Although the Ten Thousand Islands are separate from the mainland, they are part of Everglades National Park, itself a designated Biosphere Reserve, a World Heritage Site and a Wetland of International Importance. The Gulf Coast Visitor Center of Everglades National Park offers 2 boat tours that explore different segments of one of the world’s largest mangrove forests. With just 6...

The Gumbo Limbo Trail also leaves from the Royal Palm Visitor Center. This short .04-mile walk is a land-based loop through a dense moist forest that is truly jungle-like. The trail is named for the tropical gumbo limbo tree that grows only in South Florida, Cuba and Hispaniola. The tree has a distinctive red bark that looks like it is...

Flamingo once was a quiet fishing village that could only be reached by boat coming across Florida Bay or, later, through the Homestead-Flamingo Canal. Today, you follow the 38 mile Main Park Road from the Coe Visitor Center to the Flamingo Visitor Center and the nearby Flamingo Marina, both located at the end of the Homestead road. The town of...

The liguus snail, which probably should be called a tree snail, is notable for its large size and colored shells often with complex patterns. They seem to prefer trees with smooth bark, such as the false tamarind. Unfortunately, because of their visual appeal, these shells were a favorite of collectors who were willing to burn down hammocks in order to...

With 108 sites for tents and RVs, Long Pine Key Campground in the Homestead section of Everglades National Park is the smaller of the 2 major camping areas. The other is the Flamingo Campground on Florida Bay. Located 7 miles (11 km) from the main entrance, this is the most convenient camping location for leaving to purchasing supplies, which are...

The half-mile Mahogany Hammock boardwalk loop trail is famous for showcasing the nation’s largest mahogany tree with a girth of 12 feet and a height of 90 feet. The Mahogany Hammock boardwalk passes over a wetlands area before entering the hammock. Almost immediately it forms a Y-junction. In the cradle of the Y-junction is a mahogany tree (not the giant)...

The herd of photographers that occasionally descend on Mrazek Pond has been used to symbolize the excellent wading bird photo ops in ENP but this is misleading. Much of the time the pond appears deserted with few visible birds. Only once a year, typically for 2 weeks at the end of March or in early April, Mrazek Pond sometimes can...

The Nine Mile Pond canoe trail, located 12 miles north of Flamingo on the Main Park Road, is a good place to actively enjoy anhingas, cormorants, herons, great egrets and alligators as you paddle through their territory. The hardest part of this 5-mile loop route sometimes is at the outset when you have to fight strong winds to paddle east...

In ENP, wherever you find water and fish you’ll usually find an osprey, one of the largest birds of prey in North America. This fish hawk nests everywhere including the limbs of dead trees as well as many man-made structures such as the tops of channel markers and atop telephone or electrical transmission poles. Fish account for almost 99% of...

The Otter Cave Hammock Trail starts about a half mile from the Shark Valley Visitor Center. The hiking path may flood out during heavy rains so check its status before setting out. Leaving the visitor center, be sure to follow the West Road, the one on the right, which goes to the trailhead. The Otter Cave Hammock Trail does not crossover...

The 0.2-mile Pa-Hay-Okee Overlook Trail uses a short elevated boardwalk to put you at an observation tower with a good view of the immensity of the Glade’s sawgrass prairie. For as far as you can see, there is nothing but a sea of grass punctuated with scattered, island-like palm hammocks. The overlook provides excellent panoramic photos. The lower boardwalk offers...

Paurotis Pond, located 24 miles from the main park entrance in Homestead, has multi-seasonal use. The small pond attracts canoeists and hopeful bird watchers and photographers. Paurotis Pond is seasonally closed to protect nesting roseate spoonbills, wood storks and other birds. It may close in January when spoonbills begin nesting and not reopen until the end of July or August. When the pond...

The pileated woodpecker is the largest woodpecker in Florida and ENP. About the size of a crow, the pileated woodpecker is known for the red crest on its head. Its favorite foods are insects, especially carpenter ants and wood-boring beetle larvae, along with fruits and nuts. The pileated woodpecker digs into trees enthusiastically, the sound carrying for hundreds of yards–something...

What started as a cucumber stand in 1959 when Robert was only 6 years old has become an area landmark. Anyone who has been to ENP instantly recognizes the Robert Is Here! fruit stand and mini-amusement park. From Florida City, it is on the road to the Everglades National Park main entrance, located at an intersection where you turn left....

“Rock Reef Pass – Elevation 3 Feet” In the Everglades, this is mini-mountain status. The main reason for stopping at Rock Reef Pass is the short boardwalk leading to an overlook of dwarf cypress trees. They are so small you are almost at eye level with the treetops. That never happens with normal cypress trees that tower over us. This...

For most visitors, the colorful pink and white roseate spoonbill is the representative bird of ENP. Hunted almost to extinction for its colorful plumes, the population has made an impressive comeback.  The roseate spoonbill is known for its broad, flattened bill. The bill is important for feeding as the bird moves it underwater from side to side, searching for shrimp...

Only 4 miles (6 km) from the Homestead entrance, the Royal Palm Visitor Center is one of the park’s most popular locations because of thenormally abundant wildlife. The Anhinga Trail and the Gumbo Limbo Trail both start from here. What makes wildlife photography here so good is Taylor Slough (pronounced “slew”), where the water is deeper than in the surrounding...

For leisurely photography without the time constraints of a tram ride, cycling is the way to go. It takes between 2 to 4 hours to complete the 15-mile circuit that has no short cuts or cross-overs. The concessionaire at Shark Valley normally has plenty of bikes to rent but on a first-come basis. Use a backpack to carry camera gear....

The most popular Shark Valley attraction is the 2-hour, open air motorized tram tour. The ride, with park trained naturalists, provides a comfortable view of the birds, gators, deer, turtles, and other animals that inhabit the Shark Valley prairie. The drive starts on the zig-zag East Road featuring 4 “borrow pits” (quarries) used to build this road section. The deep water...

The small Shark Valley Visitor Center contains educational displays, park video and brochures. Books, postcards, and limited souvenirs also available. The visitor center has a small wooden observation platform beside the canal where gators, otters and wading birds are common. During winter’s early sunsets, the park is still open. That is a good time to set up a tripod on...