Tamiami Trail

We had a quick breakfast of cold cereal after our morning beverages and language lessons. Traveling with Mark and Cindy is always a pleasure. We don't know anyone else who enjoys the same nerdy things that we like.  The four of us can have a great time looking for hours at a pond filled with birds, alligators, snakes and wildflowers.  We were in the car and headed for the Tamiami Trail by 8:00 AM on our way to the Everglades. As we drove east on the Tamiami Trail (Rt. 41) we saw a lot of wildlife along the way and even accidentally struck a black vulture that flew along the highway.

Baby alligators along the Shark Valley Trail

When we arrived at the Shark Valley Visitor Center in the Everglades we saw that it was fairly busy, but the day was nice. We were looking forward to walking along the trail and looking for wildlife. However there seemed to be fewer alligators and far fewer birds than we had seen in our previous visits to the area. Previously we had seen purple gallinules and many herons, egrets, and other wading birds along the trail. This time we only saw a few great blue herons and several alligators. A highlight of the visit was a few clutches of baby alligators near their mothers. There was even one baby alligator perched on its mother’s back. We took care not to get close to the baby alligators as we walked by.

Green heron in the Shark Valley area

Unlike previous years we only spent a little over an hour walking the Shark Valley Trail before returning to the visitor center. Had there been more birds and other wildlife, we would have spent most of the day there. After walking, we spent some time speaking with the rangers and volunteers in the visitor center regarding some birds we had seen as well as the fruit of a mahogany tree in the visitor center parking lot. As always, the staff and volunteers were very helpful and knowledgeable.

Alligator with a dog

We decided to slowly make our way West on the Tamiami Trail and stop at the other visitor centers along the way. Our next stop was at the Oasis Visitor Center, which includes a boardwalk that parallels a stream and always holds a lot of large alligators. We did not see many birds at this visitor center, but there were a fair number of alligators. Again there seemed to be fewer than in previous years. We also saw a few of the armored catfish in the water. These catfish appear like the Plecostomus aquarium algae eating catfish. In some years the catfish were very plentiful, but there didn't seem to be as many this year. We guessed that this was due to the very cold weather that hit most of Florida in early February. We still enjoyed looking at the alligators and appreciating the beautiful day. As we were preparing to leave the Oasis Visitor Center, we saw a large alligator swimming in the stream with something in its mouth that we presumed was a deer. However, as the alligator neared, we saw that it was a dog that was dead in the alligator's jaws. We did not see a collar on the dog or any indication that it had been someone's pet, so we presumed that it was a stray dog that the alligator had killed.

Alligator Alcatraz

As we drove West on the Tamiami Trail, we saw a sign for "Alligator Alcatraz", the location for housing criminal illegal immigrants until they can be returned to their home country. We pulled off Rt. 41 to take a photo of the sign, and a law enforcement officer blasted a horn, so we moved  on.

Anhinga with a fish

After leaving the Oasis Visitor Center, we drove to the HP Williams Roadside Park where we watched a few birds feeding then drove along the Turner River Road where we had seen numerous birds and other wildlife in previous years. As with the other stops, we did not see as much wildlife. We watched an anhinga spear a fish then turn it to swallow the catch. We did not stay long at this area but returned to the Tamiami Trail driving West. Our next stop was at the Nathaniel Reed Visitor Center in the Big Cypress National Park. From the deck behind the visitor center, we were pleased to see four manatees and several alligators. A number of visitors were at the boardwalk, but it was not crowded. It was a pleasant stop, but we did not stay long.

We continued West to the Marsh Trail of the 10,000 Islands National Wildlife Refuge. After parking we walked out the trail toward the observation tower where we saw many more birds and other wildlife than we had at any other stop today. There were lots of wading birds in the shallow water and alligators cruising in the deeper areas.

Great blue heron with a fish

We were amused as a great blue heron tried to swallow a large fish as it sat along the edge of the water. The heron with the fish caught the attention of an alligator that swam under the heron in the water. It waited for the bird to drop the fish. The heron and the alligator stared at each other for a long time while the bird attempted to swallow the fish. When the heron dropped the fish into the water, it wisely chose to not go any closer to retrieve the fish but stared at the alligator for quite a while. We walked up the steps to observation tower where we used our binoculars to observe even more wading birds. We agreed that this was the best stop of the day where we saw the most wildlife.

