Everglades National Park

Everglades National Park, United States

Golden sunset light illuminates the sawgrass marsh and cypress domes of Everglades National Park.

Everglades is a slow river of grass where alligators, wading birds and manatees share a watery landscape built for water rather than for hikers.

The place

Everglades National Park protects the southern fifth of the original Everglades ecosystem in Florida, a mosaic of sawgrass prairie, cypress domes, mangrove channels and shallow bays. It covers more than 1.5 million acres, and most of that land is designated wilderness. The water moves very slowly, draining from Lake Okeechobee towards Florida Bay, so the whole region reads as one broad, gentle sheet rather than a river with banks. About a million people visit each year, but most stay near the main roads and the visitor centres at the edges, and the interior feels far emptier than the figures suggest. The park is a major breeding ground for tropical wading birds, and its mangrove forest is the largest in the Western Hemisphere. Wildlife is varied: the Florida panther, the American crocodile and the West Indian manatee all live here, alongside hundreds of bird species and dozens of fish and reptile species. Much of South Florida's fresh water is stored in the Biscayne Aquifer and recharged through the park. The land sits very low, so the boundary between fresh and salt water is fragile, and scientists are watching it closely as sea levels rise. The park is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Ramsar wetland, a combination shared by only three places in the world. Visitors should expect heat, mosquitoes and long stretches without services, but the rewards are quiet ones: birds lifting off the water and slow boats gliding past mangroves at dusk.

Its story

Everglades National Park exists because generations of people tried to drain its water away. Humans have lived in and around these wetlands for thousands of years, adapting to a landscape that floods and dries with the seasons. From 1882 onwards, planners began to see the marsh as wasted land, and schemes to drain it for farming and housing gathered pace. Over the following decades, canals and water control works redirected the slow southward flow, with consequences for birds, fish and the aquifer beneath. Conservationists argued instead that the wetlands had their own value, and that a whole living system deserved protection, not just a scenic peak or canyon. The park was established in 1947 as the first national park created to safeguard a delicate ecosystem, which was unusual when most parks had been set aside for dramatic scenery. Later decades turned towards repair: restoring water flow, controlling invasive species and tracking how rising seas push salt into freshwater habitats. In 1976 the park was named a biosphere reserve, in 1979 a World Heritage Site and in 1987 a Ramsar wetland, recognitions that mark its journey from a problem to be drained to a system to be kept alive. Today the Everglades is valued for the very quality earlier generations tried to change: the slow, shallow water that moves from Lake Okeechobee to the bay.

What to see

Culture

Everglades National Park is run by the National Park Service, but its culture is shaped by people who have lived with these waters for generations. The Miccosukee and Seminole peoples have deep ties to the wetlands, and many of their communities still live in and around the Everglades today. Their presence is a reminder that the park is a home as well as a protected landscape, so visitors should approach local settings with the same care they would give any community. Daily life here follows the water: fishing families, guides and rangers talk about tides, rain and water levels as a matter of course, and their advice on conditions is worth listening to. Wildlife is treated with real respect, and rangers take the rules seriously because animals that learn to expect food can become dangerous. Keep to marked trails and boardwalks, stay well back from alligators, and never feed wildlife. Ask before photographing anyone from a local community, and keep voices low near the birds.

What to wear

Everglades National Park has no single traditional dress, but the Miccosukee and Seminole peoples, whose ancestors settled these wetlands, are known for distinctive patchwork and appliqué clothing. The designs are built from strips of cotton cloth stitched into geometric bands, often in bold colours, and they were traditionally made for everyday wear and ceremonies. Women's skirts and blouses are the best-known forms, while men wear shirts and trousers that have been adapted over time. Today most people in these communities dress much like anyone else in Florida, in jeans, t-shirts and work boots for fishing or hunting, with patchwork pieces kept for festivals, markets and public events. Visitors should dress for heat and insects. Light, long-sleeved cotton or linen shirts and trousers help against sun and mosquitoes, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses are sensible, and sturdy closed shoes suit the boardwalks, which can be slippery, and the muddy trails. Bring a light waterproof layer for sudden storms. Dress modestly at community events and ask before wearing or buying traditional patchwork pieces.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. November to April is the dry season, when water drains, wildlife gathers around shrinking pools and the heat is gentler. June to October is long, hot and very wet, with heavy rain and plenty of mosquitoes.

How long. 2–3

Getting there. Fly into Miami International Airport, then drive to the park on the main US highways heading west and south; fill the tank before setting out, as fuel inside the park is limited.

Budget. mid

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources