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When Florida was first found, this region was under a shallow body of water. A hiker got lost while trying to construct a map of the old routes of roads and canals used back in the 1960's when the region was firs discovered.

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South Florida is a land of contrasts, where high-rise luxury condos tower over the alligator-tangled Everglades.

Thousands of years ago, when people first arrived in Florida, they found a much wider, drier landscape populated by mastodons and giant ground sloths. Starting about 6,000 years ago, Florida's climate started getting wetter, ultimately giving rise to the Everglades.

Sea level rise now is threatening to change the state's coastline yet again and turn swamps and condos back into coral reefs.

North America's First Snowbirds

"Florida is pretty far from the initial point of entry into the Americas, no matter which peopling of the Americas model you follow."

The Florida Peninsula sits atop the Florida Platform, a piece of the African tectonic plate that was sheared off during the breakup of the supercontinent Pangea back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. This platform sat underwater for eons, gradually encrusting a thick layer of limestone from compacted shells of sea creatures. At the height of the last ice age, when much of the world's freshwater was frozen in ice caps and glaciers, sea levels were much lower and the Florida Platform was high and dry, exposing about twice the landmass we see today.

The first humans are thought to have reached Florida around 15,000 years ago. Some of the oldest pieces of evidence for mastodon kills in North America have been found in Florida, pulled from the watery depths of sinkholes by scuba-diving underwater archaeologists like Jessi Halligan, based at Florida State University in Tallahassee.

"Florida is pretty far from the initial point of entry into the Americas, no matter which peopling of the Americas model you follow," Halligan told Earth magazine in 2017. Some archaeologists think that ancestors of the first Floridians may have followed the Pacific Coast to Central or South America and across to the Gulf of Mexico. Others think the peopling of the Americas was primarily overland from the western Arctic.

This satellite image shows the slow moving River of Grass flowing southwest into Florida Bay, juxtaposed to the grid of Miami, in white. Credit: NASA/Jesse Allen

After humans arrived in Florida, they coexisted in a savanna-like landscape with megafauna including not only mastodons but also giant ground sloths, saber-toothed cats, and dire wolves, before these species went extinct around 12,600 years ago.

As the Ice Age came to a close, sea levels rose by as much as 100 meters. Florida flooded, and not just along the coasts but also from underneath: Florida's limestone bedrock is water-soluble and very porous. This shallow water table is what feeds the Everglades, a 100-kilometer-wide slow moving river that flows over and through southern Florida's limestone shelf, north to south from Lake Okeechobee through Everglades National Park and into Florida Bay.

Lost in the Scarred Everglades

Today the Everglades are a unique tropical wetland teeming with wildlife-over a million alligators, 400 species of birds, 80 species of mosquitoes, 34 species of snakes, and between 100 and 200 Florida panthers, one of the most elusive mammals in the world.

The simple line-drawing map I had picked up at the trailhead was no match for the maze of old roads, unmarked paths, and animal trails running through the dense palm forest.

People have been trying to carve out a place for themselves in the Everglades since 300 CE, when the first canals were built by the Ortona, Calusa, and Tequesta people to connect inland villages to coastal trade routes. In the late 1800s, the first large-scale canal systems were built to drain the swamp for agriculture. These efforts fundamentally changed the hydrology of the Everglades by interrupting the flow of water.

I once got lost in a maze of roads and canals constructed in the 1960s to turn 60,000 acres of densely forested swampland into the largest subdivision in the country. After cutting 1,400 kilometers of gravel roads and nearly 300 kilometers of canals, and staking off a vast grid of 2-acre lots, the place proved uninhabitable, in large part due to the year-round mosquito population. In 1985, the Save Our Everglades campaign purchased over 17,000 vacant lots to help create Picayune Strand State Forest.

I had planned a 5-kilometer loop hike on the Sabal Palm hiking trail, but the simple line-drawing map I had picked up at the trailhead was no match for the maze of old roads, unmarked paths, and animal trails running through the dense palm forest, where a panther could pass within inches without notice. Once ravaged by humanity, the swamp has returned with vigor but still bears scars.

The Sabal Palm Trail in Picayune Strand State Forest winds through a chunk of mature forest that was spared from logging. Credit: Mary Caperton Morton

At a critical junction, I realized I had completely lost my bearings and suddenly felt like I was treading water in the middle of the ocean. Rattled, I decided to return to my car the way I had come instead of finishing the loop-but there were more intersections on the way back than I had noticed on the way out. Then, just as I was starting to feel hopeless, I was saved by a faded blue arrow on a tree that pointed me down a narrow trail that brought me back to the parking lot.

