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01 · United States · Florida

Everglades National Park

A river of grass, three entrances with no link between them, and only three airboat operators that actually run inside the national park.

Photo: National Park Service ↗ · Public domain ↗

Everglades at a glance · PDF, 2 pages

Three entrances that are not connected

The most important decision before your visit: where you drive in.

The Everglades are not a park with a loop road but three separate ways into an area of around 6,100 square kilometres (2,360 sq mi). Head for the wrong entrance and you see a completely different park, or drive an hour around the outside.

Homestead is the main entrance: open 24 hours, with the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center, the boardwalks of Royal Palm and the 61-kilometre (38 mi) road to Flamingo on Florida Bay. Both campgrounds and the only lodge are here too.

Shark Valley on the Tamiami Trail is the entrance for day trips from Miami: a car-free loop into the sawgrass with tram and observation tower, and nearby the three authorised airboat operators. The gate closes at 18:00.

Everglades City on the Gulf Coast leads out onto the water: boats, canoes and kayaks into the Ten Thousand Islands. Passes are currently not sold there.

National Park Service: directions and transportation ↗

The three parts of the park

Homestead
Main entrance, 24 h, Royal Palm, Flamingo
Shark Valley
Gate 8:30–18:00, tram, loop trail
Everglades City
Gulf Coast, onward by boat only
Between the entrances
at least 1 hour by car
Area
1.5 million acres, about 6,100 km² (2,360 sq mi)
Highest point
2.4 m (8 ft) above sea level

Today in the park

What the National Park Service is reporting right now

  • 1 Closure
  • 1 Caution
  • 1 Info

Alerts and road conditions on nps.gov ↗

Fetched automatically: 04 Oct 2026 13:54 UTC.

Original National Park Service alerts. The date is the last update of the alert, not a validity period. Closures can change within hours.

Crowds through the year

March is the busiest month, September the quietest

Crowds vary little: March sees only about 2.6 times as many visitors as September.

Tap a month for the number

Visits per month, median of 2023–2025. In 2025 the park recorded 0.78 million visits.

Source: National Park Service, Visitor Use Statistics ↗

Visiting the Everglades: overview and planning

01

Three entrances with no connection

The Everglades have no central entrance, and the roads inside the park do not connect. From Homestead you drive to Royal Palm and Flamingo, from Miami along the Tamiami Trail to Shark Valley, and from Everglades City out onto the water of the Ten Thousand Islands. Between any two of the three entrances and Flamingo it is at least an hour by car.

National Park Service: directions and transportation ↗

02

Open 24 hours, except Shark Valley

The Homestead Entrance and the Gulf Coast are open 24 hours. At Shark Valley the gate is open from 8:30 to 18:00; after that no more vehicles can enter. In the dry season the visitor centres are usually open daily from 8:00 to 17:00, in the wet season from 9:00 to 17:00.

National Park Service: operating hours and seasons ↗

Field book 03 · TicketsThe Everglades are one of the eleven parks with the surcharge for non-residents.Field book 01 · WhenTwo seasons instead of four, and they decide how much wildlife you see.Field book 02 · Getting thereWhich entrance you choose decides which part of the park you see.

02 · Places

Map of the park and places to see

Three separate parts of the park on one map, each point backed by an OpenStreetMap object.

Photo: National Park Service ↗ · Public domain ↗

Place in the park

Anhinga Trail

The best-known trail in the park: short, wheelchair accessible and often full of wildlife.

Coordinates
25.382321, −80.609407
Start
Royal Palm Visitor Center
Trail
paved path and boardwalk, wheelchair accessible
Next to it
Gumbo Limbo Trail

National Park Service: Royal Palm and Anhinga Trail ↗

Map

22 places on the map

Three separate parts of the park on one map, each point backed by an OpenStreetMap object.

Open map3D terrain · details and photos for every place
  • Viewpoints2
  • Water2
  • Trails6
  • Arrival6
  • Where to stay2
  • History1
  • Nature3

03 · Out and about

Airboat tours, tram, boat trips and short boardwalks

Most wildlife is seen from the edge, if you know where to look.

Photo: National Park Service (NPS / Mary L. Beach) ↗ · Public domain ↗

“The only animal statue in the park is a panther. Anything on the Anhinga Trail that does not move is alive.”

