Everglades National Park - Homestead, Florida

Address:40001 State Road 9336
Homestead, Florida
Tel: (305) 242-7700

Everglades National Park, a World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve, is a park of superlatives. The park boasts the largest enduring subtropical wilderness in the country and is home to several very rare and endangered species, such as the Atlantic Ridley turtle, the American crocodile, the graceful West Indian manatee and the elusive Florida panther. Everglades National Park conserves the southern portion of the Everglades and is known for its wealth of bird life, wide collection of plant communities, alligators, crocodiles, American white pelicans, and hundreds more mammals, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. Since one third of the 1.5 million acres of Everglades National Park are covered by water, the park can best be explored by boarding a boat - whether by canoe, kayak, or an organized tour boat. Excellent fishing opportunities are abundant. The park can also be visited by car, on foot, by bicycle, or on horseback.

Spanning the southern tip of the Florida peninsula and most of Florida Bay, Everglades National Park is the only subtropical preserve in North America. It contains both temperate and tropical plant communities, including sawgrass prairies, mangrove and cypress swamps, pinelands, and hardwood hammocks, as well as marine and estuarine environments. The park is known for its rich bird life, particularly large wading birds, such as the roseate spoonbill, wood stork, great blue heron and a variety of egrets. It is also the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles exist side by side. Everglades National Park is a large park. Plan on staying at least one day and perhaps several to get a good feel for what the park offers. Walking and canoe trails, boat tours and tram tours are excellent for viewing wildlife, including alligators and a multitude of tropical and temperate birds. Boat tours are available year-round at Flamingo and Gulf Coast.