Naval Parikh, MD, functions as the clinical site coordinator of Boca Raton, Florida-based NAPA Research, which he founded. In his spare time, Dr. Naval Parikh enjoys outdoor sports such as water skiing, kayaking, and hiking.
The Boca Raton area offers several enjoyable hiking trails for beginners and expert hikers alike. One of these is found at the Blazing Star Nature Preserve in the city. Named for the blazing star wildflowers sometimes said to be found within its borders, the preserve’s approximately 25 acres of pine scrublands and wetlands situated near Interstate 95 offer a mile of easy, looping trail that brings hikers close to the time-worn sand dunes found along Florida’s Atlantic Coastal Ridge.
Daggerwing Nature Center in South County Regional Park provides Boca Raton hikers another distinctive experience. It’s easy to follow the boardwalk behind the center and go down a half-mile-long trail to enter a tropical world and walk among old-growth trees. The park is filled with wildlife, including the ruddy daggerwing butterfly, for which it is named.
At just under half a mile, the hiking trails through the Crystal Lake Natural Area in nearby Pompano Beach take visitors through a relatively small forest filled with sand pines, sand live oak, and other trees and scrub. This wooded area is close to urban spaces, but the walk along two short, easy trails can bring a pleasant feeling of tranquility.
