The Everglades region, a featureless land rising just a few metres above sea level, covers the entire southern tip of Florida. This vast expanse of marshland features a succession of natural areas: large wet meadows, clusters of pine forests and thick mangrove swamps mixed with cypress trees in the brackish areas close to the sea. Along the coastline, countless islands and islets border the Everglades (**Ten Thousand Islands***).
A region of wet plains, pine forests and vast mangroves, the Everglades cover southern Florida and drain the waters of the peninsula towards the sea. The result is a fragile ecosystem, unique of its kind in the United States, where a rich and diverse fauna flourishes, including animals that are emblematic of the region: the crocodile, the alligator, the manatee and, even rarer, the Florida panther.
Endangered by the galloping urbanisation of a large conurbation such as Miami, whose most recent districts are steadily gobbling up more and more space, the Everglades (the "eternal swamps") would be in danger of disappearing if they were not a protected area. **The Everglades National Park is one of the largest in the USA, but only covers 25% of the original Everglades!
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this natural wonder can be explored on foot, by bike or in a kayak, to take in all its beauty.
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The Everglades, a unique ecosystem in the United States
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Ten Thousand Islands dans les Everglades
- © John Apte / ShutterstockThis ecosystem is unique in the United States. Until the 19th century, South Florida was inhabited by a number of Native American tribes, who were eradicated by European colonisation. At the same time, the Everglades served as a refuge for the Miccosukee tribe and the Seminole nation, made up of Amerindians and escaped African slaves, who fought the American army: no peace treaty was ever signed! These indigenous peoples still live in the Everglades today.
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Everglades mangroves
- © Anthony Ricci / ShutterstockUrban development has always been the greatest threat to the Everglades: you only have to look at the sprawl of the Miami conurbation, which is making ever greater inroads into the marshes, to understand why! The local government even made attempts to drain the Everglades marshes at the end of the 19th century... which fortunately failed.
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An entrance to Everglades National Park
- © Nick Fox / ShutterstockThe Everglades are still suffering from human settlement in South Florida. However, thanks to the creation of Everglades National Park in 1947, and its designation as a World Heritage Site 30 years later, a vast area has been protected, allowing this fascinating ecosystem to survive.
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Travelodge by Wyndham Florida City/Homestead/Everglades
Conveniently located for the Florida Everglades, 15 km away, the Travelodge by Wyndham Florida City/Homestead/Everglades welcomes you to Florida City.Everglades National Park, a natural wonder in Florida
We can't recommend enough that you set aside a few days of your trip to Florida to venture into the Everglades National Park, certainly one of the most striking National Parks in the United States.
Conveniently, as soon as you leave the Miami metropolitan area, you're in the Everglades. The national park is generally divided into two parts: Northern Everglades and Southern Everglades.
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Mahogany Hammock Trail dans Everglades National Park
- © Simon Dannhauer / ShutterstockIf you're pressed for time and only have a single day, concentrate on the Southern Everglades. The Main Park Road descends into the typical Everglades landscape, through forests, swamps and mangroves, as far south as Flamingo. Here you can embark on boat trips, or hire kayaks to paddle through the mangroves.
Along the way, you'll come across the Ernest Coe Visitor Centre and the Royal Palm Visitor Centre, two "easy" entry points to the park, with hiking trailheads. Other trails, often with wooden footbridges to cross the wetlands, take you deep into the Everglades, such as the Mahogany Hammock Trail or the Pa-Hay-Okee Lookout Tower.
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A resident of the Everglades
- © OFFFSTOCK / ShutterstockTo explore the Northern Everglades, follow Highway 41 from Tamiami, and loop around on Loop Road (Route 94). Among the highlights are the Miccosukee Indian Village and the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Seminole Museum, devoted to the American Indians and their way of life, and Shark Valley, which takes 2 hours to explore on the Shark Valley Tram Tours!
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A meeting in Shark Valley
- © Andy Lidstone / ShutterstockKeep your eyes peeled at all times: the Everglades is home to a wealth of wildlife, including its iconic alligators, rare American crocodiles, peaceful Caribbean manatees and the ultra-discreet (and endangered) Florida panther, not to mention hundreds of species of birds.
Practical information
How do I get to Everglades National Park from Miami?
A car is essential. The Everglades begins just outside the Miami metropolitan area and can be reached quickly from Tamiami (north) or Homestead (south).
Entrance fees for Everglades National Park :
- Private vehicle, valid for 7 days: $30 (motorbike $25)
- Pedestrian / cyclist / canoe-kayak, valid for 7 days: $15
- Digital passes can be booked online on the Everglades National Park website
Seasons in the Everglades
There are two seasons in the region: the dry season from December to April, which is the most pleasant (high season), and the wet season from May to November (low season).
How can you discover the Everglades?
Hiking, on foot or by bike on certain trails, is still the best way to explore the Everglades, along with kayaking. Kayak hire companies can be found all around the national park. Numerous guided excursions are available along the roads, including byairboat.
How long can I stay in Everglades National Park?
One day is the bare minimum: choose between the north and south of the national park. You can combine them over two days, but ideally, you should stay three days or more to observe the animals and immerse yourself in the unique world of the Everglades.
Where to stay in the Everglades?
- Hotels are hard to come by in the swamps! The nearest hotels are in Homestead, Florida City or Everglades City.
- Otherwise, bring a tent, because camping is still the best way to sleep in the national park, at Flamingo for example. Always book well in advance.
- There are wilderness camping areas in the park, some with toilets, or accessible by kayak on small islets. Make sure you register with the park authorities at Flamingo or the Gulf Coast Visitor Centres.