Everglades National Park · American alligator on the Anhinga Trail

Airboat tours, tram, boat trips and short boardwalks

Airboats: only three operators in the park

Only three authorised operators offer airboat tours in the national park, all on the Tamiami Trail, 15 to 20 minutes east of Shark Valley: Coopertown (22700 SW 8th Street), Gator Park (24050) and Everglades Safari Park (26700). There are no airboats at Shark Valley or on the Gulf Coast. Many offers with "Everglades" in their name run elsewhere, so compare the address with this list before you book.

National Park Service: Shark Valley ↗

Anhinga Trail and Gumbo Limbo

Both trails start at the Royal Palm Visitor Center and are wheelchair accessible, as a paved path or boardwalk through two different habitats. Royal Palm was already a state park in 1916 and has been part of the national park since 1947.

National Park Service: Royal Palm and Anhinga Trail ↗

Shark Valley: 24 kilometres without a car

Beyond the car park, private cars are not allowed. The paved loop runs 24 kilometres (15 mi) into the sawgrass; you can ride it on the narrated tram, cycle it on your own or a hired bike (e-bikes are allowed) or walk. Halfway round is the observation tower with drinking water. There is hardly any shade.

National Park Service: Shark Valley ↗

Boat tours from Flamingo

Both tours last 90 minutes and start at the marina. The backcountry tour through the Buttonwood Canal to Whitewater Bay runs all year at 9:00, 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00; the Florida Bay tour only from 1 November to 30 April. The Activities Booth also rents bikes, canoes, kayaks and motorboats.

National Park Service: Flamingo and Guy Bradley Visitor Center ↗

Paddling on the Gulf Coast

From the kayak launch at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Visitor Center the Sandfly Island loop covers a good ten kilometres (6 mi); the route along the Turner River to Chokoloskee is just under 14 kilometres (9 mi) long and impassable depending on the water level. Canoes and kayaks are rented by private businesses in Everglades City, and in Flamingo by the concessioner Flamingo Adventures.

National Park Service: canoe and kayak trails ↗

Current closures

As of 9 September 2026: the East Everglades Day Use Area on the north-eastern edge is closed for construction, Halfway Creek is not passable all the way, and several wilderness sites (Johnson Key Chickee, Shark Point Chickee and Little Rabbit Key) are closed for maintenance.

National Park Service: closures and current conditions ↗

The Cold War missile site

Nike Hercules site HM-69 was built after the Cuban Missile Crisis, was in operation from 1964 to 1979 and is one of the best-preserved sites of its era in Florida. Visits usually from early December to the end of March, 10:00 to 14:00; from April to November only through the Everglades Institute.

National Park Service: Nike Missile Site HM-69 ↗

Offer photo: Airboat tour and wildlife show at Gator Park

Gator Park Airboat Tours · Airboat · authorised

Airboat tour and wildlife show at Gator Park

One of the three airboat operators authorised in the national park, on the Tamiami Trail. A 35 to 40-minute airboat ride with commentary, followed by a 30-minute wildlife and alligator show.

4.5 out of 5 stars8,028 reviews on GetYourGuidefrom €28.42as of 4 Oct

  • About 1 hour
  • Departures every 20 to 30 minutes
  • English
  • Parking included

Departure Check in at the Gator Park ticket counter, 24050 SW 8th Street, Miami.

No transport: you drive there yourself. The provider lists a national park fee of $8 per person, explicitly also for non-US citizens, payable at its ticket desk. Last airboat ride 17:00, last show 16:30, in all weather. Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.

View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 2 Oct 2026

Provider's product photo · GetYourGuide

Offer photo: Airboat tour at Everglades Safari Park

Everglades Safari Park · Airboat · authorised

Airboat tour at Everglades Safari Park

The westernmost of the three authorised airboat operators on the Tamiami Trail. Guided airboat tour, wildlife show, jungle trail with observation platform and exhibition.

4.4 out of 5 stars1,375 reviews on GetYourGuidefrom €36.42as of 4 Oct

  • Duration according to the provider 1 day, airboat ride 40 minutes
  • English
  • Earplugs included
  • Parking included

Departure Show your ticket at the Everglades Safari Park reception, 26700 SW 8th Street, Miami.

Here too the provider lists a national park fee of $8 per adult at the ticket desk. Tours run in all weather except thunderstorms. No transport. Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.

