Everglades - River of Grass

Location: 

Located 50 kilometers from Miami,  in the southeast portion of Florida and covers an area of around 734 sq miles.  

Fun, Facts & Figures: 

It is the 3rd largest national park in the lower 48 states.  Everglades National Park is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States and has been protected since 1947 due to its unique and fragile interdependent ecosystem, which consists of 

swamps, mangrove forest, tropical hammocks, 

vegetation, pine rockland, and wildlife. 

Designated a World Heritage Site and an international Biosphere Reserve, it sustains life to thirty-six of America's endangered or protected wildlife species, many of which have been pushed out of urban areas throughout Florida.

Although most of us generally equate the infinite swampy waterways to alligators, the Park is also home to more than 350 species of birds, 300 species of fresh and saltwater fish, 40 species of mammals, 50 species of reptiles and 1,000 species of plants. 

It is the only place in the world where the American Alligator and the American Crocodile co-exist in the wild. 

Another way South Florida's

urban areas benefit from 

the Everglades is by its 

contribution to our water 

supply. The water supply 

in the Everglades is derived 

mostly from rainfall and functions 

as a flood control and provides 

a natural filtering system 

for all of southern Florida.

 
Activities: 


Tram tours, hiking trails, canoeing, kayaking, biking, eco-tours, photography workshop and airboat tours.


When to go:

Open 365 days a year, but hot climates and pesky mosquitoes make December - March the busiest season.  A good alternative for the summer months is the audio car tour.  While in the comfort of your air conditioned vehicle you can follow along an audio program downloadable to itunes or windows media player and tour the Park. Below is a link with more information on the Everglades by car audio tour.
Everglades Park Audio Car Tour link 


More information on Everglades National Park:
Planing Your Visit to Everlades National Park 


Other related sites of interest:
Everglades Restoration Plan