Only one hour south of Miami, the Everglades encompass 1.5 million acres of watery subtropical wilderness. The park is made up of vast saw-grass prairies, deep mangrove swamps, pinelands, and the warm waters of Florida Bay. Among its wildlife are three hundred species of birds, the elusive Florida panther (which still stalks in the bush), crocodiles, wood storks, otters, and alligators. The major tourist season is from mid-December through mid-April, due to rainstorms and abundant insects in the summer.
The Anhinga Trail, like many other trails throughout the park, has a boardwalk so that you can safely observe alligators, otters, snakes, turtles, herons, anhinga, gallinules, and many other birds and animals. Bicycles can be rented year-round at the Flamingo Marina store and the Shark Valley visitor center. The best place to see birds are at ponds, such as Eco Pond and at Mrazek and Coot bays; go in the early mornings or late afternoons in the dry winter months.
Because more than one-third of the park is comprised of marine areas and estuaries, boating is the best way to explore. Canoe trails are plentiful. Almost every type of marine organism native to the Caribbean is found in these waters. Throughout the park, naturalists lead hikes, canoe trips, and tram tours. Backcountry cruises and sailing tours are avail-able through TW Recreational Services; call the Flamingo Lodge (below) for details. Other privately operated sightseeing boat tours include Everglades National Park Boat Tours (941—695—2591), which lead boat trips through the mangrove wilderness and islands.
At the Chekikia Recreation Area you'll find a swimming lagoon, camp-ground, and nature trails. On Tamiami Trail, just west of Shark Valley in the park, don't miss the Miccosukee Indian Village (941—223—8380), which gives a realistic view of the traditional Miccosukees, who lived amid thatched-roof cypress huts. Its museum has artifacts and canoes carved from trees; you can watch Chekikia women weave baskets out of sawgrass. Visitors like to watch the alligators wrestle; alligators once were caught by the Indians for their hides and meat.
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