View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 2 Oct 2026

Provider's product photo · GetYourGuide

Offer photo: Backcountry boat tour from Flamingo

Flamingo Adventures · Boat tour · 90 minutes

Backcountry boat tour from Flamingo

The tour the park authority also describes: from Flamingo marina through the Buttonwood Canal and Coot Bay to Whitewater Bay, with naturalist commentary.

4.4 out of 5 stars47 reviews on GetYourGuidefrom €42.64as of 4 Oct

  • 90 minutes
  • Naturalist guide
  • English
  • No pets

Departure Report to the Activities Booth at Flamingo marina 15 minutes before departure.

Flamingo lies 61 kilometres (38 mi) beyond the Homestead Entrance; park admission, including the surcharge, is paid separately. Large or motorised wheelchairs do not fit on the boat. Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.

View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 25 Sep 2026

Provider's product photo · GetYourGuide

Offer photo: Pontoon boat through the Ten Thousand Islands

Everglades National Park Adventures · Boat tour · Gulf Coast

Pontoon boat through the Ten Thousand Islands

The Gulf Coast boat tour that the park authority also names: 90 minutes in an accessible pontoon boat through the mangrove islands of the Ten Thousand Islands, with a guide and a lookout for dolphins, manatees and birds. Plus a walk on the mangrove boardwalk in Everglades City.

4.4 out of 5 stars50 reviews on GetYourGuidefrom €53.73as of 4 Oct

  • 1.5 hours
  • Guide in English
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Parking included

Departure Check in on the second floor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Visitor Center in Everglades City.

Park admission is not included, nor is the $100 surcharge per person without US residence. According to the park authority, no passes are currently sold on the Gulf Coast: buy your pass online in advance. According to the park authority, the boat departs from 929 Dupont Street, two miles (3 km) north of the visitor centre. At weekends, according to the park authority, a ranger comes along. Guests up to 17 only with an adult. Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.

View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 2 Oct 2026

More checked toursAd · partner link · checked 3 Oct 2026

Provider's product photo · GetYourGuide

Visitors on the paved path of the Anhinga Trail in Everglades National Park beside water with water lilies, in front an information panel showing an anhinga

Everglades National Park (National Park Service) · Ranger programme · free of charge

Ranger evening and night programmes

In the dry season, rangers offer programmes after sunset: daily evening programmes in Flamingo and, on Fridays, "Crocs and the Cosmos" about the night sky and nocturnal animals; a night hike on the Anhinga Trail at Royal Palm; and an evening talk in the amphitheatre of Long Pine Key Campground. At Shark Valley there are star programmes and bike rides at full or new moon on some evenings.

  • free of charge
  • Dry season, roughly December to April
  • Dates in the park calendar
  • Bring insect repellent

Meeting point Varying places in the park; the meeting point is given with each date in the park calendar or at the visitor centre.

According to the park authority the programmes are free of charge; park admission still applies. The Shark Valley programmes need a reservation from one week ahead and your own bike. Most programmes only run in the dry season; dates are listed in the park calendar and on the programme pages of the four park areas.

Park authority page ↗Park authority programme · no partner link · checked 2 Oct 2026

Landscape image, not a provider photo · Photo: National Park Service ↗ · Public domain ↗

Ad · we may earn a commission if you book through this partner link – at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the atlas. Offer details checked 2 Oct 2026. See official ticket information.

A river of grass: nature and history

How the water flowed

Water once flowed from the Kissimmee River via Lake Okeechobee in a shallow, slow sheet south into Florida Bay, covering almost 28,500 square kilometres (11,000 sq mi). From the early 20th century the land was drained for farming and settlement, with severe consequences for the ecosystem.

National Park Service: history ↗

A book and a park in the same year

In 1947 Marjory Stoneman Douglas published her book "The Everglades: River of Grass"; one month later, on 6 December 1947, President Truman dedicated the national park, which had been authorised back in 1934.

National Park Service: water and restoration ↗

Marjory Stoneman Douglas

She joined the Miami Herald as a journalist in 1915 and campaigned early for women's rights, against racism and for conservation. In the 1950s the Army Corps of Engineers, with its canals, levees and pumping stations, became her main opponent. In 1970 she founded the Friends of the Everglades.

National Park Service: Marjory Stoneman Douglas ↗

The first park protected for its biodiversity

The park authority describes the Everglades as the first national park protected for its biological diversity, as permanent wilderness.

National Park Service: park management ↗

Wildlife

The park is home to 36 threatened or endangered species, including the American alligator and the Florida panther, plus more than 350 bird and 40 mammal species.

