Everglades

This wetland covers two million acres (about 810,000 hectares) in southern Florida and includes sawgrass prairies, hardwood hammocks, mangrove forests, and cypress swamps. The water moves slowly through the flat landscape, forming a connected network of channels, pools, and flooded grasslands that extends for hundreds of miles.

Indigenous groups, including the Calusa and Tequesta, lived here for thousands of years before Spanish explorers arrived in the 16th century. The area remained largely undeveloped until drainage projects in the early 20th century began altering the wetland.

Local communities fish and navigate the wetlands by boat, following practices the Seminole continue to this day. Visitors can watch how people use the waterways to observe wildlife or move through the shallow marsh in traditional airboats.

Water levels change with the seasons, and the dry season from November through April is considered the best time for walking trails and wildlife viewing. Mosquitoes are common in the summer months, so long sleeves and insect repellent are recommended.

Water flows from Lake Okeechobee southward to Florida Bay, forming a wide, slow-moving river of grass and water. This current moves just a few inches per hour and creates an ecosystem found nowhere else on Earth.