Mark enjoying his meal at Lapa's Bistro

We returned to the B&B to freshen up for dinner. Mary remembered Lapa’s Costa Rican Bistro in a nearby strip mall from our previous visit to Sarasota. We were seated near where we were on our previous visit and were amused by three men talking loudly and bragging on their business successes. I had a chicken tostada meal that included black beans and rice, tostones and pico de gallo. Mary had La Gallina, which is a sandwich of chicken and black beans. Everyone enjoyed their meals, and Cindy took part of her rice meal back to the B&B for breakfast tomorrow.

Because we were tired, we turned in early and looked forward to going to Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in the morning.

Leaving the Florida Keys

We awoke at the Pelico Paradise rental house for our last morning in the Florida Keys. I made tea and did my German lessons. Mary made steel cut oats for breakfast, then we finished packing and loading. We started the dishwasher with the breakfast dishes and washed a load of the towels we used for the week.

We left the house by 8:45 and drove east on US 1 driving by Castaways on Marathon Key that was recommended to us on our way west while stopping at Long Key State Park. We stopped at a McDonalds in Marathon so Cindy could get a latte, and we could all go to the bathroom. We weren’t at McDonalds long then continued on US 1 toward Florida City stopping at a gas station on Key Largo for gas which was quite an ordeal. Several pumps were out of order; the pump we used wouldn’t accept credit or debit cards. Once we fueled up, we continued through Florida City to the Tamiami Highway. We stopped at VooDoo Grill in the Micccosukee Reservation for Indian fry bread with honey. It was a nice snack since we arrived at noon. We appreciated stretching our legs and having a treat.

We drove the short distance to the Shark Valley area of Everglades National Park. Mark, Jodie, Mary and I walked out the trail along the stream while Grant and Cindy napped in the cars. While walking we saw many more alligators than the day we were here last week. We saw four clutches of baby alligators, a black snake, many basking turtles and lots of Florida gar as well as several invasive fish species. While Jodie was cautiously watching a large alligator, I couldn’t resist touching the back of her ankle with my toe. She shrieked and hopped excitedly to our amusement. We met Cindy as we were walking back and told her what we saw. After talking with a ranger, we learned that the trees in the National Park parking lot with the large green nut-like fruits are mahogany trees.

From Shark Valley, we drove to the Oasis Visitor Center in the Big Cypress Preserve where we saw dozens of very large alligators as well as gar and invasive fish that are similar to the plecostomus, commonly sold for freshwater aquaria. Mark spotted two flamingos flying overhead which made us all happy since flamingos are not common in the area. We left the Oasis Visitor Center and drove a short way to the Ochopee Post Office which is the smallest post office in the United States. We were there only long enough for a photo then continued on toward Ft. Myers.

Mary saw that Interstate 75 had a slowdown due to a collision, so we decided to stop for dinner at a Perkins restaurant while the crash was cleared away. The meal was good and about half the price that we had paid for most meals on the trip. Mary had an avocado and chicken salad, and I had fish and chips. After dinner we drove on to the Howard Johnson in Ft. Myers. The office was closed for remodeling, so we checked in at a window. The motel was unimpressive but did appear to be clean and quiet so we were okay with the rooms. We were tired and ready for bed. There was cool weather forecast for Florida tomorrow that will play a role in our plans for the day, but we hoped to go to Sanabel Island and the Ding Darling Bird Sanctuary tomorrow before having to go to the Punta Gorda Airport for our flight home tomorrow night.

Big Cypress National Park Loop Road

Like every other day, I awoke at 5:30 so I started water for tea and got the oatmeal ready. We enjoyed the rental house in Naples for the last morning as we packed up and prepared to leave for the Atlantic coast.

Great egret and turtle on Loop Road

We headed east on US 41 (the Tamiami Highway), stopping at the Kirby Storter Rest Area. We walked the short boardwalk through the cypress, where we saw many species of birds including egrets, herons, rosette spoonbills and storks. We spotted an owl but were unable to determine which species.

Hawk on Loop Road

Once back on the Tamiami, we went to the Ochopee Post Office, the nation’s smallest post office, to mail a few postcards. We took the Loop Road for 24 miles through the Everglades. This gravel road goes by many small streams and water holes where alligators and birds can be spotted. We drove along at a slow pace and enjoyed watching for wildlife.

Cuban Tree Frog at Biscayne National Park

We got back on the Tamiami, arriving at the Florida City Travelodge by 3 pm. We remembered the owner, Sunny Patel, from a previous stay at this hotel and was pleased that the motel was clean and updated. Only one of the two rooms was clean and ready, so we piled everything into Mark and Cindy’s room then left for Biscayne National Park, a short distance away. 

