
The Everglades Welcome You Back!!!
As marinas, parks and green spaces reopen in our city, the Everglades are a fantastic place to come and get some fresh air while practicing safe social distancing guidelines.
Here's what's happening at the park:
- All areas of Everglades National Park are now OPEN. Park waters remain open for access from outside the park.
- You are encouraged to pre-pay for your Entrance fee online, you can get a digital pass here.
- Visitor Centers at Ernest C. Coe and Shark Valley have reopened.
- Campsites are open. Self-registration permits are available outside of the Flamingo and Gulf Coast Visitor Centers.
- Several tours and concession services have resumed with enhanced health and safety measures:
- Shark Valley's Tram Tours are running on a limited capacity and Bike rentals can be booked online.
- Flamingo's Back Country Tours are running and kayak and canoe rentals and bicycles can be booked online. Check Groupon Discounts here.
- The Gulf Coast 10,000 Island Tours are running and kayak and canoe rentals can be booked online.
- The following outside concessions are conducting Airboat and Eco Tours now:
- Gator Park: Everglades National Park Airboat Tour and Wildlife Show
- Everglades Safari Park: $23.60 Discount tickets at Klook.com,
- Everglades Holiday Park, from Miami incl. transport: Half-Day Everglades Airboat Ride & Wildlife Show
- Sawgrass Recreation Park: Everglades Airboat Tour with Exhibit Entrance, Private Tour for your group only, Night Tour (Wednesdays and Saturdays only)
- Everglades Area Tours: Mangrove Tunnel Kayak Eco-Tour meet at Everglades Chamber of Commerce Welcome Center Hwy 41/Hwy 29 Everglades City
For more info check out Everglades National Park: Alerts and Conditions
The Anhinga Trail is one of our favorite trails. We often will bring our visiting friends here, it is a great introduction to the Everglades if this happens to be their first time.
The Anhinga Trail has never let us down, it is that reliable! The wading birds and alligators are always here.
Just remember, the dry season is the time to come, that is roughly from November to March/April. What and how much you see will depend a lot on the time of the year you come.
These pictures were taken all in one day around the end of December and we didn't need to go far to start seeing some great wildlife.
It all happened within the first 50 yards:
A Wood Storck greeted us as we came in...
...Followed by a Blue Heron...
...And a Little Green Heron...
Then of course Anhingas drying their wings... a staple of the trail...
And alligators...
A beautiful Great Blue Heron...
And lots of turtles playing all around the surface
One of the most beautiful birds in the Everglades: the Purple Gallinule
We also got to see some action, check out this anhinga eating a whole fish, I didn't think it could manage but I was wrong...
And this is how close you can get... This cormorant was happy just seeing everyone pass by...
This was all within the first few steps on the paved trail, before we even got to the boardwalks or the alligator water hole... which are coming next.
Here are some tips for visiting the Anhinga Trail of Everglades National Park.
The Florida Everglades
Most Popular Everglades Excursions
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