Brownville Park

Two trails at this small rural park lead you through floodplain forest and hardwood hammocks along the Peace River. The short nature trail in the southwest corner of the park begins at the campground; walk south along the river and an idyllic, cypress-lined stream in search of songbirds, dragonflies and butterflies. A longer trail system north of the campground meanders along the river, the northern boundary and back through the wooded interior of the park, where woodpeckers, Barred Owl, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and Eastern Towhee occur all year. Spring and fall bring migrants like Blackburnian Warbler; watch for skulkers like Ovenbird and Gray Catbird in winter. Osprey, Bald Eagle and Swallow-tailed Kite travel along the river corridor, so don’t forgot to look up now and then. Mornings and evenings are good times to spot mammals such as Bobcat, Marsh Rabbit, Northern River Otter and Northern Raccoon. Butterflies such as Queen, Monarch and Gulf Fritillary are quite common. A boat ramp enables visitors to venture north or south of the park where paddlers may encounter egrets, herons and ibises. Fossil hunters and airboats are sometimes present on the river.