The Shark Valley Loop inside the Everglades National Park is a great way to adventure travel through the interior of the “river of grass” and to see wildlife up close. The Everglades National Park is an enormous swath of 1.5 million acres of land in south Florida. Without a boat the wilderness is very difficult to penetrate. The park is a playground for canoeists and kayakers, but not so much for hikers.
There are very few hiking trails in the Everglades, so this is why the Shark Valley Loop is definitely a worthwhile stop for visitors. There are other hiking trails like the Anhinga Trail and a few down closer to Flamingo, but they are very short in nature. The Shark Valley Loop is 15 mile loop and the road is concrete and flat, so it is very easy to walk on it. The only caveat is there is hardly any protection, so make sure to bring suntan lotion, a hat, and rain gear.
There is a guided tram that circumnavigates the loop, but I definitely would recommend hiking it. This way you can stop and look whenever you want and are not at the whims of the driver, the guide, and other passengers. I am sure the guides do a wonderful job and it is nice to have an expert guide on hand, but the hike is more of an adventure. 15 miles seems like a long distance, but there is absolutely no elevation gain. The hike will take 3-6 hours, so one should definitely pack water and a snack or two.
The trams are $18.25, so the hike is for the budget minded as well as the adventurous. Another benefit of the hike is peace and quiet. On the day I hiked the trail I did not see a single person on the trail except for when the tram passed, so there were many delightful moments of solitude. Another great option is to bike the 15 miles. The tram service offers bike rentals at $7.50 an hour.
The wildlife is spectacular here. There are no sharks here, but the canal adjacent to the walkway are lined with turtles, alligators, and an occasional snake. When I hiked the trail it was in January and the alligators had just recently hatched from their eggs, so baby alligators were everywhere. There batches of them piled on top of each other.
As one would expect from Florida the bird life was also tremendous. The highlights include wood storks, herons, egrets, ibises, osprey, anhingas, purple gallinules, and perhaps a roseatte spoonbill if you are lucky.
Purple gallinule
Louisiana or tricolored heron
There is an observation tower at the end of the loop where one gets a scenic panorama of the river of grass. When many think of the Everglades they think of trees and swamps, but most of the park is a vast river of grass, which is what gives the Everglades its name. This 11 mile road allows great vantage points for visitors to see the true Everglades.
The Shark Valley entrance is about 25 miles west of the Florida Turnpike (SR 821) on the Tamiami Trail (US 41). The cost to enter the Everglades is $10.00 and this is good for 7 days, so save your receipt if you are planning to later visit Flamingo south of Miami.
Stay tuned,
TT
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That’s a great experience to see the baby alligators. Not sure I would want to come across their parents (although they are obviously there with your first photo)!
Jeremy B recently posted..Blog4NZ – New Zealand 100 Pure
Thanks a lot for this post.
It makes me miss Florida and alligators so much, it’s still good so see it.
David recently posted..Should I cancel my trip to Japan
Interesting wildlife photos…particularly the gator..
Cheers…
Charles Higgins recently posted..Alaska Adventure Center proposed for Vegas Strip – National Las Vegas Examinercom
Thank you! Thank you for this post. I shudder to remember now that it is already 19 years since I saw the Everglades, but I don’t think anywhere has ever made such an impression on me. I had no idea you could hike, we took a boat, and we ambled around a bit from where we stayed in Everglades City, and in intervening years I’ve skirted it on my way to the Keys. I can remember details from that trip so clearly, whereas more recent journeys are half-forgotten. I recently re-read “River of Grass”, and marvelled yet again at how ahead of its time it was, though clearly some parts are dated now.
Thanks for the comment Linda,
There is something about the Everglades that really grabs a hold of you. The first time I went there I continually dreamed about the place. It is not a place like the Grand Canyon that has unbelievable panoramic views. It is a giant swamp, so on the surface it is not the most beautiful place in the world, yet there is something about the place that really hooks those that love it like you and me.
Alligators my least favorite thing about Florida. Love the big bird which I think is a giant anhinga.
santafetraveler recently posted..Cowgirl dreams of the old west
We just spent six nights camping in the everglades, and it is awesome. We didn’t hit shark valley but spent time down in Flamingo. The Anhiga trail is overwhelming with wildlife. We saw everything on your list, including the beautiful Roseatte Spoonbill (good pics here: http://wp.me/pWKMo-AL
You also don’t need trails, if you’re adventurous. The Everglades is the one park we’ve been to where the rangers encourage you to get off the trails and go explore. So go out in to the slough and slog around, it’s mucky, but unbelievable: http://wp.me/pWKMo-BH
Brian
Brian @ Wanderings recently posted..An Everglades Alternative
i live so close yet i have not made it to the everglades to photograph, soon!
gregory urbano recently posted..Creative Loafing Tampa Show us your neighborhood Photo Contest And the winner is
Greg,
You must go sometime soon. There is so much to see in Florida it is hard to get to everything.