Less than 50 miles from the bustling metropolis of Miami, alligators, manatees and flamingos openly roam the wetlands of Everglades National Park. Originally created to protect the everglades, a trip to this South Florida national park can now be the start of a grand adventure.
Everglades National Park, first established in 1947, spans more than 1.5 million acres and sees 1 million visitors each year. It is the third largest national park in the continental United States, right behind Death Valley and Yellowstone.
Outside of the typical sawgrass that encompasses most wetlands, Everglades National Park also features cacti, algae, and the Western Hemisphere’s largest ecosystem of mangroves, which are shrubs or trees that grow in coastal or brackish waters.
The national park has multiple walking trails for people to get out of their cars and truly explore. The Gumbo Limbo trail, which is just 0.4 miles, brings visitors through a small jungle of gumbo limbo trees.
The much longer Shark Valley trai allows brave visitors to wade through sawgrass marsh and tropical hardwood, with a high possibility of glimpsing one of the national park’s iconic creatures. There is a tram that goes through this 15-mile trail for those who prefer to see it that way, along with a guided walking tour for anyone who wants a more organized adventure.
For those most interested in the wildlife of the Everglades, Anhinga Trail may be the perfect one. The 0.8 mile self-guided hike is often visited by alligators, turtles, hurons, egrets, and anhingas, often called “snakebirds” for their long necks that stick out of water.
The Everglades National Park can also be explored by car, with a 38-mile road that allows you to get through much more of the park in just one day. If you want to turn up the dial on adventure, private companies also offer airboat tours, departing from the towns of Flamingo and Everglades City. Some companies also offer canoe and kayak rentals, if moseying through parts of the “Wilderness Waterway” is what you are looking for.
While visitors can stay at a few hotels in nearby Everglades City, vacationers in Naples, Marco Island and Miami are not too far to have a great time at the Everglades. Popping by on a road trip from South Florida to the tropical keys may be the perfect drop of adventure needed during a slow beach vacation.
The park’s main entrance is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. There are two campgrounds available for visitors who would like to spend the night. Fishing is allowed inside the park, as long as you have a valid Florida fishing license. Pets, however, are asked to be left at home so they don’t become prey of the animals living in the park.
Passes for Everglades National Park cost $35 per vehicle and $20 for pedestrians or cyclists. For $80, visitors can purchase an America the Beautiful pass, which allows free access to all the country’s national parks for a year from its purchase date. It is recommended to visit during the park’s dry season, which spans from early December to March.
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