Everglades National Park

Everglades National Park in Homestead, Florida, protects 1.5 million acres of subtropical wilderness and is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an International Biosphere Reserve, and a Wetland of International Importance — the largest tropical wilderness in North America. The park sustains an extraordinary array of ecosystems including sawgrass prairies, mangrove forests, freshwater sloughs, and coastal lowlands. Wildlife encounters define the park experience: American alligators bask on roadside banks, endangered Florida panthers roam remote uplands, West Indian manatees drift through channels, and hundreds of bird species including the roseate spoonbill, snail kite, and wood stork depend on these wetlands. The main park road extends 38 miles from the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center to the Flamingo Visitor Center on Florida Bay, passing the Anhinga Trail — the park's premier short walk where anhinga birds dry their wings at arm's reach — and the Pa-hay-okee Overlook boardwalk with sweeping views over the River of Grass. Royal Palm Hammock near the entrance provides an easily accessible introduction with two short trails through cypress hammock and sawgrass prairie. The backcountry offers a completely different experience for those paddling the Wilderness Waterway canoe route through 99 miles of mangrove tunnels and open bays. Shark Valley on the park's north edge provides a 15-mile tram or bicycle loop with extraordinary alligator and bird viewing and an observation tower rising above the sawgrass sea. The Flamingo district at the park's southern tip offers kayaking, houseboating, and access to remote backcountry campsites on Florida Bay. Entry is per vehicle with a seven-day pass, and the America the Beautiful annual pass provides free access.