Grassy Waters Preserve
Managed by City of West Palm Beach
12,995 acres15.5 mi of trail
Owahee TrailHog Hammock TrailPromontory TrailCypress Boardwalk+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Alfred J. Comeau House · Photo: Ebyabe · CC BY-SA 3.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in West Palm Beach
45% of West Palm Beach’s land is conserved: 15,390 acres
15,718 acres are parks and preserves, 129 per 1,000 residents. 59 miles of mapped trail cross West Palm Beach, 1.1 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Grassy Waters Preserve (15.5 mi), Torquise Necklace Greenway, M-Canal (4.2 mi), SWA Greenway Trail System (3.7 mi).
Ahead of 96% of U.S. towns · #12 of 638 in Florida. What drives it
Conserved land
45%
15,390 acres · of 53.9 sq mi of land
Trails
59 mi
1.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
15,718 ac
129 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
87%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
40 mi
16 mi lanes · 21 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
5
3 beaches · 1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is West Palm Beach?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does West Palm Beach have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, West Palm Beach is ahead of 96% of U.S. towns, #12 of 638 in Florida. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; conserved land ranks highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of West Palm Beach’s overall grade.
Conserved land45% of the land · typical FL town 3% · U.S. 4%A+Trails1.1 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (59 mi) · FL 0.4 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land129 acres of park per 1,000 residents (15,718 acres) · FL 6 · U.S. 13AParks close to home87% of residents within a half mile of a park · FL 70% · U.S. 72%B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 96%
LessMore
Florida towns of 2,500+ (638)Ahead of 98%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, West Palm Beach ranks #25 on Outdoors.
Water is 7% of West Palm Beach’s area (4 of 58 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 42%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Grassy Waters Preserve, with 15.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Torquise Necklace Greenway, M-Canal
Park
262 acres4.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
SWA Greenway Trail System
Nature preserve
471 acres3.7 mi of trail
SWA TrailsOwahee Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Bill Moss Hillcrest Park
Park
13 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 42 parks & preserves
Grassy Waters Preserve12,995 acres · 15.5 mi of trail · City of West Palm Beach
DirectionsTorquise Necklace Greenway, M-Canal262 acres · 4.2 mi of trail
DirectionsSWA Greenway Trail System471 acres · 3.7 mi of trail
DirectionsGaines Park54 acres · 1.9 mi of trail
DirectionsHoward Park27 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
DirectionsPhipps Park25 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsBill Moss Hillcrest Park13 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsDyer Park11 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsWinding Waters Natural Area554 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsSouth Olive Park12 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Mary Brandon Park8 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsEcho Lake Park5 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Coleman Park5 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Osprey Park4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Chillingworth Park3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Nancy M. Graham Centennial Square3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsDreher Park North80 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsGateway Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsMeyer Amphitheatre3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsRoebuck Greenway3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Vedado Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Flamingo Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsFogleman Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Jose Marti Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBrian H. Chappell Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Forest Hill Greenway1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Torquise Necklace Greenway52 acres
DirectionsDreher Park South40 acres
DirectionsCurrie Park18 acres
DirectionsLincoln Park13 acres
DirectionsPond Cypress Natural Area6 acres · Palm Beach County Dept. of Environmental Resources Mgmt.
Stub Canal Preserve6 acres
DirectionsQuadrille Linear Park and Greenway6 acres
DirectionsGrassy Waters Preserve North Trails5 acres
DirectionsHistoric Flagler Station Preserve (Town of Palm Beach)4 acres
DirectionsPalmetto Park2 acres
Stub Canal Park (Palm Beach County)1 acres
Norton Gallery Park1 acres
DirectionsGeorge Petty Park1 acres
Grassy Waters Preserve Main Entrance1 acres
DirectionsMonceaux Park1 acres
Palm Beach Post Centennial Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
15,390 conserved acres
45% of West Palm Beach’s land. Water is left out: West Palm Beach has 53.9 square miles of land and 4.2 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages West Palm Beach’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city14,825 ac
County564 ac
Local Conservation Area · 13,583 acLocal Park · 1,797 acLocal Other or Unknown · 5 acLocal Historic or Cultural Area · 4 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 47 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grassy Waters Preserve Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 13,031 | Open |