The majority of the park is underwater, but the volunteers at the visitor center were very helpful. Mary got a stamp in her National Park Passport, but I was unable to purchase an annual senior pass since the park does not have an entrance fee. We looked through the displays at the visitor center, walked around the property, and then started for dinner.

We had eaten at Mario’s Cuban Diner many times before and had always enjoyed excellent meals there. Mario’s is not far from our motel, so it was an obvious choice. We parked easily and got a seat immediately on arrival. Mark had a Cuban style strip steak (Churrasco), Cindy had the mojito pork (Masas de Cerdo), Mary had thin sliced pork with onions (Lechon asado), I had the Vaca frita, shredded beef with Cuban seasoning. We had tostones, Congri (black beans and white rice), plantains and other sides to share. We exchanged bits of each other’s meals and were all happy with our choices, leaving the restaurant full.

We returned to the Florida City Travelodge, checked in to our room and went for a short walk around the motel. We made mojitos back at the room and watched the end of a NFL playoff game seeing the Bengals narrowly defeat the Titans.

Bicycling Shark Valley Loop

Mary and I woke around 5:30, so we did our German lessons, read the news feed and responded to a few emails. I made oatmeal for breakfast again with raisins and walnuts along with hot tea. We left the house around 8 am to drive to the Shark Valley area of Everglades National Park. We rented bicycles as soon as we arrived to ride out to the observation tower. The fee was $22 per bicycle, and the rental lasted until 6 pm. The bikes were not the extreme fat tire types that are becoming more common at beaches but were like the bicycles of a generation ago. They did not have hand brakes but rather the old coaster brakes. They were perfect for the flat 15 mile round trip ride to the observation tower and back.

We had walked out the trail at Shark Valley many times but never more than about five miles. Usually we walked only two or three miles along the Everglades stream. On this trip we planned to cycle all the way out to the observation tower then back on a trail through grassy marshland to the visitor center. While at the visitor center, Mary got her National Park Passport stamped.

Once on the bikes we rode south slowly, stopping for alligators, birds, turtles, fish and any other wildlife. As usual, we saw a number of alligators but didn’t see the variety’s of birds that we recalled seeing in years past. It could have been the weather or any number of reasons, but we saw several heron and egret species as well as gallinules, hawks and crows. When we made it to the end of the trail we climbed the observation tower for photos and a water break. After spending about 20 minutes at the tower, we continued our ride back to the visitor center. This part goes through a grassy wetland where we saw far less wildlife than on the trail to the tower. However, we saw several alligators including at least a couple of females on nests with baby alligators. The sun was very bright and the temperature was about 80, so we were getting very tired and got off to walk the bicycles in order to stretch.

We got back to the visitor center around 2:30, returned the bicycles and found a picnic table for lunch of our usual Ritz crackers with peanut butter and apples. After eating, Mary bought some postcards from the visitor center gift shop. We got back in the rental car to drive back toward our rental house in Naples. We stopped at the Oasis Visitor Center since we like the boardwalk overlooking the stream there that is usually teeming with alligators, fish and turtles. We found a helpful ranger who answered our questions and pointed out some of the larger alligators in that stream. Mary got the National Park passport stamps for Big Cypress National Preserve and the Florida Nature Trail there.

We drove west, stopping briefly at the H. P. Williams Roadside Park, where there were a few alligators and birds but nothing notable. We were tired and ready for dinner so we returned to our rental house.

We found the Peruvian restaurant, Lima, not far away and decided to give it a try. We arrived to a much more elegant restaurant than we expected, but they were happy to receive us. We chose a table outside since the evening was so nice. We all started with a drink. Mary had a ginger lemonade, Mark had a Peruvian beer, Cindy had a cocktail made with Picso, a Peruvian brandy. I had a shot of the Pisco which was very floral and nice to sip. We all had popular Peruvian entrees for dinner. Mary and Cindy had shrimp tacu tacu with aji amarillo sauce which is a mild yellow pepper sauce. The shrimp were served with tacu tacu, a beans and rice side. Mark had the Seco de Cordero, lamb shank with rice and vegetables, and I had pan seared grouper with roasted potatoes and a spring mix salad. Everyone enjoyed the meal and was pleased with the experience at a Peruvian restaurant. Our waitress was very pleasant, helpful and attentive, so we came away with a very positive attitude about the restaurant.

We were very tired from the day, so we didn’t do much back at the house. Mark and I read while Mary and Cindy dealt with technology issues on Cindy’s Surface tablet. We got our kitchen cabinets ordered from RTAcabinets that should be delivered in late February or early March.

