In South Florida, Everglades National Park spans 1.5 million acres of watery grasslands, and is home to myriad birds, mammals, and yes, alligators. Beginning in the 1920s, Miami residents began trying to preserve the area, including Ernest F. Coe (nicknamed the Father of Everglades National Park) and Marjory Stoneman Douglas (nicknamed the Grand Dame of the Everglades); on December 6, 1947, President Harry Truman dedicated Everglades National Park. Not only is Everglades a National Park, but an International Biosphere Reserve and UNESO World Heritage Site as well. The park is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week all year-round, and is accessible from Homestead, Miami and Everglades City. To make the most of your visit to Everglades National Park, we checked in with the City of Homestead for a few of their insider tips.
1. Take the trolley into the park: If you’re entering Everglades National Park from the south in Homestead, you may want to take a day trip aboard the Homestead National Parks Trolley. The free guided trolley ride is offered on the weekends from late November through early May, and a park ranger is on board to provide narrative as you ride into the park. This is a terrific option for those who want to enjoy the park without having to worry about keeping their eyes on the road.
2. Walk the Anhinga Trail: A terrific introduction to Everglades National Park is the just-under-a-mile Anghinga Trail that begins at the Royal Palm Visitor Center. This is one of the park’s most popular trails because, though it’s short, the wildlife viewing is spectacular. Be on the lookout for turtles, anhingas (the trail’s namesake bird), herons, egrets and maybe even alligators.
3. Go slough slogging: It may sound a bit strange, and perhaps it is, but one of the best ways to experience Everglades National Park is by slough slogging – off-trail hiking in the wetlands of the park with a park ranger. If you go slough slogging, you’ll learn about a side of the park that most people never see. Plan ahead, though – slough slogging trips are limited to 15 people and reservations are required. Be sure to bring insect repellant.
4. Bike through Shark Valley: The 15-mile round-trip Shark Valley bike trail takes most riders two to three hours to ride, and it’s time well-spent in the park. During your ride, you may want to hop out of the saddle to go explore a few of the unpaved trails along the way, including the Otter Cave Hammock trail. Ride quietly and you may even see alligators along the way – just be sure to keep your distance.
5. Play a game: Want to play a game when visiting Everglades National Park? Check out geocaching – an outdoor treasure hunt. Simply use your GPS-enabled smart phone and find the geocaches (containers) found throughout the park. You can even “manage” Everglades National Park for the day through the Park Employee for a Day Geocache Trail. Be sure and share your experiences with other geocachers online.
6. Paddle through the Everglades: Whether you opt to canoe or kayak the 99-mile-long Wilderness Way that winds through the park and takes seven to 10 days to paddle, or choose a shorter trip, you’ll find plenty of waterways to navigate within the park. And if you haven’t brought your own, canoes and kayaks are available to rent; guided trips are available, too.
7. Join a ranger:Everglades National Park rangers offer a variety of programs throughout the park, and really ramp up during the high season when temperatures cool off (December through March). Depending on which part of the park you enter, you’ll find programs ranging from canoeing to biking to nature walks. When planning your trip, choose your entry point – Flamingo, Gulf Coast, Royal Palm, or Shark Valley – and plan your ranger-led activities from there.
8. Go fish: Both saltwater and freshwater fishing is available within Everglades National Park, of which one-third is covered by water. Cast a line and try your luck at snagging snapper, sea trout, redfish, bass and bluegill. Before setting out, however, check with a park ranger to find out which fishing spots may be closed, and be sure to follow Florida fishing regulations.
9. Watch for birds:Bird watchers will find plenty to spot during their visits to Everglades National Park. The landscape provides plenty of spots for birds to roost, eat, or simply pass through. Bring your binoculars and from nearly anywhere in the park, keep an eye out for Purple Gallinules, Osprey, Red-shouldered Hawks, Painted Buntings, Peregrine Falcons, wood storks, bald eagles, roseate spoonbills and maybe even flamingos, to name just some of the species found here.
10. Stay the night: Believe it or not, camping is available throughout Everglades National Park, both front country and backcountry. The two drive-in front country campgrounds – Long Pine Key and Flamingo – have restrooms, tent and trailer sites, and other amenities available, whereas the more primitive and beach campsites are in the Everglades’ backcountry.
For more on Everglades National Park and to help with trip planning, download the free Chimani app to your smart phone to easily navigate your way around the park, with our without cell phone service.
