Activities: Hiking

Info:
State: Florida
Location: Everglades National Park
Length: One-Way: 2.6 miles
Trail type: Out and Back
Minimum Elevation: 0 feet
Maximum Elevation: 5 feet
Elevation Change: 5 feet
Best Season: Spring, Fall, Winter
Difficulty: Moderate
Usage: Moderate

Description: The Rowdy Bend Trail is a 2.6-mile one-way Hiking and biking trail. The trail is located less than three miles north of Flamingo along Main Park Road. The Rowdy Bend Trail is an old roadbed through a thick buttonwood forest. The well traveled dirt road only extends several hundred feet before the Rowdy Bend Trail splits off to the right. The Rowdy Bend Trail ends at the Snake Bight Trail. You can take the Snake Bight Trail back to Main Park Road, returning a little north of Rowdy Bend Trailhead, or down to Florida Bay. It offers sights of open coastal salt prairie rich in bird and animal life.

Activities: Hiking

Info:
State: Florida
Location: Everglades National Park
Length: One-Way: 1.6 miles
Trail type: Out and Back
Minimum Elevation: 0 feet
Maximum Elevation: 5 feet
Elevation Change: 5 feet
Best Season: Spring, Fall, Winter
Difficulty: Easy
Usage: Heavy

Description: The Bear Lake Trail is 1.6 miles one-way. The trail is located off Bear Lake Road approximately two miles north of Flamingo. This hike is a short trek through a dense hardwood hammock mixed with mangroves. There are more than 30 different types of trees in this area. Because of this, this is an excellent place to observe woodland birds. The trail ends at Bear Lake. To return, trace your steps back to the parking lot. The trail does not circle the lake.

Activities: Hiking

Info:
State: Florida
Location: Everglades National Park
Length: Round Trip: 2 miles
Trail type: Loop
Minimum Elevation: 0 feet
Maximum Elevation: 5 feet
Elevation Change: 5 feet
Best Season: Spring, Fall, Winter
Difficulty: Easy
Usage: Heavy

Description: The Bayshore Loop meanders along the shore of Florida Bay. From this trail, you can see remnants of a former outpost fishing village. Begin this hike at the Coastal Prairie Trailhead at the back of loop “C” in the Flamingo Campground. Veer left at the trail junction to access the bay. Many types of wading birds can be spotted fishing near the water’s edge.

Activities: Hiking

Info:
State: Florida
Location: Everglades National Park
Length: Round Trip: 0.5 miles
Trail type: Loop
Minimum Elevation: 0 feet
Maximum Elevation: 5 feet
Elevation Change: 5 feet
Best Season: Spring, Fall, Winter
Difficulty: Easy
Usage: Heavy

Description: The Eco Pond Trail is a very short 0.5 mile looping walk to a freshwater pond. The trail is located across from the Flamingo Visitor Center on Main Park Road. The Eco Pond is a great area to view to a wide variety of wading birds, songbirds and other wildlife. You can frequently see alligators cruising the pond. Eco Pond has a ramped viewing platform that is often used by bird watchers at sunrise and sunset. Those are among the best times to take the stroll along this path and enjoy the wildlife.

Activities: Hiking

Info:
State: Florida
Location: Everglades National Park
Length: Round Trip: 0.5 miles
Trail type: Out and Back
Minimum Elevation: 0 feet
Maximum Elevation: 5 feet
Elevation Change: 5 feet
Trail Surface: Paved
Best Season: Spring, Fall, Winter
Difficulty: Easy
Usage: Heavy

Description: The Gumbo-Limbo Trail is a self-guided, paved trail that meanders through a shaded, jungle-like hammock of gumbo-limbo trees, royal palms, ferns and air plants. You’ll also see native orchids and long trailing woody vines reminding you of a lush Caribbean environment. This beautiful hammock is rather dense at times, inviting all types of swarming insects. You should apply bug spray. An interesting note about this paved, wheelchair accessible route is that you’ll see remains of the destruction done by Hurricane Andrew. Be sure to look for the sideways surviving gumbo-limbo trees that have sent out new roots. These tropical trees tend to be highly resilient.