But the adventure wasn't over. On my atlas (this was before I had a smartphone), it looked like I could drive west on the main gravel road and come out near the city of Naples. But the gravel road got progressively rougher, and soon I found myself lost again in a maze of unmarked roads and intersections, half full on gas but low on drinking water.

I dug out my trusty, old-fashioned compass and steered west until I came out on the first paved road I'd seen in hours. Scrawled across it in faded spray paint were the words Everglades Boulevard. It was an unsettling lifeline: Drug runners were alleged to use this abandoned road as a landing strip for small planes. Eventually, once again following a lifeline of faded arrows, Everglades Boulevard delivered me to the bright lights of Naples.

Florida, Drowning

In the next 30 years, sea levels are expected to rise another 43-78 centimeters.

On geologic timescales, Florida may prove to be one of the more ephemeral landmasses on Earth. In the past 100 years, sea levels have risen by about 25 centimeters, mostly due to thermal expansion of the ocean. Miami and Fort Lauderdale are already seeing flooding during high tides.

In the next 30 years, sea levels are expected to rise another 43-78 centimeters, according to conservative estimates from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Harold Wanless, a geologist and climate scientist at the University of Miami, told me that "sea level rise is speeding up" and sea levels could rise by as much as 4.5 meters by the end of the century, drowning all of southern Florida including Miami and the Everglades.

Sea level rise will likely drown thousands of acres of the freshwater Everglades. Credit: Mary Caperton Morton

"So far, sea level rise has seemed gradual, but the geologic record tells us that's not always the case," Wanless said. Around 4,000 years ago, when the Florida Platform was being inundated, paleorecords show that water levels surged by as much as 15 meters in a few hundred years in a phenomenon known as a meltwater pulse.

"South Florida has always been a risky place to live," Wanless said. But after 15,000 years of human habitation, in a few generations we may witness its return to the sea.

-Mary Caperton Morton (@theblondecoyote), Science Writer
Citation:
Morton, M. C. (2020), Lost in the Everglades, Eos, 101, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020EO141805. Published on 27 March 2020.

Text © 2020. The authors. CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
Except where otherwise noted, images are subject to copyright. Any reuse without express permission from the copyright owner is prohibited.

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Living in Geologic Time: An unintentional adventure in the River of Grass shows how Florida has changed dramatically over 15,000 years of human habitation.

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Article: How have invasive pythons impacted Florida ecosystems?

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Article: How have invasive pythons impacted Florida ecosystems?

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Pythons are one of the most invasive species in the Florida Everglades. They brought over from other countries to be kept as house pets and for breeding but when owners realized how big the can get they started to release them into the wild. The python doesn't really have prey due to their intense way of eating their prey. Floridians are encouraged to capture and kill the Pythons to limit the amount of them in the Everglades.

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How have invasive pythons impacted Florida ecosystems?

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Non-native Burmese pythons have established a breeding population in South Florida and are one of the most concerning invasive species in Everglades National Park. Pythons compete with native wildlife for food, which includes mammals, birds, and other reptiles.

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The Everglades National Park is home to many endangered species that are native to Florida. The Everglades is home to animals such as the endangered Panther and Manatees.

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Meet the Residents of Everglades National Park | America's National Parks

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Article: Everglades National Park is Open 

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Article: Everglades National Park is Open 

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In 2013, on October 18th the park reopened for all visitors. The park was originally closed down due to the lapse in Congressional appropriations.

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Everglades National Park is Open!
NPS Photo J Roark

News Release Date: October 17, 2013

Contact: General Park Information, 305-242-7700

Contact: Media Inquiries: Linda Friar, 305-242-7714

Everglades National Park re-opens to visitors today. Visitors can access all visitor facilities at Everglades National Park including five Visitor Centers and bookstores (Homestead, Royal Palm, Flamingo, Shark Valley, and Everglades City), all park campgrounds, park roads, and recreational waters. Guided ranger tours will begin as normally scheduled (Friday, October 18 ). Tram tours and bike rentals at Shark Valley, the Flamingo Marina, Boat Tours in Everglades City and Flamingo, and airboat tours along Tamiami Trail are all back up and running today. Visitors should contact the concessions directly to make reservations and/or check their websites. Everglades National Park has been closed since October due to the lapse in Congressional appropriations.

