Location: Flamingo, FL
NPS Website: http://www.nps.gov/ever/index.htm
Major Attractions:
Anhinga Trail - home to several alligators
Flamingo - view of Florida Bay, tours of nearby bays & lakes
Number of Attractions: 5
Anhinga, Pa-hay-okee, Mahogany, Flamingo, Coastal Prairie
Includes swamp, slough, cypress forests, pine forests, mangrove forests, ponds, bays, and various islands.
Accessibility:
Paved road takes you to all attractions listed above except the easy Coastal Prairie Trail. However, the remaining 90% of the park is best accessed by canoe or boat, not by back-packing trails as much of the park is under 1-2 ft of water.
Maintenance of Roads/Trails:
Main road and overlooks are maintained very well. Other walking trails are overgrown and flooded often. Come during dry season (less mosquitos): December-March (http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USFL0138)
Amenities:
Bird-watchers occupy campground during the dry season, so reserve ahead if camping. Camping in Long Pine & Flamingo. $20 boat tours from Flamingo into shark/alligator-invested waters. Camping at Flamingo is free in late October, but you have to contend with swarms of mosquitos and vultures. I did not visit the Shark Valley or Gulf Coast areas.
Conclusion:
This park is extremely fragile and depending on hurricanes and water rise, it may radically change in the next decade. Very unique landscapes and quite remote. Highly recommended!
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