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Everglades National Park
The park's main entrance is reached via SR 9336 from US 1 at Florida City. Everglades National Park, the largest remaining subtropical wilderness in the nation, is a diverse and intricately linked series of habitats sheltering a variety of plants and animals, many of them threatened or endangered. The park contains more than 1.5 million acres of natural habitat, half of them water, including Cape Sable, the southernmost point on the U.S. mainland. From Cape Sable the park extends 45 miles north along the Gulf of Mexico and 30 miles east, including Florida Bay.
The Everglades was originally a slow-moving freshwater river, 50 miles wide and a few inches deep, fed by Lake Okeechobee. Much of the region is a labyrinth of mangrove waterways and saw grass marsh dotted with hammocks and salt prairies. Except for the pinelands and the highest hammocks, any spot can become a swamp in the rainy season.
Increased development in southern Florida imperils the area. Canals alternately drain and flood the region to meet the water demands of nearby cities, but in doing so they reverse the natural wet and dry cycles of the Everglades. Although fire occurs naturally in this environment, drought and canal drainage have magnified its destructive impact.
The land areas are not more than 8 feet above mean sea level, and bay bottoms are not more than 16 feet below mean sea level. The Ten Thousand Islands area conceals a strange kind of beauty and tranquility within its tide-swept maze of islets, oyster bars and mud shallows.
Trees and flowers are much the same as those found in Cuba and the West Indies. At least six species of palms grow within the park. The stately royal palm is found in greatest numbers at the Royal Palm Visitor Center. In addition to the tropical and subtropical trees and shrubs, there are more species belonging to the temperate zone and multitudes of ferns, orchids and air plants. Beware of the saw grass; its sharp barbs can easily slash bare skin and thin clothing.
The park is home to more than 350 species of birds, 60 percent of which leave during summer. Among those that stay are two species found only in the southernmost tip of the Florida peninsula: the Cape Sable seaside sparrow and the great white heron. One species that does proliferate is the mosquito; strong insect repellent is a necessity from May to November and is recommended all year.
The Everglades is among the few remaining places where the manatee, or sea cow, and the rare American crocodile are assured a permanent sanctuary. Along with more than 600 species of fish, alligators, snakes and sea turtles are common. Bottlenose dolphins occasionally are seen. A fishing license is required for all fishing areas, and bag limits are strictly enforced for both freshwater and saltwater fishing.
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