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Introduction to the Florida Everglades

The Florida Everglades are a subtropical marshland located in the lower tip of the state of Florida. Part of the area has been designed as Florida Everglades National Park. The picture below is a great egret in an Everglades mangro swamp.


Great Egret Cypress Swamp Everglades
Photo Credit: United States National Parks Service

The Florida Everglades are located in parts of the following South Florida counties: Monroe, Collier, Palm Beach, Maimi-Dade, and Broward. The Everglades extend from Lake Okeechobee in the north to Florida Bay int he South. It was once bordered by Big Cypress Swamp on the west and tyhe Atlantic Coastal Ridge ion the East. It is sometimes called the River of Grass. About half of the original Everglades have been replace by agriculture.

Florida Everglades National Park
An introduction to Florida Everglades National Park.

Everglades Photo Gallery
Twenty pictures of the Everglades including aerial photos and pictures of cypress swamps, mangrove swamps, freshwater grasslands, pinelands, coastal prairies, national park visitors centers, alligators, crocodiles, birds, snakes, and plants.

Friends of the Everglades
A non profit organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the Florida Everglades.

Wikipedia on the Everglades
An introduction to the Florida Everglades and Everglades National Park.

Shark Valley Tram Tours
Two hour tram tours of the Shark Valley section of Everglades National Park. They rent bicycles that can be used for exploring this area.

Gulf Coast Visitor Center Boat Tours
The Gulf Coast Visitor Center in the park offers canoe rentals and guided and narrated "Ten-Thousand Islands" boat tours.

Flamingo Lodge and Marina
Services have been limited since the lodge sustained significant hurricane damage in 2005 but the marina store is still opened and they still offer a backcountry boat cruise, canoe and motorboat rentals, guided fishing tours, overnight docking, and boat fueling services,

Everglades Airboat Rides and Alligator Farms

Airboat rides are available through private operations along the Tamiami Trail around Everglades City and between Homestead and the Ernest Coe Visitor Center off of Route 9336. Deep water boat tours and tram tours are offered at several location within Everglades National Park.

Everglade Alligator Farm
This working alligator farm was originally an airboat ride attraction that opened in 1982. In 1985 it became the first alligator farm in Dade County. The farm is located in Florida City, just outside of Everglades National Park, and it offers alligator shows and airboat rides to the public.

Everglades Safari Park
Airboat rides, jungle trail tours, and alligator shows on the Tamiami Trail just outside of Everglades National Park.

Coopertown Airboat Rides and Restaurant
This company has been offering air boat tours to the public since 1945. There is also a small restaurant on the premises.

Plants and Wildlife in the Everglades

Poisonous Snakes in South Florida

Alligators in the Everglades
Alligators normally avoid people but closer proximity to humans in recent years has caused some alligators to become more aggressive. Keep your distance from them.



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