Visited: 7 - 12 January 2024
Nights Stayed: 5 nights
Known as "the river of grass", the everglades is home to 450,000 acres of mangroves and the largest continuous seagrass meadow on earth. When people think of the Everglades usually it's birds, alligators, snakes, and water. When I think of the park I think of an abundance of trails to explore, wide open spaces that are endless, and reptiles & animals galore. The park did not disappoint.
Everglades National Park is the third largest park in the continental United States only beaten by Death Valley and Yellowstone. It covers over 1.5 million acres or 2,350 sq miles. The elevation ranges from 0 to 8 feet (2.4 m) above sea level. The Florida Peninsula is thought to have appeared above sea level about 100,000 to 150,000 years ago.
It is thought that humans first inhabited the area 10,000 to 20,000 years ago. The Tequesta tribe developed the eastern side while the Calusa (whom my dog was named after) inhabited the western side.
The Everglades was established as a National Park in 1947. UNESCO listed it as an International Biosphere Reserve in 1976. In 1979 it was also listed as a World Heritage Site.
On average one million people visit Everglades NP each year. However, road access is limited to only four areas of the park. They include Shark Valley, Gulf Coast, Royal Palm, and Flamingo. The last is where we spent 5 glorious nights camping. FYI contrary to what many believe, we did not see a python around every corner, as a matter of fact we did not see one at all.
Below is a map of Everglades National Park outlined in red. The only road leading to Flamingo is in orange and the star is where we camped for 5 nights.
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| Entrance gate to Everglades National Park |
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| Flamingo Area - Everglades National Park |
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| Flamingo Campground |
There are basically two seasons in the everglades, the wet season and the dry season also known as tourist season. Most tourist visit the everglades between November and April of each year. This campground is usually booked solid a year in advance. We had a 30 amp electric site. Water fill-up is at the bath houses along with a dump station. The dry season gives way to the wet time of year. This sees a drop in visitation namely due to hot humid weather, supersized mosquitoes, and a constant threat of severe thunderstorms. Also the campground is closed during these months.
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| Our site |
The first place I checked out was the Guy Bradley Visitors Center which is located near the campground but a 38 miles drive, bike, or walk from the entrance to Everglades National Park. It consists of two buildings joined by an above ground walkway and viewing area. This is a great place to start your adventures, the marina is close by, trails start from here, and several ranger lead programs are held in the visitors center or close by.
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| Guy Bradley Visitors Center in Flamingo |
For those who choose not to camp, the newly constructed Flamingo Lodge provides nightly accommodations that overlook the bay. The newly opened Flamingo restaurant which is adjacent to the lodge is open for breakfast, lunch, and supper. A bar service is also available.  |
| Flamingo Lodge |
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| Flamingo Restaurant |
The wildlife is amazing in Everglades National Park even though the weather wasn't great while we were there. It's suppose to be the dry season we received rain each day. So much so they closed the Bayside campground. I found this osprey and black vulture duelling it out along bayside.Another accommodation choice are the elevated glamping eco-tents. Each has a partial view of the bay with either a queen or two single beds.
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