As I had plenty of time in Southern Florida in December 2011, I made three excursions into Everglades National Park. First I visited Shark Valley and walked more than half the loop, though a bike ride might be the better option as the loop is around 15 miles! Here we enjoyed the scenery of the Shark River Slough which seemingly never ends. The vast "wet prarie" is beautiful to behold. At Shark Valley we saw dozens of alligators, turtles, numerous bird species, and various types of fish.

My second excursion into the park is really a nice place for families. Chekika is a small hammock that is the closest entry point to Miami. The area is small and recieves very few visitors, partly because it only re-opened in 2008. Furthermore, Chekika is only open December 1st - April 30th due to seasonal flooding. The Chekika area was originally a private park in the 70's, but was purchased and added to the national park in 1991. The site offers a pleasant picnic area that includes pavilions and grills. Some of the ruins from the old small park can still be seen. Entering Chekika, you walk around a small pond where alligators are sometimes seen. Further on there is a small (little used) trail that goes into the dense hammock. Chekika has some interesting history as well, being a major site of resistance from the Seminole Native Americans. I did not see too much wildlife here, various birds, and one Alligator.

Lastly, I visited the major road that intersects much of the Everglades National Park. In the Royal Palm area there are two fantastic trails, Anhinga and Gumbo Limbo trail. Anhinga is well known for viewing wildlife during the dry season as the animals all flock to the abundant water here. Dozens of alligators, turtles, birds, and fish are all seen here in large numbers. The Gumbo Limbo Trail is a great place to walk amongst the lush vegitation of the Everglades. The foliage from the ground to the canopy was pleasant to take a walk through. Further along the road there is the pinelands trail, this trail had less interest for me, and while I did not really see any wildlife I could certainly hear it. It should be clarified there are numerous trails in this section of the park, most being around 1/2 round trip. However, there are some longer trails and also canoe loop trails as well. Following the pinelands there is the Pa-hay-okee overlook which is a great viewing point for the center of the park and the countless cypress trees in the area. The Mahogany Hammock trail was a nice place to see the difference a couple feet of elevation makes in the Everglades. Also on this trail besides the norm of seeing countless birds I did see a small water snake. After the Mahogony hammock the Everglades begin to change dramatically as the road approaches the ocean. At West Lake there is a nice trail that allows you to walk through the incredibly dense mangroves out to a small wood platform on the lake. The lake water here is very different than the clear water throughout much of the Everglades. Besides the short walking trail at West Lake there is also a canoe trail that goes all the way to Florida Bay. My final stop was at the Flamingo area where we enjoyed the visitor center and the view of Florida Bay. Here you can go on a boat tour, or rent out a canoe or kayak.

The Everglades National Park was a worthwile place to visit. Here I probably saw more wildlife than any other National Park in the United States. While it does not have the majestic views offered by the Grand Canyon or Yosemite, I particularly enjoyed the vastness of the wet prairie, the lush vegitation, and the incredible wildlife found here. Next time I want to rent a canoe and take on one of the many long canoe trails found within the park. I think a better point to take a boat out onto Florida Bay (instead of Flamingo) is from Key Largo on the Keys. In this area I saw mangroves and many keys out on the bay, but I was torn between taking a boat out on Florida Bay or snorkeling at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Visiting the coral reef near Key Largo was alot of fun and I do not regret my decision. However, if I ever make it back to the Keys, I will definetly take a boat out onto Florida Bay.