National Park Service: wildlife ↗

Pythons

Burmese pythons, released or escaped pets, have become established in the park. According to the park authority they are probably the main reason for the steep decline in mammals. You will hardly ever see one, though: they are well camouflaged and hard to find.

National Park Service: Burmese python ↗

The largest water project in the United States

To save the Everglades, Congress passed the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan in 2000: more than $10.5 billion over more than 35 years, the largest effort to restore water flows the United States has ever begun.

National Park Service: water and restoration ↗

Who lived here

Before the Spanish arrived in 1513, the area was mainly home to the Calusa, whose culture emerged around 1000 BC; by the 18th century most of them had died of introduced diseases. Seminole and Miccosukee have lived in the area since the 18th century.

National Park Service: people of the Everglades ↗

Field book 04 · Where to stayIf you stay inside the park, you stay at the end of the road.Field book 05 · RulesAlligators often look like statues. They are not.

04 · Before you go

Park film and places nearby

Photo: National Park Service ↗ · Public domain ↗

Film by the park authority

Return of the Supercolonies

Just under four minutes on the 2018 nesting season: more white ibises nested in the park than at any time since the 1940s. The park authority sees such supercolonies as a good sign for the ecosystem.

Source: Everglades National Park · View channel ↗

Around the park

Field book 07 · Sources35 sources, checked 25 Sep 2026

Field book · Everglades National Park

checked 25 Sep 2026

Everglades at a glance · PDF, 2 pages ↓

00My visit

Nothing saved yet. Every place card has a pin, and so does every place on the Map. What you save collects here, with days, notes and a preview you can share.

01Best time to visit: the dry season from November to March

Two seasons instead of four, and they decide how much wildlife you see.

Dry season

From November to March the visitor centres are usually open daily from 8:00 to 17:00, there are ranger programmes at all entrances, and wildlife is usually plentiful throughout the park.

National Park Service: operating hours and seasons ↗

Wet season

From May to November it is hot and humid: around 32 °C (90 °F) on average, humidity above 90 percent, feeling like more than 38 °C (100 °F). There are thunderstorms almost every afternoon. As the water rises, wildlife disperses, and mosquitoes and biting flies can become unbearable without protection. Programmes and facilities are limited.

National Park Service: visiting in the wet season ↗

Hurricane season

It runs from 1 June to 30 November, and the park lies in one of the most active hurricane regions in the United States. Before, during and after severe storms, parts of the park or the whole park may be closed. Most of the almost 152 centimetres (60 in) of annual rainfall falls in the wet season.

National Park Service: weather, heat index and hurricanes ↗

Avoid winter weekends

On busy winter weekends cars queue at the Homestead and Shark Valley entrances, and parking at the visitor centres is then hard to find. The park authority recommends weekdays, arriving before 10:00, and a digital pass.

National Park Service: directions and transportation ↗

Shark Valley around midday

Between 10:00 and 15:00 expect long waits; the car park then works on a "one out, one in" basis. If you have booked a tram tour, the park authority recommends arriving one and a half to two hours early.

National Park Service: Shark Valley ↗

Climate through the year

Weather and climate in Everglades National Park

Best months by the climate data: November to April. Average daytime highs of 22 to 27 °C, lows of 18 to 23 °C, 37 to 68 mm of precipitation a month. The wettest month is June (202 mm), the driest January (37 mm).

Climate chart in Everglades National ParkAverage daily highs from 22 °C to 30 °C, lows from 18 °C to 28 °C; monthly precipitation from 37 mm to 202 mm.
All monthly values as a table
Monthly averages 2001–2020, NASA POWER model
MonthHigh °CLow °CPrecipitation mm
January22.218.137
February23.719.942
March24.921.242
April26.823.468
May28.325.4122
June29.627.4202
July30.228.1184
August30.428.4193
September29.627.6202
October28.225.7108
November25.522.355
December23.720.345
Year1,300

Modelled values, not a weather station: NASA POWER (MERRA-2) for a grid cell of about 55 × 65 km around the map point Pineland Trail (25.42° N, 80.68° W), with an average cell elevation of about 0 m. Averages for 2001–2020. Higher ground and valleys can differ markedly.

Source: NASA POWER, climatology 2001–2020 ↗ · retrieved 3 Oct 2026

02How to get there: three entrances, three routes

Which entrance you choose decides which part of the park you see.

