Like the great Houdini, Everglades National Park is impressive, and it may just disappear.
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Everglades National Park, Florida
Nestled between the insanity that is Miami and the Gulf Coast, on the far southern tip of Florida is a park you could call multiple things: beautiful, a sanctuary, wild, dangerous, politically charged, a success story, a sad example, a losing battle, endless, endangered, resource-rich, over-extracted, invaded, a Canary in a coal mine, and so on…
When the United States was being settled, certain regions were deemed uninhabitable. With an abundance of quality farmland, timber resources and wildlife found throughout, why would anyone risk their lives in the far reaches of a brutal swamp? However, as the twentieth century set in, this would soon change.
Problems Impacting the Everglades
First, as beaver populations dwindled and other huntable animals went extinct or fell out of fashion, hunters and prospectors had to find a new market. Enter European fashion and feathered apparel. Overnight, now-famous and beloved bird species, like Egrets, herons and spoonbills, were being decimated. Plucked, packed and sent across the Atlantic for a quick profit.
Next, the Everglades National Park fell victim to the nation’s seeming desire to tame every river and waterway. See, the Everglades National Park isn’t a normal stagnant swamp; it’s actually a slow-moving river fed by Lake Okeechobee. With fertile farmland under these waters, the lake was dammed in an attempt to control it, farm it, and utilize more of the region. Unfortunately, this became a major source of contention. Discovered to be a bigger undertaking than humanly imaginable, storms, levee breaks and floods would result in horrific loss of human life, financial ruin, and environmental destruction. Plans would be altered, changes made, but the damage was done. This fragile ecosystem was now even more vulnerable.
Then came the growth of Miami and other surrounding communities. Water usage, roads blocking natural flow, human contact and pollution have taken their toll on many species found throughout the swamp. In fact, due to water diversion and usage, the glades shrink every year. With lowering water levels, nobody knows how long the Everglades will even exist.
Finally, the most recent problem is invasive species. Almost all natural resources across North America have been negatively impacted by invasive species. However, few environments have been hit as hard as the Everglades. Enter the Burmese Python. Once seen as a fun pet, this now destructive foe of the Everglades is a product of folks releasing their pet once it gets too large to handle. Without any natural predators for these beasts, populations have exploded. And, being indiscriminate predators, they have hollowed out populations of various birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals, throwing off the natural balance of the ecosystem. While many volunteers have hunted this species to the best of their abilities, the problem remains: how do you hunt a species hidden miles deep into dangerous, impenetrable territory?
In the 1992 hit, “Seminole Wind”, when John Anderson sings “and I heard the ghost of Osceola cry”, I believe that this is more than just a reflection of the great leader’s pain, but rather a symbolic representation of everything and everyone that has been harmed in the last century.
The unique aspect of the Everglades National Park, in contrast to other national parks of this time period, is that a woman saved it. Marjory Stoneman Douglas was the main influence behind the writing and policy that helped this park receive much-needed protection. Of all 63 national parks, Everglades is arguably the most deserving of park status. A delicate and special environment that warrants the highest protection possible. And Douglas was the key behind it all.
How to Visit the Everglades National Park
Now that’s enough negativity and history, let’s talk about how to visit the Everglades National Park.
Everglades has four main areas to explore:
1. My favorite, and most representative of what you envision when you think of the Everglades: the sawgrass prairies of Shark Valley. Here you can:
- take an airboat tour into the swamp to see alligators;
- walk, ride a bike, or take the tram on a tour to the Shark Valley observation tower. A tower that gives an aerial view to see the true beauty and nature around.
- Drive Highway 41 through the park to see gliding egrets and herons, like a scene out of a movie, as they travel over the sawgrass.
2. Flamingo. The drive to get here is probably the highlight. It travels through many diverse swamps and landscapes to take you to the ocean. Once there, you can walk the marina to spot manatees or visit the Guy Bradley Visitor Center.
3. The Royal Pine section is a quiet part of the park. A couple of trails to mosey through to attempt to spot the beautiful Anhinga (half bird, half snake) or, for history enthusiasts, drive out to the HM69 NIKE missile base. Also, the Earnest F. Coe Visitor Center is nearby.
4. Gulf Coast. Admittedly, I have not made it to this section of the park. However, the main attractions here are boat tours for bird watching in the bay.
This is a very special park. That said, what makes it so great is also why it’s not one of my favorite parks to visit. Thick underbrush hides most wildlife, and it lacks the attractions of the famous parks. Being so protected and hard to enter means you can’t get into the backcountry easily. At the end of the day, as a visitor, it begins to just feel like a giant swamp. Which is okay! That’s what it is. I highly recommend seeing this magical ecosystem. Just know, a day or two is more than enough time to see it.
If this park trips your trigger and you’re wondering how to get there, Miami is probably the best city to fly into.
While you’re here, a drive through the Keys to get to the Dry Tortugas National Park ferry is spectacular also. 70 miles east of Key West, out in the Gulf, you can expect a unique tropical island and famous brick fort. Remotely placed in the vast turquoise waters, it’s perfect for all ages.
For more of a water sports-style experience, on the opposite side of Miami is Biscayne National Park; a park that’s almost completely underwater, which is easily paired with the Everglades on the same vacation. Aquatic life is abundant, and there are multiple ways to explore.
