Everglades National Park

Everglade - a marshy tract of land that is mostly underwater and covered with tall grass. Yep, that is pretty much accurate. We arrived at the Everglades after leaving Biscayne (they are only about 45 minutes apart) and stopped in at the visitor's center to see what we could see before they closed! You see, there is a hurricane that is on its way, and the park is closing, and we don't want to be stuck in the Everglades forever... With a little input from the park staff we decided to stop at the Pa-hay-okee Overlook, and then walk along the Gumbo Limbo Trail.

We arrived at Pa-hay-okee Overlook, which is a 1/4 mile-ish boardwalk that takes you up to a tower. From the tower you can see a good portion of the park, look for wildlife, and enjoy the shaded benches. The boardwalk takes you over some of the everglades that contain fish and other wildlife. Sadly we didn't see any larger wildlife (we were hoping for at least 1 alligator) but it was a good, if short, hike for an excellent panorama.

After leaving Pa-hay-okee we went and found the Gumbo Limbo Tail. And about 3000 mosquitoes. Turns out they do well in everglades. Who woulda thunk... We had heard that there was a possibility of baby alligators and maybe even adult ones in this area. We kept our eyes open (partly on the trail since we were at a brisk walk trying to avoid mosquito infestation) but didn't see any, alas. The trail takes you through a forest of Gumbo Limbo trees, along several ponds and creeks, and then back to the starting point. I am sure it was a very scenic trail, but we were in a hurry and didn't linger, both due to the hurricane and the mosquitoes.

Personnel:
The rangers at the visitor's center were helpful, providing maps and suggestions. The person we talked to was a bit confusing, his instructions were sometimes convoluted, but he was definitely trying to give us good guidance and we had a map, so it all worked out. We also talked to a fellow at the gate who suggested very strongly that it would be wise for us to be back outside the gate before it closed at 5:00... we took his advice too. The staff were still very helpful and polite even though they were under time pressure to get ready for the storm.

Climate/weather:
The weather seemed warmer than it did at Biscayne, probably because we were a ways from the ocean. It wasn't oppressive or anything, but it was not as pleasant as being right on the beach at Biscayne. It makes sense why the tourist season starts in November as it would be a cooler and more pleasant temperature.

Facilities/signage:
The bathrooms looked nice from the outside... that is as close as we got because our visit was so brief. The signage was definitely high quality. The entrance sign is really sweet, and there were plenty of signs as you drive through the park.

Hiking experience:
The hiking experience was fine, but it felt like we were so rushed that during our brief hiking outings we really didn't see much of the wildlife. There were lots of fish in the waters as we walked along the boardwalk, which were cool to see, but that was about all we found. The park has lots of places that we didn't get to go and I have no doubt we would have seen plenty if we had not been in a hurry.

Driving experience:
We also didn't drive too far into the park, we opted to stay close to the entrance so we didn't risk getting stuck. We did see lots of water birds (great egrets and several herons) and from Rock Reef Pass (elevation 3') you could see for miles. Again I am pretty sure if we had explored more of the park we would have seen lots of interesting and exciting things.

Camping options:
We didn't pass any campgrounds on our foray into the park, but there are 2 campgrounds accessible by car, and various backcountry locations around the park that are accessible by canoe or kayak. The dry season is November through June, if you go in the wet season it might be a slightly more adventurous experience...

Hammockability:
It was pretty humid and hot here, and where there were trees there were plenty of mosquitoes, so we didn't really feel like the places we visited were great for hammocks, but it would probably be nicer nearer the coast with a bug net for protection. Also, watch out for alligators/crocodiles as they live here, and would find you tasty. Note... they can't jump.

Scenery:
Well, it was, as the name implies, almost entirely everglades. There are actually quite a few forests in the park as well (panthers do live here after all) and lots of waterways and things. There are plenty unique places throughout the park to check out. Also... it is flat, like really flat. Our max elevation while driving was 3'.

Food options:
You are in south Florida. Miami is like an hour away. Have no fear.


Our trip to Florida was so short, we really felt like we didn't have time to see much and enjoy much, it was more just checking the parks off our list. Definitely places we want to go back and visit in more depth!

Next stop, Great Smokey Mountains National Park!