Photo:
Daniel Kraft / CC BY-SA 3.0
The Everglades is like nowhere else, a vast, slow-moving “River of Grass” that spreads across the southern tip of Florida in a shallow sheet, blending sawgrass marsh, mangrove coast, cypress swamp and pine rockland into a single subtropical wilderness. It is the only place on Earth where alligators and crocodiles coexist, and a haven for wading birds, manatees and the elusive Florida panther.
The Everglades is defined by water moving imperceptibly south, a broad, grassy sheet dotted with tree islands, giving way to cypress domes, mangrove estuaries along the coast, and dry pine and hardwood hammocks on slightly higher ground. This mosaic of wetland and swamp supports an extraordinary richness of birds, reptiles and fish, and shelters endangered species found nowhere else.
The dry season, roughly December through April, is by far the best time, pleasant temperatures, far fewer mosquitoes, and wildlife concentrated around shrinking water holes for superb viewing. The wet season (May through November) brings heat, humidity, ferocious mosquitoes, daily thunderstorms and the risk of hurricanes, making travel far more demanding.
No single road crosses the Everglades, so the park has three separate access points: the main road from Homestead down to Flamingo, Shark Valley off the Tamiami Trail (US-41), and the Gulf Coast at Everglades City for the Ten Thousand Islands. Choose your area before you go, a vehicle reaches each entrance, and the wetland interior is explored by boat, canoe or on boardwalk trails.
Walk the famous Anhinga Trail boardwalk for close alligator and bird viewing, bike or tram the Shark Valley loop to its observation tower, and paddle the mangrove creeks and the long Wilderness Waterway. Ranger programs, boat tours from the Gulf Coast, and world-class birding round out a visit to this birder’s and paddler’s paradise.
Give alligators and crocodiles a wide berth and never feed them, watch for venomous snakes, and remember that the flat, watery wilderness makes it easy to lose your bearings. Carry a map, charts and a compass or GPS on any backcountry route. In the wet season, mosquitoes can be overwhelming, so bring strong repellent and protective clothing, and always guard against heat, sun and sudden storms.
A park pass is required, and backcountry and wilderness-waterway camping need permits, which should be arranged ahead. Carry all your drinking water and plan around the dramatic seasonal difference. This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report; always confirm current conditions, mosquito and water levels, and permits with the National Park Service before your trip.
Set this declination on your compass, then align it to the map's north lines; it is the angle between true north and magnetic north, refreshed each year.
