Being creatures of habit, we tend to always return to the same entrance gate to visit the Everglades National Park. Not this time; on our most recent trip to the park we followed our friend’s advice (Thanks Stu!) and went further south to the Ernest F. Coe entrance. We liked what we saw! The area was much less crowded than our usual spot by the Shark Valley Visitor Center and there are more places to see with multiple stops along the road.
Our first stop was at the visitor center where we were given up to date information about the various trails and activities. We were also informed about some trails that were inaccessible due to flooding. At the center there are exhibits and a short film about the Everglades and its inhabitants as well as facts about invasive species (pythons, iguanas and more) that endanger the survival of the local fauna.
From here we drove (stopping at various markers) along the park’s 38-mile scenic road that goes all the way to the edge of Florida’ mainland near the Flamingo Visitor Center. What was most noticeable was the change in scenery as we drove further south. The plants and trees varied from one area to another making each trail unique in its own way.
Royal Palm (Anhinga Trail & Gumbo Limbo Trail)
Located a short 4-mile drive from the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center, this stop offers access to a couple of easy trails including the wheelchair accessible Anhinga Trail (0.8 mi.), which is more like a combo of paved sidewalk and raised boardwalk looping over the Everglades.
Birds, fish and alligators can be spotted all along the trail, but they may be difficult to see as you often just see a snout and a pair of eyes protruding from the water. The best time to see alligators out of the water is in the winter when the colder water drives them out into the sunshine to raise their body temperatures.
The Gumbo Limbo Trail (0.4 mi.) was more like taking a stroll through a forest. More specifically, it’s a tropical hardwood hammock with dense vegetation including palm trees, vines, orchids, bromeliads and huge red Gumbo Limbo trees.
The Gumbo Limbo tree is also called the “tourist tree” because of its peeling red bark. The thick brush makes it difficult to spot wildlife but when we slowed down and paid careful attention, we noticed tiny creatures hidden amongst the leaves and branches. Large animals tend to shy away from human noises, so it’s best to be quiet.
We skipped over the next few stops, as they were inaccessible at the time of our visit. The Pineland Trail was partly flooded, and we didn’t feel like walking through ankle-deep water and the Pa-hay-okee overlook road was completely closed due to flooding.
Mahogany Hammock
This is another easy and accessible short trail (0.4 mi.). Actually, it’s like a boardwalk leading to a small tropical hammock island. Here we saw huge Mahogany trees including the largest one in America. We were lucky to see a woodpecker on this huge tree peeking out at us.
From the bridge we saw other aquatic birds hunting in the sawgrass marsh. Sawgrass is a type of plant that has a ridged edge that cuts in the same manner that a saw does, watch your fingers!
Flamingo and Florida Bay
At the end of the main road there’s the Flamingo Visitor Center (seasonal and in 2023 renamed the Guy Bradley Visitor Center), a marina and even a campground. Narrated boat tours on the Florida Bay and mangrove estuary are offered daily. It’s also a great location for canoeing or kayaking. The water is pretty shallow and in some areas it’s less than 3 feet deep. Here, it’s possible to encounter manatees and even crocodiles. The bay is part of the national park and is connected to the Gulf of Mexico.
Conclusion
This is an area we truly enjoy visiting and we will surely return to explore more of this natural treasure. The Ernest F. Coe entrance is a bit more of a drive for us, but it was worth the extra time to get there. This is now our preferred location (to date) inside the Everglades National Park, although the area near the Shark Valley Visitor Center is the easiest and closest to get to from Miami.
We are also planning on heading out to the Gulf Coast Visitor Center for comparison’s sake. In fact, we purchased the yearly pass for the national parks again so we will surely be visiting again (and elsewhere too!). We will definitely share our experience in future posts.