Everglades National Park

Birds-eye view of Everglades National Park

Bo, Sara, Emily and Mel visited the world-famous Everglades National Park yesterday. At a million and a half acres, we didn't get to see all of it in one day, but we gave it a good try! We boated the channels, hiked the boardwalks, birded the ponds, and drove the scenic routes.
Everglades National Park has been designated a World Heritage Site, an International Biosphere Reserve, and a Wetland of International Importance. The park protects an immense interconnected network of marshland and forest ecosystems that are maintained by water flow. 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. A truly amazing place.


Boat trip up Buttonwood Channel to Coots Bay...saw many crocs and gators!

Red mangrove tree roots along the canal

Toothless old croc!



Behind us is a grass river 8 miles wide!