BOCA RATON, FL —Boca Raton's Gopher Tortoise Preserve is now open to the public, according to the city announcement. The preserve sits at 10 W. Hidden Valley Blvd., just south of Hidden Valley Boulevard and Dixie Highway, and is open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset.
There is no admission cost listed and no charge to park.
What visitors will find is a walking path that winds through native Florida landscape. Part of the trail is paved for accessibility, according to the announcement, and one of the six parking spaces is designated accessible. A bike rack is available.
The city also tells visitors to keep an eye out for gopher tortoises, the native species the preserve is named for. The announcement notes that snakes may be present as well, which is standard for a natural preserve area in South Florida.
What was built
The preserve project added passive recreation amenities to an existing natural habitat area, according to the city project summary. That work included natural trails, an ADA compliant parking lot and walkways, an educational kiosk and fencing.
Invasive species removal and habitat restoration were also part of the scope, along with added irrigation and landscaping.
The result is a low-key neighborhood preserve rather than a full city park. There is no playground, no sports field and no announced programming in the information provided.
A project years in the making
Records show the work traces back to an original capital improvement request dated Oct. 1, 2018.
Design and permitting stretched through 2023. A site plan amendment was approved in November 2023, according to the updates, and construction plans were complete by March 2024. The project went out for bid in June 2024, with bids due June 17, 2024.
City Council approved the project and awarded it to Rosso Site Development on July 23, 2024, according to the project updates. A construction kickoff was scheduled for Nov. 8, 2024, and construction started at the preserve on Jan. 23, 2025.
Work stopped again in March 2025 after the additional tortoise burrows were found. The contractor moved through invasive species removal, concrete sidewalks, drainage swales and parking lot grading over the following months. By August 2025, the sand trail was 60 percent complete and the contractor was waiting on a fence permit, according to the updates.
In October 2025, the updates state that changes to the fence line, prompted by concerns from the FEC Railroad, caused delays. Work was paused in December 2025.
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