Don't forget about the wonderful walking trail to the south, Annhinga Trail. It is at the Florida City entrance to the 'Glades, past the visitor's center on the left at Royal Palm Visitor's Center. You will encounter wading birds, (Herons Great and Little, Egrets, and Wood Storks), Annhinga, Cormorants (which are glorified ducks, but hey, the tourists go NUTS posing with these annoying critters), osprey, Gallinules...blah blah blah...as well as the desperately desired close encounter with an Alligator, which often lurk in the waters next to the trail, on the banks of the slough (It is situated on Taylor Slough), or, conveniently enough, ON the trail you are walking on, since there are no barricades. You will see hundreds of gators, up close and personal. It's spectacular. For a particularly eerie sight, return at night either alone or for a ranger-guided tour. Bring a flashlight, because aside from becoming Panther or Gator Bait, you can also see the most eerie sight in all of South Florida... Stand on the elevated boardwalk in the darkness and shine your flashlight out over the open waters of the Slough. The thousands of glowing orange eyes staring back at you are reward enough for trekking out to what is left of the ends of civilization in the middle of the night.

Annhinga Trail @ Royal Palm Visitor's CenterEverglades Nat'l Park South EntranceFlorida City, FL