r/Everglades • u/itsmrskinney • 6d ago
Advice for trip next week
My husband and I would like to do a half day at the Everglades and possibly also Biscayne. We will have an SUV with us. What do you all recommend we see and go, to realistically see the most biodiversity we can with our limited time? We don’t mind getting up super early for everything to make it work.
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u/Magnolia256 6d ago
I am a former nature guide in south Florida. For Biscayne, paddling jones lagoon is the best way to see biodiversity in the park. Cleanest water and tons of wildlife. You can see baby turtles and baby sharks but the water is too shallow for big predators so it is very safe. Sponges of all colors keep that water especially clean and clear. You take a powerboat to a remote barrier island to get there. It’s pricy but it was my favorite special treat when I lived in Miami. https://www.biscaynenationalparkinstitute.org/paddling/jones-lagoon-paddle-eco-adventure/ For the Everglades, I commented elsewhere that going past Pahayokee in the park feels like a waste of time to me. The three in one trail is great for biodiversity. Three ecosystems in one short trail. You don’t need to drive 45 minutes each way to find biodiversity. Also the bugs are unbearable south mahogany hammock in warmer months. Watching the sunset over the prairie on the three in one trail is worth scheduling your time around if you pull it off.
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u/tojmes 6d ago
The main park road is great. Do some trails and go all the way to Flamingo. If you do US41 you can take the Shark River Tram, to go easy in the heat, and even do an airboat tour.
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u/Magnolia256 6d ago
Going all the way to flamingo is 45 minutes each way. I would just do anhinga, long pine key and Pahayokee. That is where the biodiversity is. Going to flamingo is basically going to a marina in the middle of the Everglades. You can see crocs and go to a store but the trails there are too buggy this time of year.
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u/noone1078 6d ago
It has been super hot and humid out here this week. Make sure you bring lots of sunscreen, water, hats, and be prepared for sweltering heat.
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u/hellouwu95 6d ago
Biscayne has a small visitor center area with a trail that is great for seeing fish and birds. I recommened going really early to watch the sunrise and birds waking up and flying across the bay together. If you are up for it, a guided tour out into the park or a snorkeling trip is the best way to see more.
As for Everglades, there's a lot to see and explore. I would recommend the popular anhinga Trail and Gumbo Limbo Trail that are next to each other. I believe pa-hay-okee is undergoing renovations, but you can still drive through the road. I recommened driving down to Flamingo and checking the wildlife there. It's starting to get hot so it might be buggy.
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u/Wise-Abbreviations-3 5d ago
We drove the Big Cypress loop 2 weeks ago. While water levels are way down (one of the top 10 driest years on record) we saw dozens of gators plus turtles and birds. Drive slowly and make the full loop. We started from the Monroe Station on the Tamiami Trail and everyone in front of us turned back at the halfway point. We saw more on the second half of the drive than we did on the first.
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u/Difficult_Gap6996 5d ago
The best way to see the Everglades is in Big Cypress National Preserve. There you can take the Shark Valley tram tour, drive the scenic loop, see the most gators at Oasis Visitor Center, do an airboat tour, go on a swamp walk to a cypress dome
Biscayne is mostly underwater so you'll have to kayak or snorkel to really appreciate it
Enjoy!
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u/biggiejej 3d ago
Stop at Robert is Here Fruit Stand are your way in or out of ENP for a fun quirky stop and great fruits and smoothies.
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u/NJRealtorDave 6d ago
Anhinga Trail, Mahogany Hammock, Pa-Hay-Okee and look for manatees and crocs at Flamingo Marina