Fran Reich Loop ("Lox Loop")

Dogs Unknown

E-Bikes Allowed

Features Views

Basically a doubletrack and levee ride; mostly gravel, but some concrete levee riding. Nice real early before the wind kicks up and before the heat of the day. Early morning you may see deer.

Recommended to wear some insect repellent to avoid deer fly bites.

There is an option to ride into Fran Reich Preserve which is nice if you want to extend your ride and explore more. You can see osprey, hawks, and other birds. Supposedly they've released some indigo snakes in this area, but I've never seen any.

There is a port-a-potty at the starting area, which is handy. Sometimes I've been bitten by some kind of "deer flies" which leave a huge welt and itch for days, so you may want to give yourself a spritz of insect repellent before your ride.

So decent dirt parking lot. There is a port-a-potty, if needed.

At the start on top of the levee, based on the wind I usually determine in which direction I will ride the loop. (The north/west side of the loop is up on the levee and more exposed to any wind.) Usually I ride in a clockwise direction. Early morning is my favorite, as the sun is just starting to rise. You can see alligators, herons, and egrets on the Loxahatchee side as you ride, and on the right in Fran Reich Preserve you may see deer, osprey, hawks.

When you get to the NW corner of the preserve, you turn east, go down a bit of a hill, and then turn southward along a drainage canal. You'll likely see iguanas, turtles, rabbits, egrets, and herons. When you get to the SE corner of the loop, you'll turn westward and ride along the N side of the canal that runs along Lox Rd. When you get about 3/4 of the way back to the start, there's an opening that will let you ride into Fran Reich Preserve if you want.. it's a cool area to explore if you want to add another 2-4 miles; you can ride on the dirt road N to the levee, then east, then SE to what looks like a limestone pit lake, then make your way back to the doubletrack Rd you entered from on the south side... then continue west to where you started the loop. You'll likely see a bunch of vultures up on the radio tower.

Then, as you head back to your car, you can ride by the airboats that put-in there daily to give people rides. New to the area, there's now a vendor that rents bikes, canoes, kayaks, etc.

You can learn more about Fran Reich Preserve here: wikimapia.org/7553135/Fran-…
...and about the birds observed here: ebird.org/hotspot/L8278041

The South Florida Water Management District owns the Fran Reich Preserve land. They completed Phase I of the Preserve project which was basically the water management portions of the plan. Phase II which was to turn it more into a "park" has not yet happened - however, it's still amenable to "gravel" riding.