ades environmentalists and crusaders urge the purchase of privately owned wetlands east and north of the park. This would further protect the ecosystem and give the park a larger claim to the water that Everglades shares with its thirsty neighbors.
The diverse life of Everglades National Park, from algae to alligators, depends upon a rhythm of abundance and drought. In the wet season, a river inches deep and miles wide flows, almost invisibly, to the Gulf of Mexico. In the dry season, the park rests, awaiting the water’s return. The plants and animals are a part of this rhythm. When humans change it, they put Ever- glades life at risk.
How to Get There.
South from Miami, take us 1— Florida’s Turnpike to Florida City, then go west on Fla. 9336 (Palm Dr.) to the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center, about 50 miles from Miami. West from Miami, take us 41 (the Tamiami Trail) to Shark Valley Visitor Center. From Naples, head east on us 41 to Fla. 29, then south to Everglades City. Airports: Miami and Naples.
When to Go.
Everglades has two seasons: dry (mid-December through mid-April) and wet (the rest of the year). The park schedules most of its activities in the dry season; hot, humid weather and clouds of mosquitoes make park visitors quite uncomfortable during the wet season.
How to Visit.
If you can stay only a day for a drive-in visit, get out of your car and learn about Everglades ecology by taking self-guided walks at road turnoffs on the drive from the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center to Flamingo. For a longer stay, pick either Flamingo or Everglades City as your base and time your travels to the schedules of concession boat tours. In wet or dry season, only a boat or canoe gives you access to the backcountry. Because of mosquitoes, the dry season is best for canoeing. (Near park entrances you’ll see signs advertising airboat rides; airboats, which can disturb wildlife and tear up saw grass, are not licensed to operate in the park.)
Comments about National Geographic Guide to National Parks of the U.S., 7th Edition:
We are making an attempt to visit more of the US National Parks on our vacations, and this book seemed to be a great way to get a solid overview of the parks. It's a beautiful book, and buying it online at a special price, well worth it to me. The full price is high for a paperback, in my opinion, but it IS National Geographic. The quality is high.
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend