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Coe Visitor Center to Flamingo | Gulf Coast Entrance | Shark Valley
45 miles southwest of Miami International Airport.
If you’re heading across South Florida on U.S. 41 from Miami to Naples, you’ll breeze right through the Everglades. Also known as Tamiami Trail, this mostly two-lane road skirts the edge of Everglades National Park and cuts across the Big Cypress National Preserve. You’ll also be near the park if you’re en route from Miami to the Florida Keys on U.S. 1, which cuts through Homestead and Florida City—communities east of the main park entrance. Basically, if you’re in South Florida, you can’t escape at least fringes of the Everglades. With tourist strongholds like Miami, Naples, and the Florida Keys so close, travelers from all over the world typically make day trips to the park.
Everglades National Park has three main entry points: the park headquarters at Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center, southwest of Homestead and Florida City; the Shark Valley area, accessed by Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41); and the Gulf Coast Visitor Center, south of Everglades City to the west and closest to Naples.
Explore on your own or participate in ranger-led hikes, bicycle or bird-watching tours, and canoe trips. The variety of these excursions is greatest from mid-December through Easter, and some adventures (canoe trips, for instance) typically aren’t offered in sweltering summer. Among the more popular are the Anhinga Amble, a 50-minute walk around the Taylor Slough (departs from the Royal Palm Visitor Center), and the Early Bird Special, a 90-minute walk centered on birdlife (departs from Flamingo Visitor Center). Check with visitor centers for details.
Park Essentials
Admission Fees The fee is $10 per vehicle; and $5 per pedestrian, bicycle, or motorcycle. Payable at gates, the admission is good for seven consecutive days at all park entrances. Annual passes are $25.
Admission Hours Open daily, year-round, both the main entrance near Florida City and Homestead, and the Gulf Coast entrance are open 24 hours a day. The Shark Valley entrance is open 8:30 am to 6 pm.
The Everglades War on Pythons
In 2013, Florida launched its first Python Challenge™ to put the kibosh on Burmese pythons, those deadly snakes literally squeezing the life out of Everglades wonders, from colorful birds to full-grown deer to gators.
The state-sponsored winter competition was a trailblazer, attracting amateurs and professionals alike from 38 states and Canada to help decimate this growing environmental threat. Sadly, only 68 pythons were captured of thousands estimated lurk in the Everglades.
Since then, the Challenge has been scrapped, although the state continues its war with a python removal program, issuing hunting permits to qualified applicants.
Even experienced Gladesmen with special permits to stalk these predators have trouble finding them—partly because tan, splotchy skin provides natural camouflage for slithering about and causing mayhem within the ecosystem. Unseasonably warm winter weather also leaves pythons, growing up to 26 feet long, without incentive to boldly expose themselves for sunning.
In 2012, the U.S. Department of the Interior—hailing a milestone in Everglades protection—announced a nationwide ban on the importation of Burmese pythons and other non-native, large constrictor snakes, including African pythons and the yellow anaconda.
No matter what the format for the state’s effort to eradicate pythons, its war against invasive species and the efforts to protect Everglades wildlife continue unabated. —Lynne Helm
Coe Visitor Center to Flamingo
About 30 miles from Miami.
The most utilized access to Everglades National Park is via the park headquarters entrance southwest of Homestead and Florida City. If you’re coming to the Everglades from Miami, take Route 836 West to Route 826/874 South to the Homestead Extension of Florida’s Turnpike, U.S. 1, and Krome Avenue (Route 997/old U.S. 27). To reach the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center from Homestead, go right (west) from U.S. 1 or Krome Avenue onto Route 9336 (Florida’s only four-digit route) in Florida City and follow signage to the park entrance.
