NP#55 - Everglades National Park

Park visit #55!

Four more visits to complete our quest of trekking all 59 of our country's amazing National Parks!

Along the Anhinga Trail

River of Grass at the Pa-Hay-Okee Overlook

Saving Turtles from the Road

 Crocodile cruising the costal waters in Flamingo

 Brown Pelican on approach

 Lazy 'gator catching some sun along the Pa-Hay-Okee Trail

 Baby Manatee looking for love!

 Pelican posing on pier

 Reflecting about dinner

 Yawning 'gator hiding in the sawgrass

 Eco Pond bird sanctuary - Roseate Spoonbills in flight

Paddling along the Buttonwood Canal

Everglades National Park, the third largest park in the contiguous US, covers 1.5 million acres of the southern tip of Florida. Not a “swamp” as many believe, the Everglades is a 50-mile wide river that slowly flows from Lake Okeechobee down to Florida Bay located at the southern tip of the state.

A very "flat" state, the total vertical drop from the mouth of the "Everglades River" at lake Okeechobee down to the seashore at Florida Bay is a whopping 14 feet! The slope of the land averages one and three-quarter inches per mile!

The first national park established to protect an ecological system, Everglades was formed to preserve the sawgrass prairie, the mangrove forest, the abundant wildlife, including rare and endangered species like the manatee, American crocodile, the Florida panther and much more.  

Yet many things have changed since the Everglades became a park thus challenging its long term preservation.  Primarily, a rapidly growing population of human beings living and vacationing in southern Florida has put a serious strain on the demand for water. Water for agriculture, water for human consumption, water for industrial usage and water for the survival of the fragile Everglades ecosystem. Water management has become the critical issue facing this unique landscape. 

When to visit: The Everglades has two seasons – wet and dry. The wet season (May thru Nov) is typically hot, humid and attracts a plethora of pesky insects. During this season, crowds will be small. 

We visited during the "wet" season and due to a recently passing cold front, the weather was ideal! Low 80's during the day, very mild humidity and hardly a bug to be found! 

The dry season (Dec thru April) is considered “high season” for the Everglades. It is the best time to observe the diverse collection of wildlife this park was established to protect. Bothersome insects like mosquitoes and biting flies prefer the wet season. 

What to do: Wildlife viewing is excellent at this park as you can see from the photos above. Be prepared to see alligators, crocodiles, manatees, turtles and a wide variety of migratory birds. Take the 38-mile drive from the Coe Visitor Center down to Flamingo. Along the way, stop off at Royal Palm and hike the Anhinga and Gumbo Limbo trails. 

Hike the Long Pine Trail at Long Pine Key Campground. Venture out to the Pa-Hay-Okee Overlook. Explore the Mahogany Hammock and learn about the “River of Grass” and the wide variety of plants that make Everglades home. 

Once you reach Flamingo, opt to rent a canoe or kayak and paddle about the park on one of the many wilderness waterways. If you prefer others to do the paddling, take a Backcountry or Florida Bay Boat Tour. Stop by the Eco Pond. It will most likely be  teeming with water fowl. At the north end of the park, take the 15-mile Tram Tour or rent a bike and tour Shark Valley at your own pace. 

Where to stay: There are no lodging facilities within the park; however, you’ll find two drive-in campgrounds in the southern section of the park:  Long Pine Key and Flamingo Campground. There are numerous wilderness campsites throughout the park.

Trivia: The Everglades is the only place on earth where alligators and crocodiles co-exist. We were fortunate to see both of them!

For information about our award winning tabletop board game - Trekking the National Parks - please visit our website at www.trektheparks.com.