The glades are the result of a remarkable set
of natural circumstances. Without the central Florida
dome, the chain of lakes, shallow Lake Okeechobee
overflowing its low rim, and finally the long slippery
slope to Florida Bay, southern Florida would be a
different and very sandy landscape, and the world would
have had to forgo the wonder of the Everglades.
In The Old Days
100,000 years ago, there was the Floridan
Plateau with its annual water supply. Then,
vegetation developed. First came sawgrass, the resilient,
ancient sedge (not a grass). The wildlife that had
occupied regions to the north came into the area to
occupy the swamps, the sawgrass river, and the hammocks.
Long before the emergence of the Glades, there were
alligators and crocodiles, dragonflies, butterflies,
flamingos, snakes, and myriad sea creatures, including
crabs and corals, all of the species that migrated south
and from the West Indies to take up life in the glades,
swamps, and the mangrove islands along the shore.
Habitat
The essential elements of the Everglades habitat are
the water, and then sawgrass and slash pines which grow
on the hammocks; palmettos which grow under the pines,
plus willows, elder trees, shrubs, and ferns -- all
growing on the bottomlands; and the mangroves, with their
contorted legs reaching into their undersea sand islands.
Each of these plant environments harbor different
families of birds, mammals and amphibians. The pines and
palmetto forests attract woodpeckers -- downy, piliated,
hairy, red-bellied, and others -- plus deer, wildcats,
rattlesnakes, rabbits, grasshoppers, spiders, and ground
birds including quail. Buzzards and turkey vultures fly
over the hammocks, looking for prey. In the air and on
the trees, warblers have migrated to spend the winter.
Amphibians including green lizards occupy space on the
lowest of the hammocks, among the live oaks and ferns. It
is here that the strangler fig grows, sending its
multiple, twisted trunks toward the sky, overtaking less
hardy trees and shrubs to gain a dominant foothold.
Alligators prowl the sawgrass sloughs, retreating into
the pock-marked, muddy depressions in the limestone
during the dry season. Water moccasins slither from the
bottomlands into the sloughs and water holes. To the
west, the area of rivers and the Big Cypress
Swamp, grow water oaks. Royal palms grow in the
northern areas, close to the two species of cypress:
dwarf (pond) cypress, and river cypress, which are
covered with Spanish moss and other epiphytes, the
hanging air plants.
The Big Cypress Swamp, lying west of the
sawgrass reaches, is a vast area of standing water, not
flowing like the great river of the Glades. It is called
"Big Cypress," not because of the presence of large
cypress trees, but because there are so many cypress, and
the area is so large. This is home to black bears, the
omnipresent otter, and the vanishing panther. Herons and
vultures rule the bird kingdom, while the wood ibis -- in
stark black and white -- flies high to survey the swamp.
This is a jungle of cypress, cabbage palmetto, willow,
elder, and myrtle, set on low hammocks. There is moss
everywhere.
The mangrove islands line the coastline, most
prominent west of the Glades and to the south, along
Florida Bay, and on low hammocks near the sea. The
thousands of islands at the edge of the Everglades, and
the water in-between, is a habitat for ducks, pelicans.,
spoonbills, herons, as well as sandpipers and other
peeps, including sanderlings,. Resident mammals include
otters and raccoons. Alligators and crocodiles are also
here in great numbers, amongst the red and black
mangroves in this largest mangrove forest in all of the
Western Hemisphere. The red is found in the lower
intertidal zone, while the black occupies the higher
high-tide line.
To see all of this vegetation and animal life, the
visitor cannot remain on land, sitting in a park
campground or peering from vista points along the park
road and the Tamiami Trail. You have to take to the
water, by canoe or motorboat, to realize the full extent
of this unique natural environment. A short visit to the
national park will satisfy a temporary urge to capture
the Everglades and the Big Cypress Swamp, but only in
your imagination. Only a prolonged stay, touring the
watery interior of the glades, will reveal all that is
going on.
How to Get There
There are two major car entrances to Everglades
National Park. The western Glades and the 100-mile
Wilderness Waterway are accessed from the small town of
Everglades City, at the south end of Highway 29, reached
by taking Highway 41, the Tamiami Trail, which connects
Miami and Naples. The Tamiami Trail marks the northern
boundary of the park.
The main entrance is on the park's eastern boundary.
From Miami, drive south on Interstate 95 and then take
U.S. Highway 1 to Florida City. The park headquarters,
with an information center, is located in Florida City,
at the junction of U.S. 1 and West Palm Drive. To reach
the park gate, turn left at Tower Road and drive another
nine miles. Beyond the gate is the park road (Road 9356)
which leads 38 miles to Flamingo. Don't count on a
hurried drive to Florida Bay. You'll want to take your
time, stopping at several viewpoints along the way, and
even to hike on some of the short trails that lead from
the road.