Homestead: main entrance

From Miami take the Florida Turnpike south to its end, turn right onto Palm Drive in Florida City and follow the signs. Here you find the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center, Royal Palm and the road to Flamingo.

National Park Service: directions and transportation ↗

Shark Valley: closest to Miami

From the Florida Turnpike take exit 25 or 25A onto US 41, the Tamiami Trail, and drive 40 kilometres (25 mi) west. From Naples it is about 113 kilometres (70 mi) east.

National Park Service: directions and transportation ↗

Everglades City: the Gulf Coast

From I-75 take exit 80 onto SR 29 and drive 32 kilometres (20 mi) south. From Shark Valley it is 64 kilometres (40 mi) west on US 41, then just under five kilometres (3 mi) on CR 29.

National Park Service: directions and transportation ↗

Without a car

The only public transport into the park is the Homestead trolley to the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center and Royal Palm, roughly from December to April. If you arrive by Uber, Lyft or taxi, the park authority says you will often find no ride back, so arrange the return trip with your driver in advance.

National Park Service: directions and transportation ↗

The main road

The road from Homestead has narrow shoulders, pull-outs and car parks at the interpretive trails. Speed limits are mostly 45 to 55 mph (72 to 89 km/h). Allow plenty of time.

National Park Service: directions and transportation ↗

Parking at Royal Palm: tarps against vultures

Vultures in the park like to tear at the rubber around windscreens, sunroofs and wipers and have damaged cars, especially at the Royal Palm car park. Free tarps and bungee cords are provided there to cover your car. Vultures are found throughout the park; if you leave your car for a long time, take precautions elsewhere too. The birds are protected and must not be harmed.

National Park Service: vultures and vehicles ↗

Parking at Shark Valley: usually full by 10:00 from December to April

In the main season, usually December to April, parking at Shark Valley is very limited and normally full by 10:00. The park authority recommends weekdays and arriving before 10:00 or after 15:00. On the busiest winter weekends and holidays the wait at the entrance can be more than an hour. Private cars may only go as far as the car park.

National Park Service: Shark Valley ↗

Wild Lime Adventures · Day tour · from Homestead or Miami

From Homestead or Miami: hikes and kayaking to Flamingo

Full-day tour through the main part of the park beyond the Homestead Entrance. A naturalist guide leads hikes through several habitats; after a picnic in Flamingo there is a two-hour kayak tour. Wild Lime Adventures is on the park authority's list of permitted guides.

5.0 out of 5 stars3 reviews on GetYourGuidefrom €253.18as of 4 Oct

Departure Pickup at your accommodation; GetYourGuide lists Homestead and Miami as pickup areas, with return there.

According to the list of inclusions, park admission and "all fees for Everglades National Park" are included, explicitly also for guests from abroad. The list of inclusions and the short description mention two hikes. Bring a refillable water bottle; gratuities are not included. Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.

View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 2 Oct 2026

More checked toursAd · partner link · checked 3 Oct 2026

Ad · we may earn a commission if you book through this partner link – at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the atlas. Offer details checked 2 Oct 2026. See official ticket information.

03Tickets & entrance fees: $35 per car plus $100 per non-resident

The Everglades are one of the eleven parks with the surcharge for non-residents.

Check official fees ↗

The fees

A private vehicle with everyone in it costs $35 and is valid for seven days at all entrances. A motorcycle costs $30; anyone arriving on foot, by bike or by paddle craft and aged 16 or over pays $20. Children up to 15 pay nothing.

National Park Service: fees, passes and payment ↗

The $100 surcharge

Since 2026, people aged 16 or over without US residence pay an extra $100 each, unless they enter with an annual pass or the America the Beautiful Pass. Two adults from abroad in a hire car therefore pay $235 instead of $35.

National Park Service: surcharge for non-US residents ↗

When the $250 pass pays off

The non-resident America the Beautiful Pass costs $250, is valid for one year and removes the surcharge. For two adults visiting only the Everglades it costs just $15 more than single entry; with three adults in the car or a second surcharge park on the trip it is clearly cheaper.

National Park Service: surcharge for non-US residents ↗

Also due on a booked tour

The surcharge explicitly also applies to people without US residence who enter as part of a commercial tour group. Operators are expected to know the number of their non-resident guests before entry and declare it at the entrance station; since June 2026 they can prepay the entrance fee and surcharge with a Commercial Site Pass on Recreation.gov.

