Please call the nature center office at 954-357-5161 x 0 or e-mail at WestLakePark@Broward.org if additional information is needed. Visit www.broward.org/parks for all Broward County Parks updates.
The People who volunteer at the Anne Kolb Nature Center are known as the Friends of Anne Kolb.
Anne Kolb was an active environmentalist and instrumental in saving the park’s coastal mangrove wetland from development.
The nature center hosts an exhibit hall with both interactive and static displays as well as being surrounded by 3 miles of nature trails and a five level 68 foot observation tower.
For more information about the Nature Center:
Wi-Fi is available in the Mangrove Hall.
When the Anne Kolb Nature Center opened on February 10, 1996, it was the culmination of a lengthy process that involved many years of planning and development. Today, the nature center complex is a 1,501-acre coastal mangrove wetland that’s home to a wide variety of plants and animals, including some threatened and endangered species. Five extensive boat trails offer access to this wilderness area for sightseeing and fishing (no boats that use fossil fuels are allowed). Trail maps are available at the visitor center. The nature center is part of the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail.
- Exhibit Hall featuring new turtle and manatee displays
A rotating display of nature-themed works by local artists and photographers. Artists interested in displaying their work can contact the park at 954-357-5161. - There is now Wi-Fi in the Exhibit Hall
- Mangrove Hall: This 3,304-square-foot banquet hall (160 capacity) is popular for weddings and receptions, bar and bat mitzvahs, anniversary celebrations, corporate meetings, and other group functions.
- Amphitheater: This 200-seat outdoor area
- Observation Tower: 68-foot, five-level structure for spectacular views of the
mangrove estuary, West Lake, the Intracoastal Waterway, and the Atlantic Ocean. - Lake Trail: A 0.2-mile trail leading to a covered area with a breathtaking view of West Lake.
- Fishing Pier Trail: This 783-foot trail leads to two prime fishing spots along the Intracoastal Waterway. Catch-and-release is encouraged, and all state fishing regulations apply.
- Mud Flat Trail: A 0.3-mile trail that includes prime spots for viewing resident and migratory birds feeding and resting.
- South Trail: This 2.3-mile gravel trail, accessible from the north side of the park, meanders through mangroves and is popular with walkers and bicyclists.
- Public Art and Design: The plaza flanked by the exhibit hall building, the Mangrove Hall, and the visitor center includes Miami-based artist Christine Federighi’s Mangrove Root Benches – half a dozen benches
- Geocaching: Geocaching is a worldwide treasure hunt using Global Positioning System (GPS) devices.
- Pets: No pets are allowed within the nature center’s boundaries.
- Broward County Transit: The nature center is accessible via Route #12.
A Little History: The nature center was named for the late County Commissioner Anne Kolb, a former award-winning journalist who in 1974 had become the first woman elected to the Broward County Commission. Before her death in July 1981, Kolb had been an active environmentalist with major accomplishments: leading the fight for the 1977 Land Use Plan; helping pass a platting ordinance that tightened government control over future development; directing a successful campaign to place a building moratorium on 61,000 acres in southeast Broward; and persuading the Commission to approve an Urban Wilderness Park System to preserve endangered lands for future generations. She was also instrumental in saving her namesake park’s coastal mangrove wetland from development. Kolb’s efforts paid off, and in 1990 the acquisition and plans for the preservation, enhancement, and public accessibility of West Lake received the prestigious Take Pride in America Award, which was presented in a ceremony at the White House Rose Garden. (Photo courtesy of the Broward County Historical Commission.)