There is a third park entrance that offers a short
view of the sawgrass river, off the Tamiami Trail (Hwy.
41), at the northern edge of the park . A road leads
south into Shark Valley, past another park visitor
center, 25 miles west of Miami and about 50 miles
northwest of the Florida City information center. Here, a
wildlife tram tour takes visitors through the sawgrass,
including a stop at an observation tower.
Boaters exploring the Florida Keys, and those planning
to visit the Glades after a car trip to the lower keys,
may wish to stop at the ranger station in Key Largo, 38
miles from the park headquarters in Florida City.
Park Essentials
It is very helpful to obtain information from the park
in advance of your visit. Park headquarters will mail you
current maps, brochures on wildlife and the wetlands
environment, and information on accommodations and
commercial park tours. For information on the park, write
Everglades National Park, P.O. Box 279, Homestead, FL
33030, or call (305) 242-7700. For Flamingo
accommodations information and reservations, along with
schedules of boat tours, write Flamingo Lodge, Marina and
Outpost Resort, Flamingo FL 33030, or call (305)
253-2241, or (813) 695-3101, or 800-600-3813 (for
reservations). Shark Valley tram tour information and
reservations may be obtained by calling (305) 221-8455.
For boat tours and boat rentals at Everglades City, write
Everglades National Park Boat Tours, P.O. Box 119,
Everglades City AL 33929, or call 800-445-7724 (in
Florida), or (813) 695-2591.
Car Campgrounds
There are two car campgrounds operated by the Parks
Service reached via the main park road: at Flamingo on
Florida Bay, at Long Pine Key inside the eastern park
boundary via the park road. An isolated camping area,
Chekika Campground is located near the northeastern
corner of the park, reached by taking Road 997, Krome
Avenue, north from Florida City or south from the Tamiami
Trail. Then turn west onto SW 168 Street (also called
Richmond Drive), and drive into the park through
agricultural lands and across one of the many canals
which run through this former (reclaimed) Everglades
region.
Special Camping Note:
A campground reservation system is in effect. For
information and reservation numbers,
go to this page.
Enjoying the Park
If you're not inclined to venture on the water routes
by yourself, in a canoe or powerboat, the best way to get
a brief introduction to the park is to drive the main
park road leading from the western entrance and Flamingo,
on Florida Bay. In these 38 miles, you'll cross Taylor
Slough, one of the two main paths the slow moving river
takes to reach the bay. Featured along the route are
several hammocks which offer walking trails, and a dozen
scenic viewpoints. If you have lodging reservations in
Flamingo, you could do no better than spend most of the
day exploring the short roads that lead off the main
route to the trails, get an appreciation for the wildlife
of the park, and have lunch at one of three picnic areas.
There is only one way to fully explore the park
interior, and that is by canoe. Two short canoe routes
are located along the park road, and you might wish to
drive to the put-in points to help plan future water
activity.
Those who have powerboats or who want to explore the
Wilderness Waterway by canoe
should drive to the western entrance at Everglades City
for the 100-mile trip to Florida Bay, or drive to
Flamingo and begin your tour from the south end of the
Waterway. In any event, you will want to drive the main
park road to see Taylor Slough and the impressive
hammocks on the west side of the park.
Climate
Understanding the climate of the Everglades is
essential to a rewarding visit. The wet season lasts from
May to late November. At this time of the year the
climate is humid and very rainy. Almost every day,
torrential rains fall over the glades from towering
clouds that roll in from the Gulf of Mexico. The rains
cease at the end of November, and the park slowly dries
to reveal the limestone base which is largely covered in
winter. Between early December and the end of March, the
air is dry and relatively cool. Gentle winds waft over
the glades during the daylight hours. While mosquitoes,
horseflies, yellow flies, and other critters are fewer
(they don't completely disappear), many more people are
in the park than during the wet season. This is the high
tourist season in Florida and like the theme parks to the
north, the park attracts visitors from afar.
Accommodations and Information
Accommodations are less expensive during the summer
months, canoes are more readily available for rent, and
boat tours are easier to arrange, although the
temperatures often soar into the hundreds.
Whatever time of year you choose to explore the park,
plan carefully for your stay, including obtaining insect
repellent, and bringing clothing that will keep the bugs
away from your skin. This is especially important should
you wish to take the canoe routes.