National Park Service: surcharge on commercial tours ↗

The $250 pass also works in a tour group

The non-resident America the Beautiful Pass removes the surcharge not only in your own vehicle: in a commercial tour group it covers the pass holder and three more people aged 16 or over. The same applies to the entrance fee, which is charged per person on commercial tours. As proof of US residence the park accepts a US passport, a state driving licence or ID card, and the Green Card; anyone aged 15 or under pays neither the entrance fee nor the surcharge.

National Park Service: surcharge on commercial tours ↗

The park annual pass is not for overseas visitors

According to the park authority, the Everglades Annual Pass at $70 is only available to US citizens and US residents.

National Park Service: fees, passes and payment ↗

Old amounts still in circulation

The park authority's FAQ page still gives $30 per vehicle, and so do some tour operators. The fees page with $35 is what counts, together with the surcharge that the older figures do not include.

National Park Service: fees, passes and payment ↗

$8 at the airboat operators?

Gator Park and Everglades Safari Park list a "national park fee" of $8 per adult on their offer pages, payable at their ticket desk; Gator Park states explicitly "also for non-US citizens".

National Park Service: fees, passes and payment ↗

Where passes are not sold

The new Marjory Stoneman Douglas Visitor Center on the Gulf Coast currently does not sell passes. If you start there, buy online beforehand or at one of the other entrances.

National Park Service: Gulf Coast and Marjory Stoneman Douglas Visitor Center ↗

All eleven fee parks at a glance

Which parks charge the $100 and when the annual pass pays off: US national parks for international visitors.

04Where to stay: lodge, houseboat or tent, all in Flamingo

If you stay inside the park, you stay at the end of the road.

Flamingo Lodge and restaurant

In Flamingo, 61 kilometres (38 mi) south of the Homestead Entrance, there is the newly opened Flamingo Lodge, houseboats, glamping tents for summer and winter, and a restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. The park's older lodging page from 2015 still claims there is no lodging; it is out of date.

National Park Service: eating and sleeping ↗

Two campgrounds

Flamingo is open all year with 234 sites, 41 of them with electricity; from 20 November to 15 April some can be reserved, otherwise it is first come, first served. Long Pine Key near the Homestead Entrance has 108 sites and is first come, first served only; there only the group site can be reserved.

National Park Service: frequently asked questions ↗

Wilderness camping on stilts

There are sites on beaches, on the ground and on platforms above the water, the "chickees", almost all reachable only by canoe, kayak or motorboat. You always need a permit: $21 plus $2 per person per night, bookable 90 days ahead on Recreation.gov.

National Park Service: camping and backcountry camping ↗

Outside the park

Accommodation is available in Homestead, Florida City, Miami, Everglades City and Chokoloskee.

National Park Service: lodging (as of 2015) ↗

Food

Apart from the restaurant in Flamingo, there are only snacks in the bookshops at Ernest F. Coe and Royal Palm, in the marina store at Flamingo and at a food truck. Bringing your own food is explicitly encouraged.

National Park Service: eating and sleeping ↗

05Rules & safety: what the park asks of you

Alligators often look like statues. They are not.

Keep your distance from alligators

At least 4.5 metres (15 ft). If the animal hisses, you are too close, even if you are further away. Alligators and crocodiles are more active at night and can react in a flash. Feeding them or throwing things at them is a criminal offence.

National Park Service: safety ↗

It is not dead

The only animal statue in the park stands in front of the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center: a Florida panther. An alligator that does not move for hours is warming up in the sun.

National Park Service: frequently asked questions ↗

No swimming

Swimming and snorkelling are prohibited in canals, ponds, freshwater lakes, marked channels and marina basins.

National Park Service: frequently asked questions ↗

Mosquitoes and poisonous plants

Wear long clothing and insect repellent, especially in summer, on cloudy days and at dusk. Poison ivy and the poisonwood tree cause skin reactions.

National Park Service: safety ↗

Dogs

Only on a leash in car parks, on public roads, at the two campgrounds and on board boats; not on trails and not in the wilderness. Small dogs can look like prey to alligators.

National Park Service: frequently asked questions ↗

No drones

Drones and other unmanned aircraft are prohibited in the park, including model aircraft.

National Park Service: frequently asked questions ↗

06Frequently asked questions: Everglades National Park

How much is the entrance fee for international visitors?