We all went to bed early since we planned to kayak on Thursday, which would make another long day.

Everglades City

I was up first after sleeping until 6 am. It was nice to sleep in a bit and get up in time to start getting breakfast ready. I got water started for tea and oatmeal. We had raisins and walnuts to add in to the oats. Of course it took me longer since I was not familiar with the operation of the appliances and didn’t know where things are stored in the kitchen. Mary and I did a couple of quick German lessons before Mark and Cindy woke. We enjoyed the oats and tea then planned our day.

We decided to stick close to our lodging today, and Mary suggested Collier Seminole State Park nearby. The drive on the Tamiami Trail (Rt. 41) was easy. When we entered the park, the volunteer working the entrance told us that the area we were in had a short 1 mile trail and a 5 mile trail that was partially in water. Another park entrance had a 3.5 mile trail that was through the state park. We opted to walk the one mile trail but not the 5 mile one through thick mud. As we were exiting that part of the park, we picked up a trail pass for visitors. The $8 entrance fee to the park covered both areas.

The 3.5 mile hike was very beautiful through mangrove, palmetto and pine brush. We saw a few alligators, several snakes, many anoles and lots of birds of all types.

We returned our trail pass to the visitor center then sat on a bench overlooking the water with a few manatees. Our lunch was the usual peanut butter and crackers with the bottles of water that we picked up the night before.

After finishing lunch we drove to Everglades City stopping at the ranger station to pickup a map. We walked another short trail of less than a mile, but it had good signs pointing out local native plants. After our walk we drove to the historic 1906 Smallwood Store but didn’t stay there long.

We continued east on US 41 to the Big Cypress National Preserve visitor center. We walked behind the visitor center to the deck overlooking the water. A few alligators were there but no manatees that we saw. A ranger came out and told us that she was waiting for another ranger who had been out freeing an anhinga from a snarl of fishing line. We didn’t stay at the visitor center long and headed back toward the house. 

We stopped at a Publix for groceries and picked up fruit and a few other things for meals. We bought a rotisserie chicken and salad makings as well as precooked corn fritters and potato wedges. We went to the Publix Liquor Store and picked up a bottle of Bacardi rum for mojitos and Larceny bourbon for sipping at the house.

When we got back to the house we ate about half of the chicken along with the potatoes and corn. Everything was very good. We crashed and enjoyed a glass of the bourbon while Mary and Cindy played cribbage.

Marsh Trail and the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Reserve

Sunrise at Barefoot Beach

After our usual Raisin Bran and yogurt breakfast we met Mark & Cindy in the lobby of the Bonita Springs Day’s Inn and drove the short distance to Barefoot Beach.  We weren’t there for sunrise but we were there by 8:15 am and walked for a couple of miles along the beach.  This beach is very white course sand with bands of shells paralleling the waterline.  We picked up a few interesting shells and enjoyed our time with the Whittingtons on their last day with us here in Florida.  We were very happy to be wading in shorts and T-shirts on the first day of February. The temperature was 83 degrees at 10 am when we were leaving the beach.  

Yellow-crown night-heron

Mark and Cindy packed and checked out to make the drive to Orlando to catch their flight back to Oregon.  We prepared things for another day of sightseeing on the Western side of the Everglades.  We drove to the Marsh Trail in the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Reserve.  There was an observation tower about a quarter mile into the hike that gave a good view of the area.  We continued along the trail for the entire 1.5 miles passing by a number of egrets, herons and alligators.  Near the end of the trail we saw one of the largest alligators that we have seen and it was sunning right beside the walking trail. 

Brown pelicans

Needless to say, we walked carefully around it and kept moving along the path.  There were a number of people on the trail but only on the first quarter mile or so to the observation tower.  There were far fewer walkers further out on the path.  We were happy that we had stopped here because we have passed this area many times but the parking for the trail is poorly marked and we have just passed it by.  A volunteer at the Everglades National Park office told us that the tower is a great place to watch sunset.  We were there at midday so we didn’t see that but may return on another occasion to see the sun setting.

