Everglades National Park |
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Protecting more than 1.5 million acres, Everglades National Park is the 3rd largest national park in the lower 48 states, behind Yellowstone National Park, which is the 2nd largest and Death Valley National Park, which is the largest. Everglades National Park has been declared an International Biosphere Reserve, a World Heritage Site, and a Wetland of International Importance, only one of three places in the world to appear on all three lists. Unlike most other U.S. national parks, Everglades National Park was created to protect a fragile ecosystem rather than to safeguard a geographic feature. Thirty-six species designated as threatened or protected live in the park, including the Florida panther, the American crocodile, and the West Indian manatee. The park is the most significant breeding ground for tropical wading birds in North America, and it contains the largest mangrove ecosystem in the western hemisphere. In addition, all of southern Florida's fresh water is recharged by the Everglades.
Nicknamed the river of grass for the slow-moving waters that flow through it, the Everglades actually contains eight different ecosystems, which exist due to slight differences in elevation.. Boat tours, tram tours, and ranger-led hikes are all good ways to see the Everglades. Visitors can also rent bikes or canoes, as well as go on hikes, to explore the park on their own. The dry season (basically December through May) is the best time to visit. The wet season is extremely hot and buggy, with some parts of the park issuing a "mosquito index".
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