Enchanted Forest Elaine Gordon Park
Rate this placeNearby: Arch Creek Park Keystone Point Park
Last Updated: December 5, 2025
Enchanted Forest Elaine Gordon Park, located in the state of Florida, is a beautiful natural park that offers various activities to visitors.
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Summary
Some good reasons to visit are its lush and serene atmosphere, a variety of wildlife, and several recreational activities such as hiking, biking, and picnicking. The park also offers a unique sensory garden, which is a therapeutic garden designed to stimulate the senses of sight, smell, touch, and sound.
One of the most popular points of interest in the park is the Butterfly Garden. It is a habitat for various species of butterflies, including the Monarch, Gulf Fritillary, and Zebra Longwing. Visitors can watch the butterflies flutter around and learn about their life cycle and importance to the ecosystem.
Another attraction in the park is the boardwalk that winds through a cypress swamp. The boardwalk offers a unique opportunity to observe wildlife in their natural habitat, including turtles, alligators, and a variety of bird species.
Interesting facts about the park include that it was named after Elaine Gordon, a former Miami-Dade County commissioner who was a champion of the environment and helped preserve the park from development. The park is also home to the largest living Mahogany tree in the United States.
The best time of year to visit Enchanted Forest Elaine Gordon Park is during the cooler months of October through April. The weather is mild, and the park is less crowded during this time. Visitors should bring sunscreen, insect repellent, and comfortable walking shoes when visiting the park.
Overall, Enchanted Forest Elaine Gordon Park is a beautiful and unique natural attraction in Florida that offers something for visitors of all ages and interests.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
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