A Unique Wilderness Experience: Everglades National Park

A national park like no other, the Everglades preserves and protects the largest subtropical wilderness in the country. Stretching almost 2,400 miles, the third largest national park is larger than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware combined!! The ecosystem consists of a series of wetlands covered with shallow water that slowly travels from Lake Okeechobee into the Florida Bay and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. The park is well known for birding, canoe and kayaking, and fresh and saltwater fishing. For a great introduction to the park, journey to the visitor centers, which are the hubs of activity within the park. You’re almost guaranteed to see an alligator, and possibly a crocodile, but there is so much more to see and do.

Travel Tip: Everglades National Park is difficult to fully appreciate without a little planning. First, you want to visit from November through March “The Dry Season,” when the temperatures are comfortable, the bugs are tolerable, and the tour companies operate on a daily basis. Secondly, don’t expect to see much of the park from your vehicle or even on the trails. The best way to experience the park is on the water in a canoe, kayak, or boat, navigating the maze of saw grass and mangroves islands.

Boat Tours

Boat tours will give you the most access to the park with limited time— in addition to being narrated by knowledgeable guides, they allow visitors to see the flora and fauna beyond the scenic overlooks and interpretive trails. There are a handful of tours to choose from, all of which will bring you into the beautiful yet mysterious park.

• Airboat tours of the national park are available from three concessionaires, all located about 15 miles west of Miami, Florida. The airboats are designed to safely skim across the shallow water, traveling greater distances than most tours while pointing out the wildlife and points of interest along the way.
• Leaving from the Gulf Coast Visitor Center, the 10,000 Islands Cruise is a 90-minute excursion through the saw grass and mangroves around Chokoloskee Bay, as well as Indian Key, Stop Key, and Picnic Key, all from the comfort of a 45-foot catamaran.
• Float over the slow-moving waters of the Everglades on a naturalist guided boat tour commencing at the Flamingo Marina. While traveling through the park, learn about and hopefully see dolphins, manatee, sea turtles and a variety of birds, including osprey.

More Things to Do

• The park offers canoeists and kayakers of all levels the opportunity to spend a few hours or a few days navigating the famous Everglades paddling trails. There are multiple trails that leave from the Gulf Coast and Flamingo areas of the park. For a bucket list adventure, complete a few days in the backcountry while paddling the 99-mile Wilderness Waterway.
• Enjoy a scenic walk along one of the park’s short interpretive trails. Most of the trails begin at one of the four visitor centers and are a perfect way to experience the sights. The longer trails in the park are not maintained, a permit as well as proper clothing and gear are required to ensure an enjoyable backcountry hike.
• Bring a bike or rent one from a park concessionaire and pedal one of the five biking trails throughout the park. The trails range from just over 3 miles to 15 miles in length and offer a great way to see the park without a vehicle.
• Take a two-hour, narrated Eco-tram tour at the Shark Valley Visitor Center. The guided tour travels along a fifteen-mile loop trail into the “River of Grass,” making stops along the way to point out local flora and fauna. The tour stops at a 65-foot-tall observation deck, where visitors have uninterrupted views of the surrounding landscapes, up to 20 miles in every direction!
• For the ultimate Everglades National Park experience, secure a camp site at one of two drive-in campgrounds in the park to extend your stay. The Lone Pine and Flamingo campgrounds offer both tent and recreational vehicle sites with an extensive list of amenities. During your overnight stay in the wilderness, attend a free and informative ranger-led night sky viewing program.

Wildlife Observation

The park is home to an abundance of wildlife, including dozens of threatened or protected animal species. There are hundreds of birds, both fresh and saltwater fish, as well as reptiles and mammals. The availability of fresh water, delivered by the Biscayne Aquifer, and an ecosystem that includes ample food for predators, allows many species to thrive in what might seem like an insect and reptile infested swamp, especially during the summer months. Alligators are plentiful in the area and are easy to spot. A few of the most difficult species to observe are the Florida panther, American crocodile, and West Indian Manatee. Keep an eye out for the Purple Gallanule, one of Florida’s most colorful bird species.