Oleta River State Park: Miami when it was wild

With more than 1,000 acres just 30 minutes from downtown Miami, Oleta River State Park is the state’s largest urban park.

It’s located on the west side of the Intracoastal Waterway – 3400 N.E. 163rd St., North Miami Beach – featuring 14 miles of trails winding though mangrove forests. Egrets and herons soar above, and the park’s namesake river is also where dolphins and manatees come to play.

A beach offers a view of the world-famous Biscayne Bay. A butterfly garden attracts winged wonders all year round. And the park is a stop along the 1,515-mile Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail.

– Anne Geggis, Florida Politics, The South FL 100