everglades national park entrance

Everglades National Park

ByEvergladers

Everglades National Park is one of the largest and most important national parks in the U.S.

Everglades National Park covers more than 1.5 million acres of delicate wetlands and natural wilderness. Its borders cover most of the southern Florida Peninsula.

Amazingly, the boundaries of Everglades National Park stretch from near the Atlantic Ocean all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.

The park protects a vast area in southern Florida, although much of the sensitive Everglades ecosystem remains unprotected.

The national park is home to a wide array of ecosystems, plant and animal life, including rare and endangered species, including

  • Florida Manatee
  • The American crocodile
  • The nearly extinct Florida panther
  • Countless bird species
  • Countless marine species

Sections of Everglades National Park

Everglades National Park is divided into three main regions:

  • The Gulf Coast Visitor Center
  • The Shark Valley Visitor Center
  • The Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center. 

Each section gives unique opportunities to explore the park’s natural beauty, ecosystems and wildlife.

Gulf Coast Visitor Center

The Gulf Coast Visitor Center is located on the western edge of the park.

The Gulf Coast section is located near many popular tourist cities in southwest Florida, especially Naples.

This section is a starting point for many tours, especially canoe, kayak, wildlife and boat tours. 

Visitors can also explore hiking trails, including the Anhinga Trail, which travels through a hardwood hammock. 

This section of the park offers excellent bird watching opportunities and the chance to see other forms of wildlife.

Shark Valley

The Shark Valley Visitor Center is located on the northern edge of the park, and is one of the most widely visited parts of Everglades National Park.

This section of the park is home to the famous Shark Valley Tram Road; a 15-mile paved road which gives visitors a chance to see the park’s wildlife with the convenience and comfort of a guided tram tour.

Visitors can also explore on their own via bike, or walk the road, as it passes through wetlands and sawgrass prairies.

Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center

The Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center is located in the heart of Everglades National Park.

This part of the park is home to many of the park’s hiking trails, including the famous Gumbo Limbo Trail. 

This section also offers guided tours of the park’s backcountry by kayak, boat, or hiking on foot.

Historic Sites

Besides its vast and diverse ecosystems, Everglades National Park also protects several historic sites, including:

  • Native American artifacts
  • Royal Palm State Park
  • Old Ingraham Highway
  • Nike Missile site

Everglades National Park is an amazing natural and cultural treasure. 

The park offers visitors the chance to explore a unique, irreplaceable and fragile ecosystem. 

Visitors are welcomed to experience an amazingly diverse variety of plant and wildlife, and fascinating history.

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