| Apoxee Park Local Park | Town or city | 1,446 | Open |
| Winding Waters Natural Area Local Conservation Area | County | 547 | Open |
| Dreher Park Local Park | Town or city | 122 | Open |
| Gaines Park Local Park | Town or city | 56 | Open |
| Howard Park Local Park | Town or city | 33 | Open |
| Phipps Park Local Park | Town or city | 25 | Open |
| Currie Park Local Park | Town or city | 15 | Open |
| Bill Moss- Hillcrest Paseo Local Park | Town or city | 13 | Open |
| South Olive Park Local Park | Town or city | 12 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
31 places to go in West Palm Beach
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in West Palm Beach
Summa Beach
DirectionsPlus 2 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in West Palm Beach
20 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks in West Palm Beach
BRK Republic
DirectionsCity Paws Dog ParkIn Howard Park
DirectionsMary Brandon Dog ParkIn Mary Brandon Park
DirectionsRoyal Sain3t George Dog Park
DirectionsBoat launches in West Palm Beach
Boat Ramp SlipwayIn Stub Canal Park (Palm Beach County)
DirectionsScenic views in West Palm Beach
2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Disc golf in West Palm Beach
Dreher Park DGCIn Dreher Park North
DirectionsTrails & water
9 named trails and 5 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 14.3 miUnpaved · 15.1 mi
Owahee Trail7.2 mi
Apoxee Trail2.1 mi
SWA Trails2.0 mi
Hog Hammock Trail1.7 mi
Promontory Trail1.1 mi
Cypress Boardwalk0.6 mi
Eagle Trail0.6 mi
Roebuck Greenway0.5 mi
Stub Canal Greenway0.4 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
40 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
16 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
21 mi
off-road bike paths
3.4 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Owahee TrailBike route
16.8 miTurquoise NecklaceBike route
6.3 miChain of Lakes GreenwayBike route
0.4 miCourts & fields
89Tennis
44Basketball
36Baseball
13Soccer
4Beach volleyball
4Pickleball
3Softball
3Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →29 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 2 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Seaboard Coastline Railroad Passenger StationBuilding · listed 1973
About itMickens HouseBuilding · listed 1985
About itOld Palm Beach Junior College BuildingBuilding · listed 1991
About itNorthwest Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1992
About itWest Palm Beach National Guard Armory, OldBuilding · listed 1992
About itPalm Beach Mercantile CompanyBuilding · listed 1994
About itNorthwood, Old, Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1994
About itHatch's Department StoreBuilding · listed 1994
About itEl Cid Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1995
About itClifton Rice HouseBuilding · listed 1996
About itComeau BuildingBuilding · listed 1996
About itProfessional BuildingBuilding · listed 1996
About it17 more on the History page.
When to get out
April is the best month for walking in West Palm Beach
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.6 | 11.2 | 11.9 | 12.8 | 13.4 | 13.8 | 13.7 | 13.1 | 12.3 | 11.5 | 10.8 | 10.5 |
| High (°F) | 75 | 78 | 80 | 84 | 87 | 90 | 91 | 91 | 89 | 86 | 81 | 77 |
| Rain (in) | 2.8 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 4.9 | 8.4 | 6.1 | 8.0 | 8.1 | 5.9 | 3.3 | 2.8 |
February is the driest month (2.6 in) and August the warmest (highs of 91 °F). 8.4 inches fall in June, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 91 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in West Palm Beach →
Next door
West Palm Beach and its neighbors
West Palm Beach has the second most mapped trails of the 6 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Palm Beach Gardens123 miWest Palm Beach59 miPalm Beach12 miRiviera Beach3.2 miLake Worth Beach2.4 miLake Clarke Shores0.6 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Palm Beach | 45% | 1.1 | 129 | 87% | A+ |
| Riviera Beach | 2% | 0.4 | 3 | 85% | B− |
| Palm Beach Gardens | 44% | 2.1 | 233 | 67% | A+ |
| Palm Beach | 3% | 3.1 | 8 | 78% | B+ |
| Lake Clarke Shores | 2% | 0.7 | 3 | 61% | C+ |
| Lake Worth Beach | 6% | 0.4 | 5 | 95% | B |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in West Palm Beach
Where can I hike in West Palm Beach?
The longest trail networks: Grassy Waters Preserve, 15.5 miles; Torquise Necklace Greenway, M-Canal, 4.2 miles; SWA Greenway Trail System, 3.7 miles; Gaines Park, 1.9 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of West Palm Beach is conserved land?
45% of its land, against a typical 3% for a Florida town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on West Palm Beach’s trails?
Grassy Waters Preserve and Torquise Necklace Greenway, M-Canal don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in West Palm Beach?
40 miles of bike routes are on the map: 16 of painted or protected lanes, 21 of off-road paths and 3.4 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: Owahee Trail, Turquoise Necklace and Chain of Lakes Greenway.
Is there public land near West Palm Beach?
55,522 acres of parks and open public land lie inside West Palm Beach or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 15,718 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does West Palm Beach have?
Ahead of 96% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #12 of 638 in Florida. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from West Palm Beach neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →