Everglades National Park

Thanks everyone! That helps a lot!

NCWriter has good recommendations. We were there January 2016. Anhinga trail excellent. Flamingo camp OK. Only worth a day or two. It was VERY VERY buggy (mosquitoes). We left a day early due to bugs. We went to Florida for 6 weeks, basically without reservations and it was a PIA finding places to live. The snowbirders (I guess we were one too!) have the sites all tied up. Make as many advance reservations as you can.

Two separate areas. West Everglades, stay at Collier Seminole. (Happen to be camping there tonight on our way to the Keys.) Boat rides to the Ten thousand islands,etc. near by. Stay there either before or after Flamingo.

Head east from Collier Seminole across the glades on the Tamiami Trail (41) and stop at Shark Valley to ride the tram and climb the tower to see the vastness of the glades. Continue on in the direction of Miami but turn south on 997 to Homestead.

Near there is park headquarters and the main visitor center. Continue on road 9336 and you'll come to the Royal Palm visitor center and Anhinga Trail, well worth a stop to walk it and see all the gators. Don't avoid it because of the vultures.

Anhinga Trail did have vulture problems when we were last there. The Rangers post signs explaining that they are attracted by the rubber parts such as window frames on your vehicle, not by your sandwiches. Tarps were available to protect your RV or car.

Beyond there is Long Pine Key CG, but no hookups yet. Electric hookups are in the master plan for the future because the park management wants to eliminate generator noise which disturbs the serenity.

I'd make reservations for and keep driving all the way down to Flamingo. Keep in mind that you may be glad you spent the money to have air conditioning when you are in a tropical environment. Flamingo CG has reservable electric hookups, plus many sites held for walk-ins, too. I love Flamingo where crocs and gators co-exist, very rare. Take the boat rides, both into the back waters and out into Florida Bay. Go to the ranger talks, walk the ponds, look at the amazing bird life. It's a unique place.

It happens at Flamingo, Nine mile Pond and at the Anhinga Trail, but at all three of them there are big bins with tarps and bungee cords for you to use free of charge.
Make sure to use them or you will be sorry.

We love the Everglades and have paddled and explored every part of them including the Wilderness Water way many times

jack L

Nah. NBD. Seldom hear about it. Just don't leave popcorn or a stray sandwich on your roof when you walk away :). They are just birds looking to mate with other birds (snowbirds) :) In the rare event it were to happen, you have insurance.

Oh no!! That sounds horrible...I hope I can find out where this happened so I can try to avoid this area with the camper.

See here and yes, vultures abound.

I don't know the exact location, but a couple of winters ago, friends parked their 5th wheel in a parking lot in the Everglades and went on a hike. When they returned, crows or buzzards had torn their roof to shreds. It was a real mess and lucky for them insurance covered the cost of repairs.

Maybe someone on here knows where the location is and can provide advise.

There is also federal camping along US 41 in Big Cypress Nat'l Preserve - located in the Everglades and sharing borders with Everglades NP. Midway Campgroundis really a pretty nice cg with an Everglades flavor. Also 'nearby', by Everglades standards, but within the Everglades is Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge.

The little waterfront community where I live shares its borders with Everglades National Park, Big Cypress N. Preserve, Ten Thousand Islands Nat'l Wildlife Refuge (10,000 Islands run from Marco Is. on the west to Lostmans River in Everglades NP on the east - probably 100 miles), Collier Seminole State Park and the Gulf of Mex. Some "Old Florida" flavor and also decent seafood in either Goodland or Everglades City.

If you are just looking for overnight, zero hookups but next to a weir on the Fakahatchee Union River running between Lake O and the Gulf, I know of a virtually unused spot, with picnic tables, for 3 rigs. There is an iron box for payment and if I recall, it's $2.00 per person.

While it certainly is busier than summer time, even the week between Christmas and New Year will be before the height of the season which will begin in earnest after the holiday. That said, it will be busy. You will see that I 75 (Alligator Alley) and US 41 (Tamiami Trail) both traverse the Everglades. If you want to see anything, don't take I-75. If you are looking for gators in a even more natural habitat than, say, Shark Valley, keep your eyes open to the north ditch on US 41 on a sunny day for about a 10 miles stretch east of Rt 29 (Everglades City). An that same stretch of road, but on the south side, is a large habitat for the Roseatte Spoonbill. All along US 41 will be an abundance of birds - egrets, various species of herons, anhingas, osprey, eagles etc. Wading in Big Cypress is fun - not at all muddy or squishy

I was wondering if it would be better to start on the east side and work our way west or start on west side and work our way east? Also, was thinking of maybe staying at long pine key and Collier-Seminole State Park rather than Flamingo...thoughts?