Q: I used to like the Secret Woods Nature Center … It was free and an easy hike. There was also a small, interesting nature museum. Due to osteoarthritis, I am confined to a walker and wheelchair and had to sell my car, so I am no longer able to do the nature trails. I have seen some nature areas in Florida transferred to private property and built up with tacky condos or apartment buildings, so was hoping Secret Woods was still there and free, as it was in the past. Is it still open to the public? — Earl Rodney, Pembroke Pines
A: Earl, I’m so sorry to hear about your arthritis and your difficulty getting around. But if you can get a ride to Secret Woods, it is still there and remains a little preservation oasis on the New River, at 2701 W. State Road 84, Dania Beach, wedged into the northwest corner of Interstates 95 and 595, right near Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
Its oak tree- and mangrove-filled trails and boardwalk are open and are getting a healthy amount of traffic from nature lovers. The 57-acre site is a treasure, designated by Broward County as an “Urban Wilderness Area,” meaning it’s a protected enclave. Visitors can see an assortment of wildlife, including land crabs, cormorants, red-bellied woodpeckers and endangered monarch butterflies.
David Schutz / South Florida Sun Sentinel
Got a question about life in South Florida? Send to Lois at AskLois@sunsentinel.com. (David Schutz/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Unfortunately, this designation did not save Secret Woods from Broward’s devastating flooding in April 2023. Torrential rains dumped 26 inches in about 24 hours, causing more than $100 million in damage, not to mention hundreds of temporary and permanent layoffs at businesses.
Parks Superintendent Chris Deal told me the rains ruined Secret Woods’ buildings, and they will remain closed indefinitely. That includes the beloved nature center; Deal said a temporary office and restroom building have been installed in the interim.
Secret Woods was the only Broward park to sustain such catastrophic scarring, Deal said.
“Due to the natural low elevation of the area, every building and many of the amenities on site experienced water and subsequent mold damage,” Deal said.
Broward has applied for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) money to renovate the buildings and reduce the chance of future flood damage. There have been many visits to the site by government officials, but, no surprise, it’s taking years to get the money to rebuild.
The main building at Secret Woods Nature Center in Dania Beach is closed for renovations. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
“Although we believe this is a necessary and critical step to prevent future flood damage and ensure that Secret Woods Nature Center remains the county gem that it is, this process has required that the buildings on site remain closed,” Deal said.
Deal said the parking lot and boardwalk are compliant with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, so you should still be able to take in the scenery from your walker or wheelchair.
“There are some sections of the nature trail that have a wood chip base and, therefore, may be tough to navigate with a walker. However, overall, he should be able to make his way around the site,” Deal said.
Parks staffers are still working and offering environmental education programs, Deal said. And they are still answering the phone; the number is 954-357-8884.
Got a question about life in South Florida? Send to Lois at AskLois@sunsentinel.com for possible publication.
Tim and Rosemary Fitzgerald, visiting from Canada, walk a trail at Secret Woods Nature Center in Dania Beach on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Entrance for Secret Woods Nature Center in Dania Beach, as seen on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)