Large alligator on Turner River

We left the Marsh Trail and drove the short distance to the Big Cypress visitor center where we have seen manatees in the past.  We used the restrooms and took a look in the waterway behind the visitor center but saw no manatees there today.  We ate our lunch of peanut butter, crackers and fruit as we made our way to the Turner River Road Trail where we saw so much wildlife on Wednesday evening.  We drove about five miles out the road to an area where the river was easily seen from the gravel road.  We parked and walked about a mile downstream, returned to the car then walked a mile upstream.  We chatted briefly with a group of three young men who were bass fishing in the stream.  There were many alligators, some of which were quite large, as well as many species of birds.  However, the birds and alligators here are a lot more skittish than in areas where there is a lot more tourist traffic.  There are far far fewer visitors to this area than many other public areas of the Everglades.  

We left the Turner River area around 4:30 and drove back to the Bonita Springs Day’s Inn to change for dinner.

Mary found that Lapa’s Costa Rican Bistro was very highly rated on Trip Advisor and was reasonably priced so we decided to give it a try.  We were rewarded with excellent meals and some of the best restaurant service that we have ever had.  I had the Chirripó Chicken which is seasoned and stewed chicken.  One of my side dishes was Gallo Pinto which was black beans and wild rice mixed with tomatoes, mild peppers and onions with spices.  My other side was fried sweet plantains.  It was outstanding.  Everything was very seasoned but not at all spicy or hot.  Mary had a La Gallina which is a pressed chicken sandwich with tostones on the side.  The drinks are made on site so Mary had limeade and I had tamarind juice.  We were both very impressed with the quality and serving of the meal but the service was unbeatable.  This restaurant had what was quite possibly the best service we have ever had at a restaurant.

Big Cypress National Preserve

After a restful sleep we went to breakfast at the Days Inn which was minimal at best.  There was cold cereal and the ubiquitous Belgian waffle iron.  There were a number of construction workers in the breakfast area as is typical of this area.  

Great egret

We met Mark & Cindy at 8 am to drive down to the Everglades City area of Everglades National Park.  We drove around the small town then entered the park which is very small compared to the part on the Atlantic side.  Most of the park on the Gulf side is islands and waterways.  A volunteer at the visitor center was very helpful in identifying hiking areas and places to see in the western side of the Everglades. 

Our first stop was at the trail at Kirby Storter Roadside Park which is a half mile boardwalk through a cypress swamp.  Although we were there in the dry season, the recent heavy rains over the past week had more water in the area than is typical for this time of year.  We saw a number of birds but nothing we hadn’t seen on Tuesday at Shark Valley.  Since this area is normally drier in winter, we didn’t see alligators in the 6-10 inch deep water around the cypress trees.  

Cypress swamp

After leaving the Kirby Storter Roadside Park we drove through the Loop Road through the Big Cypress National Preserve.  This 24 mile drive is a loop off the Tamiami Trail that goes through spots where wildlife gather.  We drove slowly and stopped whenever we saw alligators, birds we may not have seen or an attractive view of the cypress swamp.  We saw several birds that we hadn’t seen before on this trip including a black crowned night heron.  We met a number of other tourists who were driving along the loop road including some of Belgium, France and England.  We also met two families from West Virginia, one from Talcott and one from Peterstown.  We stopped for a lunch of peanut butter, crackers, fruit, corn nuts and jerky.  It took us over four hours to drive the 24 miles of the Loop Road since we stopped very frequently to see something along the drive.  The last 8 miles or so of the drive was through Indian villages and had so stops for wildlife viewing since it was more populated with houses.

Black-crowned night-heron

Back on US 41, the Tamiami Trail, after leaving the Loop Road we drove to the Turner River Road Trail.  This area is accessed by turning off US 41 at the H. P. Williams Roadside Park and driving for 15 miles on a dirt road.  This drive was beautiful.  Paralleling the road was a canal that was filled with alligators and birds of all types.  We saw many of the same birds that we had seen earlier in the trip but also little blue herons, reddish herons and tricolored herons that we hadn’t seen yet this week.  We also saw several osprey and hawks that we believe were broadwing hawks and red shouldered hawks.  We stopped at a trail that goes through a Florida prairie for 2.5 miles.  We enjoyed the walk but saw very little wildlife and only one other couple walking the trail.  The trail was mowed and kept in good shape for walking.  It was a nice walk but we were tired at the end and ready to go to dinner.

Since we were running late, we decided to just go to the Culver’s across the street from the hotel in Bonita Springs.  It was actually a pretty good choice.  Mary had a garden salad with grilled chicken and I had a Reuben sandwich.  We all enjoyed our meals.

Mark found a small tick on his arm so we all rushed to get a shower after the walk and to check ourselves for ticks.  

