Located less than 50 miles from the party-filled beaches of Miami lies one of the largest National Parks in the United States, the wild, tropical wilderness known as the Everglades.
While Parks like Cuyahoga and Redwood are known for their tranquility, the Everglades is anything but: from the very second I entered the park, I was bombarded by an epic natural orchestra filled with the chirps of birds, the whoosh of a dive bombing turkey vultures, and the low, visceral growls of the American Alligator.
Culturally the Park is truly a unique gem in America, playing home to the likes of Alligator Wrasslers, Snake Charmers, and adrenaline-fueled Airboat Drivers. After witnessing one such individual use his chin to pry open the jaw of full-grown alligator, I began to realize that this was a place unlike any other I’d visited in the United States.
About Everglades National Park
Established in 1934 to protect this fragile ecosystem from rapid deforestation and population growth, the Everglades is currently the 3rd largest National Park in the mainland US, encompassing over 1.5 million acres of land stretching as far north as Delray and as far south as Key Largo. In addition to the ecosystem, the Park also protects a wide variety of animals, from the Florida Panther to the aforementioned American Alligator:
A Gathering of the Gators
“Just keep Swimming”
From the Alligator Farm!
Situated just 40 miles west of downtown Miami, the Everglades is an absolutely epic place to visit, and I highly recommend checking it out if you’re ever in Southern Florida. Next up I am off to Dry Tortugas National Park- so long for now!
-Morgan
Bonus Images:
Cruising through the Everglades on an Airboat