Route 9336 travels 38 miles from the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center southwest to the Florida Bay at Flamingo. It crosses a section of the park’s eight distinct ecosystems: hardwood hammock, freshwater prairie, pinelands, freshwater slough, cypress, coastal prairie, mangrove, and marine-estuarine. Route highlights include a dwarf cypress forest, the transition zone between saw grass and mangrove forest, and a wealth of wading birds at Mrazek and Coot Bay ponds—where in early morning or late afternoon you can observe them feeding. Be forewarned, however, that flamingo sightings are extremely rare. Boardwalks, looped trails, several short spurs, and observation platforms help you stay dry. You may want to stop along the way to walk several short trails (each takes about 30 minutes): the wheelchair-accessible Anhinga Trail, which cuts through saw-grass marsh and allows you to see lots of wildlife (be on the lookout for alligators and the trail’s namesake water birds: anhingas); the junglelike—yet, also wheelchair-accessible—Gumbo-Limbo Trail; the Pinelands Trail, where you can see the park’s limestone bedrock; the Pahayokee Overlook Trail, ending at an observation tower; and the Mahogany Hammock Trail with its dense growth. TIP Before heading out on the trails, inquire about insect and weather conditions to plan accordingly, stocking up on bug repellent, sunscreen, and water as necessary. Even on seemingly sunny days, it’s smart to bring rain gear.
Exploring
To explore this section of the park, follow Route 9336 from the park entrance to Flamingo; you’ll find plenty of opportunities to stop along the way, and assorted activities to pursue in the Flamingo area. Other than campgrounds, there are no lodging options within the national park at this writing.
Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center.
Get your park map here, but don’t just grab and go; this visitor center’s numerous interactive exhibits and films are well worth your time. The 15-minute film River of Life, updated frequently, provides a succinct park overview. A movie on hurricanes and a 35-minute wildlife film for children are available upon request. A bank of telephones offers differing viewpoints on the Great Water Debate, detailing how the last century’s gung ho draining of swampland for residential and agricultural development also cut off water-supply routes for precious wetlands in the Everglades ecosystem. You’ll also find a schedule of daily ranger-led activities, mainly walks and talks; information on the popular Nike missile site tour (harking back to the Cuban missile crisis era); and details about canoe rentals and boat tours at Flamingo. The Everglades Discovery Shop stocks books, kids’ stuff, and jewelry including bird-oriented earrings, plus insect repellent, sunscreen, and water. Coe Visitor Center, which has restrooms, is outside park gates, so you can stop in without paying park admission. | 40001 State Rd. 9336 | Homestead | 11 miles southwest of Homestead | 305/242–7700 | Daily 9–5, subject to change.
Flamingo.
At the far end of the main road to the Flamingo community along Florida Bay, you’ll find a marina (with beverages, snacks, and a gift shop), visitor center, and campground, with nearby hiking and nature trails. Despite the name, what you are unlikely to find here are flamingos. To improve your luck for glimpsing these flamboyant pink birds with toothpick legs, check out Snake Bight Trail, starting about 5 miles from the Flamingo outpost, but they are a rare sight indeed. Before hurricanes Katrina and Wilma washed them away in 2005, a lodge, cabins, and restaurant facilities in Flamingo provided Everglades National Park’s only accommodations. Rebuilding of Flamingo Lodge, long projected, has yet to materialize. For now, you can still pitch tents or bring RVs to the campground, where improvements include solar-heated showers and electricity for RV sites. A houseboat rental concession offers a pair of 35-footers each sleeping six and equipped with shower, toilet, bedding, kitchenware, stereo, and depth finder. The houseboats (thankfully air-conditioned) have 60-horsepower outboards and rent for $350 per night, plus a $200 fuel deposit. | Flamingo | www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/flamdirections.
Quick Bites: Worthwhile spots to pull over for a picnic are Paurotis Pond, about 10 miles north of Florida Bay, or Nine Mile Pond, less than 30 miles from the main visitor center. Another option is along Bear Lake, 2 miles north of the Flamingo Visitor Center.
Flamingo Marina Store—Everglades National Park Boat Tours 2.
Next to the Flamingo Visitor Center, the only general store within Everglades National Park stocks limited groceries, snacks, souvenirs, bait, tackle, firewood, tents, and camping supplies, as well as fuel for boats and vehicles. It’s a sister operation to Everglades National Park Boat Tours in Everglades City. | Everglades National Park | 239/695–3101 | Weekdays 7–5:30, weekends 6–5:30.
Flamingo Visitor Center.
Check the schedule here for ranger-led activities, such as naturalist talks, trail hikes, and evening programs in the 100-seat campground amphitheater, replacing the old gathering spot destroyed by 2005 hurricanes. Mosquito repellent will be your favorite take-along here. If you’re starving, the center’s Buttonwood Cafe (closed in summer) serves sandwiches, salads, and pizza, but really only if there’s no other option for you. You’ll find natural history exhibits and pamphlets on canoe, hiking, and biking trails in the second-floor Florida Bay Flamingo Museum, accessible only by stairway and a steep ramp. You can get drinks and snacks at the marina store when the café is closed. | 1 Flamingo Lodge Hwy. | Flamingo | 239/695–2945, 239/695–3101 marina | Exhibits always open, staffed mid-Nov.–mid-Apr., daily 8–4:30.
Royal Palm Visitor Center.
Ideal for when there’s limited time to experience the Everglades, this small center with a bookstore and vending machines permits access to the Anhinga Trail boardwalk, where in winter spotting alligators congregating in watering holes is virtually guaranteed. Neighboring Gumbo Limbo Trail takes you through a hardwood hammock. Combining these short strolls (½ mile or so) allows you to experience two Everglades ecosystems. Rangers conduct daily Anhinga Ambles in season (call ahead for times). A Glades Glimpse program takes place afternoons daily in season, as do starlight walks and bike tours. As always, arm yourself with insect repellent. If you have a mind for history, ask about narrated Nike missile site tours, stemming from the ‘60s-era Cuban missile crisis. | Rte. 9336 | Everglades National Park | 4 miles west of Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center | 305/242–7700 | Daily 8–4:15.
Sports and the Outdoors
Bird-Watching
Some of the park’s best birding is in the Flamingo area.
Boating
The 99-mile inland Wilderness Trail between Flamingo and Everglades City is open to motorboats as well as canoes, although, depending on water levels, powerboats may have trouble navigating above Whitewater Bay. Flat-water canoeing and kayaking are best in winter, when temperatures are moderate, rainfall diminishes, and mosquitoes back off—a little, anyway. You don’t need a permit for day trips, although there’s a seven-day, $5 launch fee for all motorized boats brought into the park. The Flamingo area has well-marked canoe trails, but be sure to tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to return. Getting lost is easy, and spending the night without proper gear can be unpleasant, if not dangerous.
Flamingo Lodge, Marina, and Everglades National Park Tours.
Everglades National Park’s official concessionaire operates a marina, runs tours, and rents canoes, kayaks, and skiffs, secured by credit cards. A one-hour, 45-minute backcountry cruise aboard the 50-passenger Pelican ($32.50) winds under a heavy canopy of mangroves, revealing abundant wildlife—from alligators, crocodiles, and turtles to herons, hawks, and egrets. Renting a 17-foot, 40-hp skiff from 7 am runs $195 per day (eight hours, if returned by 4 pm), $150 per half day, or $80 for two hours; there is a $100 credit card deposit required. Canoes for up to three paddlers rent for $16 for two hours (minimum), $22 for four hours, $32 for eight hours, and $40 overnight. Family canoes for up to four go for $20 for two hours, $30 for four hours, $40 for eight hours, and $50 for 24 hours. The concessionaire also rents bikes, binoculars, rods, reels, and other equipment for up to a full day. Feeling sticky after a day in the ‘Glades? Hot showers are $3. (Flamingo Lodge, a victim of massive hurricane damage in 2005, remains closed pending a fresh start.) TIP An experimental Eco Tent of canvas and wood, unveiled in winter 2012–13, was booked solid for the season. Built by University of Miami architecture students, Eco Tent sleeps four, has a table and chairs, and wins rave reviews from designers, park officials, and campers. It’s a prototype for up to 40 more units, once funding is secured. | 1 Flamingo Lodge Hwy., on Buttonwood Canal | Flamingo | 239/695–3101, 239/695–0124 Eco Tent reservations | www.evergladesnationalparkboattoursflamingo.com.
