The easiest way to reach the rare mosaic of ecosystems that Everglades is known for is by combining a flight to Miami International Airport with a car ride. Driving to Everglades from Miami you will have to pick either Route 41 (West) or Route 1 (South). Remember that the entrance fee is 10$ a day for cars and bikers or pedestrians pay 5 $ for a 7 days pass.
Everglades National Park
Destination map
Javascript is required to view this map.
Videos
 |
Gallery
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current weather nearby
Chambery / Aix-Les-Bains
- Broken clouds
- Temperature: -6 °C
- Wind: South-Southeast, 11.1 km/h
- Pressure: 1009 hPa
- Rel. Humidity: 79 %
- Visibility: 8 km
70.9 km West
Reported on:
Fri, 01/18/2013 - 08:00
The Everglades Mosaic Of Ecosystems
A truly special park which needed artificial help in order to be accessible, Everglades National Park is the home of largest subtropical wilderness in the United States. With endangered and rare species living in a mosaic of ecosystems, Everglades was declared UNESCO World Heritage Site, an International Biosphere Reserve and Wetland of International Importance. The one of a kind has been enhanced even more with the discovery of artifacts of previous settlers or traces of the Cold War.
From Swampland to Biological Wonder
Before the rare natural beauty could be admired the grounds which are now known as Everglades were a mysterious part of USA. Comprising mainly swamps, the Southern section of Florida, only 20 miles East of Biscayne National Park was not a subject of interest until the 1800s when the dream of building drainage canals was born.
Situated at the confluence of temperate North American and tropical Caribbean, the unique ecosystems formed in the previous wetland maintained representatives of both regions. The draining canals were dug in Everglades in the 1880s but the mysterious nature here remained unknown until 1895 when the Florida Federation of Women's Clubs decided this is an area which should be conserved. This group of activits operating in South Florida has worked on establishing a National Park in the former wild swampland. The Royal Palm National Park which is now incorporated into Everglades was the first state park in Florida and was founded in the year 1916. The National Park of today was established in 1947 in order to conserve the natural landscape and the unique ecosystems and has been considered ever since one of the great biological wonders of the world.
The Wet Mystery
Aside from the biological importance, Everglades National Park has been formerly inhabited by Calusa Indians who used canoes as their main method of transportation. Other traces of original wetland inhabitants indicate that ''Glademen'' (Anglo-American settlers) were common in this area. Even though this region is known as one of the last at the East of Mississippi to be settled, these former wetland inhabitants are believed to have found their ways into the swampland because their culture developed around the relationship with nature.
Because the grounds of Everglades have been considered a mystery, the present park was a former base of the United States between 1950-1989. Visiting the National Park now, you can choose a tour which will underline the remnant of war aspect and present you with a missile site used during the Cold War.
Education is the primary mission of the Everglades National Park. Learn about the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States, about the distant traces of civilizations who lived in a natural habitat and about the mysterious sites which transformed this area into one where secret operations were conducted.
