"E" is for Everglades National Park

"Near the Everglades" ©Mary Montague Sikes

If you love visiting South Florida, you will want to explore Everglades National Park. This is the third largest park in the United States. Death Valley and Yellowstone are the two largest.

Developed in 1934, the National Park was dedicated in 1947 to protect the area from rapidly developing canal systems. Inside the park, the manatee, American crocodile, and Florida panther are among the protected species.

When we visited Bonita Springs several years ago, we traveled along Tamiami Trail, construction of which began in 1915 connecting Tampa with Miami. The trail is Highway 41 which is not far from one of the four major park entrances. The Gulf Coast Visitor Center is located five miles south of Highway 41 on State Road 29, in Everglades City. We drove near the Everglades but did not enter the park.

"Everglades Foliage" ©Mary Montague Sikes

The Everglades National Park covers an extensive area in South Florida. A visitor to that area will never be far away from park entrances which, besides the Gulf Coast one in Everglades City, are located at Homestead, Flamingo, and Miami.