Gulf Coast Entrance
To reach the park’s western gateway, take U.S. 41 west from Miami for 77 miles, turn left (south) onto Route 29, and travel another 3 miles through Everglades City to the Gulf Coast Ranger Station. From Naples on the Gulf Coast, take U.S. 41 east for 35 miles, and turn right onto Route 29.
Gulf Coast Visitor Center.
The best place to bone up on Everglades National Park’s watery western side is at this center just south of Everglades City (5 miles south of Tamiami Trail) where rangers can give you the park lowdown and address your inquiries. In winter, backcountry campers purchase permits here and canoeists check in for trips to the Ten Thousand Islands and 99-mile Wilderness Waterway Trail. Nature lovers view interpretive exhibits on local flora and fauna while waiting for naturalist-led boat trips. In season (Christmas through Easter), rangers lead bike tours and canoe trips. A selection of about 30 nature presentations and orientation films are available by request for view on a big screen. Admission is free only to this section, since no direct roads from here link to other parts of the park. | 815 Oyster Bar La., off Rte. 29 | Everglades City | 239/695–3311 | Mid-Nov.–mid-Apr., daily 8–4:30; mid-Apr.–mid-Nov., daily 9–4:30.
Sports and the Outdoors
Boating and Kayaking
Everglades National Park Boat Tours.
In conjunction with boat tours at Flamingo, this operation runs 1½-hour trips ($32) through the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Adventure-seekers often see dolphins, manatees, bald eagles, and roseate spoonbills. In peak season (November–April), 49-passenger boats run on the hour and half hour daily. Mangrove wilderness tours ($40) on smaller boats are for up to six passengers. These one-hour, 45-minute trips are the best option to see alligators. The outfitter also rents canoes ($24 per day) and kayaks (from $45 per day) plus tax. Ask about group discounts. | Gulf Coast Visitor Center, 815 Oyster Bar La. | Everglades City | 239/695–2591, 866/628–7275 | www.evergladesnationalparkboattoursgulfcoast.com/index.php.
Fodor’s Choice | Everglades Rentals & Eco Adventures.
Ivey House Inn houses this established, year-round source for guided Everglades paddling tours and rentals. Canoes cost $35 the first day, $29 daily thereafter. Daylong kayak rentals are from $45. Shuttles deliver you to major launching areas such as Turner River ($25 for the first person, $5 for each additional person, round-trip). Highlights include bird and gator sightings, mangrove forests, no-man’s-land beaches, and spectacular sunsets. Longer adventures include equipment rental, guide, and meals. | Ivey House, 107 Camellia St. | Everglades City | 877/567–0679, 239/695–3299 | www.evergladesadventures.com.
Shark Valley
23½ miles west of Florida’s Turnpike, off Tamiami Trail. Approximately 45 mins west of Miami.
You won’t see sharks at Shark Valley. The name comes from the Shark River, also called the River of Grass, flowing through the area. Several species of shark swim up this river from the coast (about 45 miles south of Shark Valley) to give birth, though not at this particular spot. Young sharks (called pups), vulnerable to being eaten by adult sharks and other predators, gain strength in waters of the slough before heading out to sea.
The Shark Valley entrance to the national park is on U.S. Hwy. 41 (Tamiami Trail), 25 miles west of Florida’s turnpike (SR 821) or 39 miles east of SR 29. Some GPS units don’t recognize it. If asked for a cross street, use U.S. Hwy. 41.
