The Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers at
Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee Nat'l Wildlife Refuge
10216 Lee Road
Boynton Beach, FL 33473
November 16, 2016

(visit 2 of 3) - see links at the bottom of this page for the other visits

USA map showing location of Florida
Florida map showing location of Loxahatchee

history bookThe Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge is a 147,392-acre wildlife sanctuary located west of Boynton Beach, in Palm Beach County, Florida. It includes the most northern remnant of the historic Everglades wetland ecosystem. The refuge was established in 1951 under the authority of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act and is managed through a license agreement between the South Florida Water Management District and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The refuge contains one of three water conservation areas (WCA's) in south Florida and is maintained to provide water storage and flood control, as well as habitat for native fish and wildlife populations. Water is regulated by a series of pumps, canals, water control structures, and levees built by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Loxahatchee NWR is one of over 500 national wildlife refuges located throughout the United States. The refuge not only preserves and protects native wildlife, but also offers compatible public recreational and educational opportunities including walking trails, a canoe trail, bike trail, boat ramps, fishing platform, observation towers, and a visitor center. It is home to American alligator, the endangered snail kite, and as many as 257 species of birds. As such, it has been designated a 'gateway site' for the Great Florida Birding Trail.

Loxahatchee sign

Below: The two RV Gypsies rented a convertible so Karen Duquette took photos through the sunroof of the many birds on the overhead wires.

birds on a wire birds on a wire

Note: in 2012 Karen Duquette and her friend Monica Ekedahl visited Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge and saw a really big alligator. So Karen took Lee Duquette here in 2016 to see the alligators. First they went into the Visitor Center and took photos of some signs about alligators. (The Visitor Center was closed when Karen and Monica came here.)

alligator and crocodile sign Alligator facts sign
alligator has up to 80 teeth
sign about alligator's toes lifespan of an alligator info
sign about alligators temperature sign about gator holes

Below: The two RV Gypsies walked several trails and areas, but they did not see any alligators on this date, which is unusual for this area. If you wish to see the big alligator from the 2012 trip, click here, but be sure to return to this page afterwards because there are some really nice photos below, plus a link to a lot more areas in Florida at the bottom of this page.

the boardwalk the waterway

Below: A turtle in the water

Below: Beautiful scenery

turtle in the water beautiful scenery

Below: Birds in Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge

bird bird
bird bird
bird flying away bird in water

Below: Butterflies

Butterflies Butterflies
Butterflies scenery in Loxahatcheee National Wildlife Refuge
scenery in Loxahatcheee National Wildlife Refuge scenery in Loxahatcheee National Wildlife Refuge

Below: After a picnic lunch it was time to leave. Karen Duquette signaled Lee Duquette to get in the car. They had a rental car on this date and enjoyed driving around with the top down.

Karen Duquette in the rented convertible Karen Duquette in the rented convertible

Menu for The two RV Gypsies
back in Florida
October 14, 2016 - December 31, 2016

USA map showing location of Florida

You may visit these sections in any order you choose.

bullet Grand Lake RV and Golf Resort - Citra, Florida

The two RV Gypsies spent a couple of days with friends in Englewood, Florida - no photos were taken

bullet The two RV Gypsies met their newborn great-granddaughter

bullet Halloween, Veterans Day Celebration at their great-grandson's school, and Pompano Beach with the Dickersons

bullet Gumbo Limbo Environmental Complex - Boca Raton

bullet Hollywood Beach and LeTub

bullet Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in Boynton Beach (this page)

bullet Key Lime House Restaurant in Lantana

bullet Billie Swamp Safari on the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation - 3 pages

bullet A Snow Day in Florida

bullet Thanksgiving and Christmas 2016

look below

back button if you came here from the 2018 Loxahatchee page and want to return there, click here

OR

back button If you came here from the 2012 Loxahatchee page, return there now.