Purchasing food and other camping supplies can be done
in supermarkets in Florida City (if you're entering from
the west), or Naples (for the western section of the
park). While there are some camping supplies in
Flamingo, it is best to be well prepared to avoid a
long time-wasting drive to a large store.
Be sure to visit one of the visitor centers
near the entrances to pick up several park brochures on
the Everglades wildlife, and whatever navigational maps
you require for canoeing or powerboating.
Three nautical maps, published by the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are required for
the Wilderness Waterway: Whitewater Bay (No. 11433),
Shark River to Lostmans River (NO. 11432), and Lostmans
River to Wiggins Pass (NO. 11430). You can also obtain a
color chart covering the hiking trails and canoe routes
in the Whitewater Bay and Flamingo area. This is a handy
guide to campsites and the chickees on stilts located
along the Wilderness Waterway.
Several books on the park ecology and waterways are
available at the information centers, including the
informative Guide to the Wilderness Waterway of
Everglades National Park, by William Truesdell.
Another handy guide, available from the stores of the
Florida National Parks & Monuments Association (in
the visitor centers) is the Topographical Map of
Everglades National Park. This waterproof map shows all
hiking and canoe routes within the park boundaries.
Highly recommended for reading before you leave home,
is the monumental history Everglades&endash;River of
Grass by Marjory Stoneman Douglas, published by
Pineapple Press ($17.95), and available by writing the
Florida National Parks and Monuments Association, 10
Parachute Key, # 51, Homestead FL 33034-6735, call or fax
(305) 247-1216. This passionate overview and defense of
the Everglades environment was written in 1947, and was
updated in a new 1988 edition. This book is also stocked
by many libraries, and is available through bookstores
across the country (ISBN number 0-910923-38-8). Park
leaflets and nature books, plus standard field guides,
are also available by mail-order through the Association.
Attractions on the Main Park Road
Just inside the western park boundary is the Royal
Palm Hammock and Visitor Center, reached via a short
spur road leading south off the main route. This is your
first opportunity to stop to take photographs of birds
and animals. Taylor Slough flows through this
area. Like most of the other stopping points, this
hammock offers short nature trails, from which you can
easily spot alligators, and water birds including herons,
egrets, anhingas, gallinules, and moorhens.
Four miles down the main road is Long Pine Key,
with a basic campground, picnic tables, and a backcountry
trail (seven miles, one-way). Two additional trails offer
shorter loop walks. Another two miles down the main road
takes you to the trailhead for the short Pineland
Nature Trail, and eight miles from the campground is
an observation deck at the Pa-hay-okee Overlook,
off the Highway via a short spur road.
One of the finest hammocks along the route has an
access road seven miles past the overlook road. This is
Mahogany Hammock, where a trail using a boardwalk
leads through an impressive grove of large mahogany
trees, including one that claims the U.S. record for
size.
A picnic area is located beside the main road, to the
south at Paurotis Pond, home to a collection of
unusual paurotis palms. This is one of the entrance
points for canoeists wishing to explore the saw grass
river. Next, to the west of the park road, is the Nine
Mile Pond Canoe Trail, and a little farther southwest
is the Hells Bay Canoe Trail (west of the
highway). This route leads into the southern waterways of
the park, offering a chance to paddle to remote chickees
at Pearl Bay and Hells Bay, and to the remote Lard Can
campsite. The Noble Hammock Canoe Trail, running
southeast from the main park road, is a short loop route.
You'll also find a boat ramp and short nature trail at
the put-in point.
The last major canoe route found before reaching
Flamingo is the West Lake Trail, heading southeast
from the park road. This is a 7.7-mile (one-way) canoeing
adventure, passing along the south shore of West Lake,
and through a series of small lakes and swampy creeks
(with some fine mangrove groves), before ending at a
campsite on Florida Bay. The put-in site also offers a
boat dock on West Lake, restrooms, and a 1.6-mile walking
trail through a hammock. This road is also used by tour
busses operated by the park concessionaire.
Two ponds are found on opposite sides of the park
road, Mrazek Pond (east) and Coot Bay Pond
(west). Both ponds offer great spots for looking at and
taking pictures of birds and other wildlife.
Approaching Florida Bay, the park road crosses
Buttonwood Canal, a major access route to
Whitewater Bay and the rest of the Wilderness Waterway,
as well as to Bear Lake, the Bear Lake Canoe Trail, and
the Mud Lake Canoe Trail. The road ends at , where you'll
find the Flamingo Lodge, a park visitor center,
marina with canoe and boat rentals, a park campground,
and the boat tour docks.