Tamiami Trail & Everglades National Park

The Tamiami Trail is the name of the route, mostly US 41 from Tampa to Miami, hence the name, Tamiami.  Locally, the name is pronounced, “Tammy Yammy” Trail.  No matter where we are in South Florida, we find ourselves driving the Tamiami Trail to the Everglades.  From the west end of Rt. 41 the Everglades City part of the glades is closest but from the Miami area, the Flamingo area with the Anhinga Trail and more popular areas of the Everglades are closer.

The list below provides a set of mile markers for our favorite stops on the Tamiami Trail:

Everglades National Park Gulf Coast Visitor Center

Far less visited than the more popular Everglades NP areas near Miami, the areas near Everglades City have a lot to see and do.  The visitor center has a knowledgeable staff and a gift shop.  A couple of boat trips are available from the gift shop including the 10,000 Islands tour and the Mangrove Wilderness tour.  We took the 10,000 Islands tour when we were there in 2013.  This is a large boat that accommodates 20 or more visitors and goes through areas of the park that are more open water.  The Mangrove Wilderness tour that we took in 2016 is on a much small boat that seats only 6 visitors and goes into the mangrove areas up the streams.

Mile Marker 74 – Big Cypress National Preserve Welcome Center

This visitor center has a nice interpretative display and a small boardwalk where we have seen a manatee every time we have visited.  The roads behind the visitor center offer a number of trails for sightseeing.

Mile Marker 72 – Ochopee Post Office

This former storage shed is the smallest US Post Office in the US. 

Mile Marker 70 – H. D. Williams Wayside Park

This small roadside park is perpendicular to the Tamiami Trail and follows Turner Road for a short distance.  The boardwalk is along a Turner River Canal that contains alligators and many bird.  The parking area is usually very busy for this popular stop.

Mile Marker 59 – Loop Road Intersection with the Tamiami Trail

We were not familiar with this loop road until we were there in 2016 but it is by far one of our favorite Florida locations now when it comes to wildlife viewing.  This paved and gravel road is not well traveled with many visitors to the area unaware of the road.  We were able to get very close to many alligators, birds, turtles and even a water moccasin snake.  The 24 mile loop goes from mile marker 59 to about mile marker 40 of the Tamiami Trail.

Mile Marker 55 – Big Cypress National Park Oasis Visitor Center

If you take the Loop Road you will miss the Oasis Visitor Center.  However, doubling back or visiting on the return trip is advised.  This visitor center has more amenities than many in on the Tamiami Trail including good restrooms and a boardwalk that parallels Rt. 41.  There are usually naturalists on the boardwalk pointing attractions out to visitors.  We have seen many alligators, birds, turtles and invasive walking catfish in the water there.  A trail from the visitor center goes out through the area.

Mile Marker 40 - Loop Road Intersection with the Tamiami Trail

Mile Marker 35 – Everglades National Park Shark Valley Visitor Center

Entering the Everglades National Park at the Shark Valley or the two visitor centers south of Miami (Ernest Coe and Flamingo) costs visitors $20 for a seven day pass.  Of course a National Park Annual Pass works as well.  The highlight feature of the Shark Valley area is the 15 mile loop trail.  Although we have never walked to the end of the trail, there is an observation tower that provides a breathtaking view of the Everglades.  Visitors can rent bicycles or ride the tram around the 15 mile loop trail.  In 2016 we walked over 2.5 miles out the trail before we turned around and came back,  When we were there in 2013 we saw a great deal of bird life as well as many alligators in the first half mile of the trail.  On our 2016 trip while we saw a number of birds and a good many alligators, it was far short of what we saw three years earlier. 

Everglades National Park Ernest Coe Visitor Center

This is the first of two visitor centers in Everglades National Park in the area south of Miami.  This visitor center is near the park entrance and gets far more visitors than the other park visitor centers.  There are many rangers and naturalists to answer questions as well as gift shops.  The very popular Anhinga Trail and Gumbo Limbo Trail are nearby. Many trails depart from near the visitor center as well as the road to Flamingo that has a number of pull offs and trailheads for sightseers and hikers.

Everglades National Park Flamingo Visitor Center

This visitor center is at the end of the road in the east part of the Everglades.  There are many naturalists and rangers pointing out wildlife and sights.  There is a marina and boat trips available out into the park.  During our visit there in 2013 we were fortunate to see both American alligators as well as American crocodiles.  This is one of the few places where both species coexist.  There are several osprey nests that often have young when we are there.  We have also seen manatees and many species of birds.  Between the Ernest Coe Visitor Center and the Flamingo Visitor Center there are many places to stop for hikes, birding or photography.