Everglades National Park in Florida, USA - map, photos and visitor information

Everglades National Park protects wetlands, forests, and coastal waters in South Florida. Your first decision is where to enter: Homestead leads toward Royal Palm and Flamingo, Shark Valley offers a tram and bicycle loop, and Everglades City provides access to the Ten Thousand Islands. These entrances do not connect by roads inside the park, so choose the area that fits your plans before setting your navigation.

Highlights in the Everglades

• Anhinga Trail: a short, accessible route through marsh habitat with opportunities to watch alligators, turtles, and wading birds.
• Shark Valley: a broad wetland view from an observation tower reached by tram, bicycle, or on foot.
• Pa-hay-okee Overlook: a brief boardwalk walk to a raised view across the sawgrass landscape.
• Flamingo and the Gulf Coast: departure areas for different boating and paddling experiences.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Heat, insects, and wildlife safety

Carry drinking water, sun protection, and insect repellent, even for a short walk. Summer thunderstorms can develop quickly, and humidity makes exposed walks and bicycle rides demanding. Choose an activity that suits everyone in your group.

Keep at least 15 feet from alligators and crocodiles. Increase that distance if an animal reacts to you; a hiss means you are too close. Supervise children near water and never feed wildlife. Before a longer hike or paddle, tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return.

Vultures can damage rubber fittings on parked vehicles. Avoid parking beside groups of them and ask a ranger about local precautions.

Visit responsibly

Use binoculars instead of moving closer to animals. Leave them a clear retreat route and stay away from nests. Carry out your waste, especially on wilderness trips where facilities may be absent.

Pets need a leash no longer than six feet and must remain in permitted areas, such as public vehicle roads and roadside campgrounds. Pets cannot use park trails, boardwalks, or the Shark Valley tram road. Do not leave an animal in a hot car while you explore.

Tours, campgrounds, and wilderness permits

Arrange tram tours, boat trips, and equipment rentals with the relevant operator. These bookings have separate costs from park admission. Most ranger programs do not require a booking, but some do; the event description identifies those exceptions.

Flamingo Adventures handles the two drive-in campgrounds and recommends reservations. Wilderness campsites use a separate system. Reserve through the NPS wilderness camping guide, which links to Recreation.gov. Reservations open three months ahead. The permit has a USD 21 administrative fee plus USD 2 per person per night, and your confirmation email serves as the permit. Save or print it before departure.

Choose the right entrance and map

• Homestead: navigate to Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center, 40001 State Road 9336. This route reaches Royal Palm and continues to Flamingo, 38 miles beyond the main entrance.
• Shark Valley: use 36000 SW 8th Street, Miami, on US 41/Tamiami Trail. Private cars stay in the entrance and parking area.
• Everglades City: use 815 Oyster Bar Lane for the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Visitor Center and Gulf Coast access.

The official directions explain the separate approaches. A seasonal Homestead trolley can serve Ernest F. Coe and Royal Palm, but confirm its schedule. If arriving by taxi or rideshare, arrange the return journey in advance; finding a driver at a remote entrance can be difficult.

Nearby parks by entrance

• Biscayne National Park: from the Homestead side, reach the Dante Fascell Visitor Center by road via SW 328th Street.
• Collier-Seminole State Park: from the Everglades City side, this is a road-access option along US 41 toward Naples, near the State Road 92 junction.

Walk, cycle, or explore by water

For a short first visit, choose a few stops within one entrance area. The following options involve very different amounts of time and effort:

• Anhinga Trail at Royal Palm: 0.8 miles round trip on a wheelchair-accessible route. Bicycles are not permitted.
• Pa-hay-okee Overlook: 0.16 miles round trip on an accessible boardwalk. The renovated overlook reopened in winter 2026.
• Shark Valley loop: 15 miles of paved route for walking, cycling, or a narrated tram trip. Shade is limited. The tram offers a way to see the loop without undertaking the full walk or ride.

Shark Valley parking can fill, and NPS recommends arriving well before a booked tram departure during busy periods. Airboat tours do not leave from Shark Valley itself; authorized operators are elsewhere along US 41.

Boat tours from Flamingo explore Whitewater Bay or Florida Bay. Tours into the Ten Thousand Islands depart from Everglades City. Confirm the actual departure address: the listed Ten Thousand Islands tour leaves from 929 Dupont Street, rather than the visitor center.

For independent paddling, choose a route using current waterway information. Most wilderness campsites require water access, and blocked creeks can affect an itinerary that looks straightforward on a map.

Facilities and accessibility

Flamingo has a lodge, restaurant, camping, houseboats, and furnished tent options. Limited snacks are also sold at selected visitor center bookstores and the marina store. Bring meals for places with only snack service.

Long Pine Key and Flamingo accommodate tents and RVs. They have bathhouse facilities and potable water-fill points. Some Flamingo T-loop sites have electricity, but no individual water or sewer hookups. Use the campground operator's site for site types, availability, and prices.

Accessible parking and routes are available at major visitor centers. The drive-in campgrounds have accessible sites and restrooms. Shark Valley trams have a wheelchair ramp, although the observation tower's ramp is steep and may require assistance. Review the mobility access details and discuss tour requirements before booking.

About Everglades National Park

Slow-moving water creates a connected landscape of marshes, sloughs, forested islands, and coastal habitats. Water levels affect where animals feed and how visitors move through the park.

A landscape shaped by water and people

Indigenous people lived within this wetland landscape long before national park protection. Drainage projects expanded in the early 1900s and damaged its ecosystems. Conservation efforts, supported by scientists, writers, and other advocates, led to the park's establishment in 1947. Marjory Stoneman Douglas helped build public support for protecting the Everglades.

Wildlife and changing water levels

Alligators, crocodiles, turtles, and many birds inhabit the park. Around Royal Palm, anhingas, herons, and egrets are among the birds visitors may see. Rising wet-season water disperses animals across a wider area, so a quieter wildlife day does not mean the landscape is empty. Sightings are never guaranteed.

Contact Everglades National Park

General information: 305-242-7700. Mailing address: 40001 State Road 9336, Homestead, FL 33034-6733. For a booked tour or overnight stay, contact the operator directly about arrival times and reservation changes.