will seat you two to a row. The tram also has a running board approximately 6 inches off the ground, hand rails on the side of each bench, and a hand hold at the ceiling of the tram. Seats are not assigned with your reservation and we recommend arriving at least 10 minutes prior to the start of the tour. Tours are approximately 90 minutes long. The tram can accommodate up to 8 people and reservations are required. The schedule for the upcoming month is always released on the first Wednesday of the month. Call the Visitor Center at 561-734-8303.

Basic Nature Photography - Friday, April 19  at 1:00 pm

Nature Photography has many areas of interest, macro, wildlife and scenic photography.  What is your interest?  Come and join Tom Wozniak to explore the how and why to make better Nature images. This is a beginner workshop in digital camera photography (not open to cell phone photographers) to help you understand how to use you camera equipment better. Please have basic knowledge of your camera’s functions and settings.  We will be discussing photo techniques, composition and camera functions and settings. Please bring your camera manual if you have one. Meet at the Visitor Center. Reservations are required 24 hours prior to the class by calling the Visitor Center at 561-734-8303. Class is limited to 5 participants and there are no walk-ins