Everglades Park
Rate this placeLast Updated: December 5, 2025
Everglades National Park is a vast wetlands area in the southern part of Florida, covering over 1.5 million acres of swamps, mangrove forests and marshes.
°F
°F
mph
Wind
%
Humidity
Summary
It is home to a diverse range of plant and animal species, including the endangered Florida panther, American crocodile, and West Indian manatee. The park offers a variety of recreational activities such as hiking, camping, kayaking, boating, and wildlife watching.
Some of the key points of interest in the park include the Shark Valley area, where visitors can take a tram tour or bike ride through the marshes and see alligators, turtles, and wading birds up close. Another popular attraction is the Anhinga Trail, a boardwalk that winds through a freshwater marsh and offers great views of herons, egrets, and other wildlife. The Flamingo Visitor Center in the southern part of the park is also worth a visit, offering ranger-led activities and boat tours.
Interesting facts about the park include that it is the largest subtropical wilderness area in the United States, and one of only three parks designated as a World Heritage Site, a Biosphere Reserve, and a Wetland of International Importance. The park is also home to the largest continuous stand of sawgrass prairie in the world.
The best time of year to visit Everglades National Park is from December to April, when the weather is mild and dry. This is also when many of the migratory bird species are in the park, making it a great time for birdwatching. However, visitors should be aware that this is also the busiest time of year, so it is important to book accommodations and activities well in advance.
Weather Forecast
Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
Related References
Tequesta Trace Park
Sawgrass Recreation Park
Country Isles Park
Peace Mound Park
Chapel Trail Nature Preserve
South New River Canal (C-11)
C.B. Smith Park Lake
Cypress Creek Canal (C-14) Riverside Park Pompano Canal