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Everglades National Park protects the southern end of a vast, slow-moving sheet of water flowing across South Florida, a landscape of sawgrass prairie, cypress, mangrove and open bay. It is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States and a World Heritage Site, home to alligators, wading birds, manatees and the rare American crocodile.
The main road begins at the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center near Homestead and runs toward the coast. Just inside, Royal Palm's Anhinga Trail boardwalk is one of the most reliable spots in the park for seeing alligators and birds up close. Farther along, the Pa-hay-okee Overlook surveys the famous river of grass, Mahogany Hammock shelters large mahogany trees on a tree island, and Nine Mile Pond and the West Lake Trail lead into mangrove country, with canoe routes for paddlers. The road ends at Flamingo on Florida Bay, a base for boat tours, camping and kayaking. On the park's northern edge, Shark Valley offers a tram tour or bike ride to an observation tower, while the Gulf Coast area near Everglades City opens onto the maze of the Ten Thousand Islands.
Birders, photographers and paddlers get the most out of the park. The entrances are far apart, so pick one or two areas per day. Summer brings heavy rain and intense mosquitoes.
WiserMap travel guideEverglades National Park Florida Alligators and Shark ValleyExplore Everglades National Park: Anhinga Trail, Shark Valley, Pa-hay-okee, Flamingo and the Ten Thousand Islands, plus seasons, routes and wildlife tips.Read the guide
The main entrance visitor center near Homestead, with exhibits on the Everglades ecosystem, a short film, maps and ranger program schedules. It is the start of the 38-mile main park road. Stop here first for trail conditions and mosquito reports, and fill water bottles.
The far end of the main park road on Florida Bay, with a visitor center, marina, campground, eco-tents and boat tours into the backcountry and the bay. Manatees and American crocodiles are often seen at the marina. Allow an hour each way from the entrance and carry snacks, as services are limited.
A short paved trail and boardwalk over Taylor Slough where alligators, anhingas, herons and turtles are seen up close, especially in the dry season. It is one of the best wildlife walks in the park. Come early morning in winter, and keep car doors shut because vultures peck at rubber seals.
A freshwater pond near the Flamingo campground circled by a short trail, popular with birders for roseate spoonbills, wood storks, ibis and herons, plus alligators. The best viewing is at dawn and dusk in winter. Bring binoculars and strong repellent, as it is one of the buggiest spots in the park.
From the Gulf Coast area near Everglades City, boat tours and paddling routes head into the maze of mangrove islands on the park's western edge. Dolphins, ospreys, manatees and pelicans are often seen. Ask at the visitor center about tours and the long Wilderness Waterway canoe route.
A shaded paved loop of about half a mile next to the Anhinga Trail, winding through a tropical hardwood hammock of gumbo limbo trees with peeling red bark, royal palms, ferns and air plants. It makes a quiet contrast to the open sawgrass. Bring insect repellent, as mosquitoes gather in the shade.
A short boardwalk ending at a raised platform overlooking the vast sawgrass prairie, the classic river of grass view. Dwarf cypress, hawks and wading birds are often visible from the deck. It takes about fifteen minutes, and late afternoon light makes it a good photo stop on the main road.
Off the Tamiami Trail, a 15-mile paved loop through the sawgrass that you can walk, bike or ride on a guided tram tour, reaching a concrete observation tower with wide views. Alligators often lie beside the road. Bike rentals are on site, and the parking lot fills by mid-morning in winter.
A boardwalk loop through a dense tree island in the sawgrass, home to the largest living mahogany tree in the United States, along with strangler figs, air plants and barred owls. The walk is about half a mile and fully shaded. Look for colorful liguus tree snails on the bark.
Two stops on the road to Flamingo. Nine Mile Pond starts a marked canoe trail through sawgrass and mangroves, while the West Lake Trail is a boardwalk through mangrove forest to the edge of a large brackish lake. Bring your own canoe or kayak, and expect alligators along the way.
A small lake and picnic area inside the slash pine forest of Long Pine Key, next to the park's main campground. Several pineland trails start nearby and deer, woodpeckers and wading birds are common. It is a calm place for a picnic, and the campground is open mainly in the dry winter season.
A preserved Cold War missile battery built after the Cuban Missile Crisis, with original barracks, missile assembly buildings and a restored Nike Hercules missile on display. Rangers lead tours in the winter season. Check the schedule at the Coe Visitor Center, as the site opens only for guided visits.
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Photo: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
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