Exploring
Although Shark Valley is the national park’s north entrance, no roads here lead directly to other parts of the park. However, it’s still worth stopping to take the two-hour narrated bio-diesel tram tour from Shark Valley Tram Tours. Stop at the halfway point and ascend the Shark Valley Observation Tower via the ramp.
Prefer to do the trail on foot? It takes nerve to walk the paved 15-mile loop in Shark Valley, because in the winter months alligators lie alongside the road, basking in the sun—most, however, do move out of the way.
You also can ride a bicycle (the folks who operate the tram tours also rent one-speed, well-used bikes daily from 8:30 to 4 for $9 per hour with helmets available). Near the bike-rental area a short boardwalk trail meanders through saw grass, and another passes through a tropical hardwood hammock.
Shark Valley Observation Tower.
At the Shark Valley trail’s end (really, the halfway point of the 15-mile loop), you can pause to navigate this tower, first built in 1984, spiraling 50 feet upward. Once on top, you’ll find the River of Grass gloriously spreads out as far as you can see. Observe waterbirds as well as alligators, and maybe even river otters crossing the road. The tower has a wheelchair-accessible ramp to the top. If you don’t want to take the tram from the Shark Valley Visitor Center, you can either hike or bike in, but private cars are not allowed. | Shark Valley Loop Rd. | Miami.
Shark Valley Visitor Center.
The old ramshackle outpost has been razed altogether to make room for a nice picnic area, and a new white concrete-block building nearby is now in place with the bike rental concession and a bookstore (run by the Everglades Association) with hats, postcards, and other souvenirs. Park rangers are still there, ready for your questions. | 36000 S.W. 8th St. | Miami | 23½ miles west of Florida’s Tpke., off Tamiami Trail | 305/221–8776 | Daily 9:15–5:15.
Sports and the Outdoors
Biking
FAMILY | Shark Valley Bicycle Rentals.
You can gaze at gators while getting your exercise, too, by renting a bike at the Shark Valley Visitor Center. The same outfitter that operates the tram tours rents bikes as well. Pedal along 15 miles of paved, level roadway (no hills or dales) to the observation tower and back while keeping an eye on plentiful roadside reptiles. Bikes, rented at $9 per hour, are single gear, coaster-style two-wheelers with baskets and helmets available, along with some child seats for kids under 35 pounds. The well-used fleet also includes a few 20-inch junior models. You’ll need a driver’s license or other ID for a deposit. Arm yourself with water, insect repellent, and sunscreen. | Shark Valley Visitor Center, Shark Valley Loop Rd., Shark Valley | Miami | 305/221–8776 | www.sharkvalleytramtours.com/biking.
Boating
Many Everglades-area tours operate only in season, roughly November through April.
Buffalo Tiger’s Airboat Tours.
A former chief of Florida’s Miccosukee tribe—Buffalo Tiger, who died in January 2015 at the age of 94—founded this Shark Valley–area tour operation, and his spirit carries on. Savvy guides narrate the trip to an old Indian camp on the north side of Tamiami Trail from the Native American perspective. Don’t worry about airboat noise, since engines are shut down during informative talks. The 45-minute tours go 10–5 Saturday through Thursday at $27.50 per person. Look online for discount coupons. Reservations are not required, and credit cards are now accepted at this once cash-only outpost. | 29708 S.W. 8th St., 5 miles east of Shark Valley, 25 miles west of Florida’s Tpke. | Miami | 305/559–5250 | www.buffalotigersairboattours.com.
Guided Tours
Shark Valley Tram Tours.
Starting at the Shark Valley Visitor Center, these popular two-hour, narrated tours ($23) on bio-diesel trams follow a 15-mile loop road—great for viewing gators—into the interior, stopping at a 50-foot observation tower. Bring your own water. Reservations are strongly recommended December through April. | Shark Valley Visitor Center, Shark Valley Loop Rd. | Miami | 305/221–8455 | www.sharkvalleytramtours.com | Tours Dec.–Apr., daily hourly 9–4; May–Nov., daily hourly 9–3.