Best trails in Everglades National Park
The Everglades are the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States. This mangrove ecosystem and marine estuary is home to 36 protected species, including the Florida panther, American crocodile, and West Indian manatee. Some areas have been drained and developed; restoration projects aim to restore the ecology.
Top trails
Visitor info
All accredited educational and scientific institutions are eligible to receive free entrance to the park. Bringing your classroom to the park can present many unique learning opportunities and novel ways for your students to advance their studies. The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA), Public Law 108-447, provides the National Park Service statutory authority to allow “outings conducted for non-commercial educational purposes by schools or bona fide academic institutions.”
Good for 7 consecutive days at all park entrances.
Good for 7 consecutive days at all park entrances. Admits one individual hiker, bicyclist, pedestrian, or human-powered paddlecraft, when not arriving in a vehicle or vessel. Individuals 15 years old and younger, are admitted free of charge.
Admits the passholder and passengers of a single vehicle or vessel. Good for 7 consecutive days at all park entrances.
The Everglades Annual Pass admits the pass holder, passenger on one motorcycle, or passengers of a single vehicle or vessel to Everglades National Park.
Join millions of people who enjoy our National Parks with the "America the Beautiful" National Park & Federal Recreational Lands Pass, otherwise known as the Interagency Annual Pass. The pass is valid for a year's worth of visits from the month of purchase at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites across the country.
No entrance pass required on these days:
Monday, January 20 — Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Saturday, April 19 — First day of National Park Week
Thursday, June 19 — Juneteenth National Independence Day
Monday, August 4 — Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
Saturday, September 27 — National Public Lands Day
Tuesday, November 11 — Veterans Day
The Interagency Access Pass is accepted here.
The Ernest F. Coe, Royal Palm, Flamingo, Shark Valley, and Gulf Coast Visitor Centers are all accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers. Orientation films include closed captioning.
Assistive listening devices, tactile exhibits, and Braille materials are available. Loaner wheelchairs are available at the Royal Palm Visitor Center, Flamingo Visitor Center, Shark Valley Visitor Center, and Gulf Coast Visitor Center.
Some ranger-led programs are wheelchair accessible.
Additional information about accessibility at Everglades National Park can be found on their website: https://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm.
The Ernest F. Coe, Royal Palm, Flamingo, Shark Valley, and Gulf Coast Visitor Centers are all accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers. Orientation films include closed captioning.
The boat tours from Flamingo and Gulf Coast, plus the Shark Valley tram tour, are wheelchair accessible. Assistive listening devices are available for these tours. Please call in advance to make a reservation for accessibility services.
The Long Pine Key and Flamingo frontcountry Campgrounds have individual wheelchair accessible camping sites and wheelchair accessible restrooms and parking.
The Pearl Bay Chickee backcountry Campground has one individual wheelchair accessible camping site with handrails, a canoe dock, and an accessible chemical toilet. This campsite is reached by a four-hour canoe trip.
Service animals must be on-leash throughout the park.
Guides
Trail reviews for Everglades National Park
Very short and paved, but gives an impression of being deep in the woods. Also, right next to Anhinga trail which is also short board walk but with totally different views. Both are worth walking if you happen to be in the Everglades National Park.
This is a great bike ride along paved path in Everglades National Park. Wildlife and scenery are outstanding. Get to parking lot early as it will fill up and then it is a long line to get in with a one in one out policy.
Easy trail in Everglades National Park. Follows old roads and circles campground.
This is a boardwalk and paved trail in the Everglades at shark Valley visitor center. There is a $35 fee to get into the park so be aware but the hike itself is free. We decided to do this hike instead of paying another 30 something dollars to do the tram or rent a bike. We did see several turtles, an alligator, lots of fish and lots of birds. This was easy to walk.
Easily accessible spot to see gators and some of the Everglades natural beauty.
South to North, 6 days 5 nights in a canoe. Oyster Bay Chickee to Highland Beach to Rodgers River Bay Chickee to Lostmans Five to Crooked Creek Chickee. This is a rather assertive itinerary, but we’re experienced paddlers and needed to accommodate several site closures (Harney River Chickee, Plate Creek, Sweetwater Chickee). Stopped for breaks at South Joe Chickee, Joe Chickee, Graveyard Creek (moderate insects at midday), Darwins Place (terrible insects here during midday). Conditions were largely with us, always check your tides and weather conditions. 20 gallons of water for the two of us (we returned with four). We parked in Everglades City with a shuttle to Flamingo. Route finding was easy for us but we have a lot of experience (build in redundancies and do your research). No other paddlers seen, several boats daily (take care where your route overlaps). Trash was left in one Chickee outhouse and trash left at other sites (notably highland beach); be mindful of leaving no trace. Insects (mosquitos, no-see-ums, biting flies) can be bad at night, arrive at camp early and be prepared. Crocodiles, alligators, sharks, sea turtles, dolphins, so many fish and birds. Incredibly beautiful and special.
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Frequently asked questions
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Activities
Points of interest
- Shark Valley Observation Tower
- Flamingo Campground
- Ernest Coe
- Joe River Chickee #1
- West Pass
- West Pass Bay
- Old Ingraham
- West Lake
- Pearl Bay
- Eco Pond
- Hells Bay Chickee #2
- Gaskin Bay
- Joe River Chickee #2
- Bear Lake Mound
- Pearl Bay Chickee
- Hells Bay Chickee #1
- Outdoor Resorts of Chokoloskee
- Lane Cove
- Bear Lake
- Pa-hay-okee Overlook Platform