$35 for a car with everyone in it, valid for seven days, plus $100 for every person aged 16 or over without US residence. Two adults therefore pay $235. The non-resident America the Beautiful Pass ($250) removes the surcharge and pays off from three adults or a second surcharge park.

National Park Service: surcharge for non-US residents ↗

Which airboat tours actually run inside the national park?

Only the three authorised operators on the Tamiami Trail: Coopertown, Gator Park and Everglades Safari Park. Many other airboat tours with "Everglades" in their name start outside the park.

National Park Service: frequently asked questions ↗

Can I drive from Shark Valley to Flamingo inside the park?

No. The three entrances Homestead, Shark Valley and Everglades City are not connected inside the park. Between them it is at least an hour by car around the outside.

National Park Service: directions and transportation ↗

When is the best time to visit the Everglades?

In the dry season from November to March: there are ranger programmes at all entrances, and wildlife is usually plentiful. From May to November it is hot, humid and full of mosquitoes, and hurricane season runs from June to November.

National Park Service: operating hours and seasons ↗

Is there lodging inside Everglades National Park?

Yes, in Flamingo: the newly opened Flamingo Lodge, houseboats and glamping tents, plus two campgrounds. The park's older lodging page, which says there is no lodging, is out of date.

National Park Service: eating and sleeping ↗

Can I get to the Everglades without a car?

Hardly. Only the Homestead trolley runs, roughly from December to April, to the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center and Royal Palm. If you arrive by Uber or taxi, you will often find no ride back.

National Park Service: directions and transportation ↗

Can you swim in the Everglades?

No. Swimming and snorkelling are prohibited in the park's canals, ponds, lakes, channels and marina basins.

National Park Service: frequently asked questions ↗

Will I see pythons?

Very probably not. The Burmese pythons in the park are well camouflaged and hard to find, even though the park authority says they are probably the main reason for the steep decline in mammals.

National Park Service: Burmese python ↗

07Sources and updates

All details come from the National Park Service, checked on 25 September 2026.

  1. National Park Service: Everglades National Park ↗
  2. National Park Service: fees, passes and payment ↗
  3. National Park Service: surcharge for non-US residents ↗
  4. National Park Service: operating hours and seasons ↗
  5. National Park Service: entrances and visitor centres ↗
  6. National Park Service: directions and transportation ↗
  7. National Park Service: closures and current conditions ↗
  8. National Park Service: weather, heat index and hurricanes ↗
  9. National Park Service: visiting in the wet season ↗
  10. National Park Service: safety ↗
  11. National Park Service: frequently asked questions ↗
  12. National Park Service: authorised tours and airboat operators ↗
  13. National Park Service: permitted private guides ↗
  14. National Park Service: Shark Valley ↗
  15. National Park Service: Flamingo and Guy Bradley Visitor Center ↗
  16. National Park Service: Gulf Coast and Marjory Stoneman Douglas Visitor Center ↗
  17. National Park Service: Royal Palm and Anhinga Trail ↗
  18. National Park Service: Mahogany Hammock Trail ↗
  19. National Park Service: hiking trails ↗
  20. National Park Service: canoe and kayak trails ↗
  21. National Park Service: eating and sleeping ↗
  22. National Park Service: lodging (as of 2015) ↗
  23. National Park Service: camping and backcountry camping ↗
  24. National Park Service: wildlife ↗
  25. National Park Service: Burmese python ↗
  26. National Park Service: water and restoration ↗
  27. National Park Service: climate change and sea level ↗
  28. National Park Service: history ↗
  29. National Park Service: Marjory Stoneman Douglas ↗
  30. National Park Service: people of the Everglades ↗
  31. National Park Service: Nike Missile Site HM-69 ↗
  32. National Park Service: park management ↗
  33. National Park Service: nearby attractions ↗
  34. National Park Service: surcharge on commercial tours ↗
  35. National Park Service: vultures and vehicles ↗

How current is this information?

Researched 25 Sep 2026. Not a live status. Dates apply only to the year stated. A successful automatic fetch is not an editorial confirmation; outdated automatic values are hidden and replaced by the source link.

Current information from the park ↗

Image and map credits

Location sources: Entrances, visitor centres, trails and the three authorised airboat operators are taken from OpenStreetMap, each with the object address as evidence. The three parts of the park are not linked by roads inside the park; the map shows no driving routes. Markers do not imply that access is permitted. Base map © OpenStreetMap contributors. Coastlines of the chapter map: Natural Earth.

End of the field book · Park authority ↗