"We are very happy to be back at work serving the American people and welcoming visitors to Everglades National Park," said Superintendent Dan Kimball. "Weather in south Florida is great right now! I'd encourage all to get outdoors, come visit the Everglades and enjoy all that the park has to offer."

Everglades National Park staff is proud to be members of the south Florida community. Our visitors spend about $147 million a year in the communities around Everglades National Park. The economic impact of closing this park for 16 days has been extremely tough on our gateway communities, local businesses, neighbors, and park partners. We look forward to welcoming visitors to the park and doing everything we can to enhance tourism in south Florida to mitigate the adverse economic impact of the government shutdown.

The park is also excited about the free public transportation to Biscayne and Everglades National Parks from the City of Homestead will be providing on weekends this winter from January through April. The popular Homestead community trolley service will add the national parks to its weekend routes. Riders can enjoy guided tours and direct routes from downtown to the national parks. We look forward to the opportunity to provide our neighbors, friends and worldwide visitors with much needed public transportation to access the wonders of Biscayne and Everglades National Parks! The Homestead Trolley to the National Parks is a partnership between the City of Homestead and the parks.

For updates on the status of park facilities and operations please check our website at nps.gov/ever.

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Everglades National Park is Open - Everglades National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

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News Release Date: October 17, 2013 Contact: General Park Information, 305-242-7700 Contact: Media Inquiries: Linda Friar, 305-242-7714 Everglades National Park re-opens to visitors today. Visitors can access all visitor facilities at Everglades National Park including five Visitor Centers and bookstores (Homestead, Royal Palm, Flamingo, Shark Valley, and Everglades City), all park campgrounds, park roads, and recreational waters.

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The Alligators in the Everglades park is one of the main attractions that all the visitors want to see. There are about one million of them located in the everglades alone. The Alligators come in all shapes and sizes in the Everglades park.

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The park had to be closed down for 16 days due to whether, causing an economic impact. The park will be reopening and is excited to welcome back visitors!

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Article: Must see sights  Everglades National Park 

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Article: Must see sights  Everglades National Park 

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The Everglades covers over 2 million acres of south and central Florida. Even though the Everglades is very captivating, you can also access other nature sites around the area such as the Anhinga Trail and the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center to learn more interesting facts about other species outside of the Everglades.

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My Nature Book Adventures

1-29-2023

Must See Sights at Everglades National Park - U.S.A.

Create lifelong memories at this amazing destination.

Must See Sights at Everglades National Park - U.S.A.

Initially, the ecosystem of the Everglades has a huge variety of habitats that were connected by rivers and wetlands. However, since humans started intervening in the 1800s, it's started to alter. Structures have been built to control floods and diverts rivers, which limits the water flow across the complex landscape.

With coverage of about two million acres through south and central Florida lays the subtropical wilderness ecosystem known as Everglades. The overflowing of Lake Okeechobee happens in the rainy season, during which water is slowly released into a shallow and moving river.

It contains a lot of sawgrass marsh and is called the grass river. The river drifts southward, traveling through different habits, comprising of mangroves, wet prairies, and cypress swamps, until it hits the Everglades, and ultimately, the Florida Bay.

With the combination of urban development and agriculture, the magnitude of the Everglades has reduced vividly, which has started to affect the habitats.

With the National Park of Everglades covering such a huge area of 1.5 million acres, having a planned trip is essential. You can access the Everglades through the three entry points though they're not connected.

**Pro Tip:** Pick up an annual National Park Pass, called an America the Beautiful Pass. The annual pass costs just 80 dollars for the entire family traveling in one vehicle. It can be used at all the National parks and over 2,000 federal recreation sites throughout the United States for an entire year from the month the pass was originally purchased in.

Table Of Content

Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

Anhinga Trail

Big Cypress National Preserve

Shark Valley Observation Tower

Everglades National Park, Florida

Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center

The Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center stays open all year. It provides statistics brochures, informative displays, and orientation films. Displays also consist of exceptional collections by native artists. There are numerous walking trails available from the visitor center with only a short drive away.

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

Renowned as the nation's first underwater park, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park comprises a notable seventy maritime square miles. Countless tourists observe the park's intriguing coral reefs and swarming marine life and intriguing coral reefs on a crystal-clear bottom boat excursion, one can look even closely through snorkeling or scuba diving.

There are many popular activities allowed in specific areas such as kayaking and canoeing. Tourists can also relish the sights by walking or hiking on short tracks by having picnics and swimming at the beaches.

Anhinga Trail

Situated near the town of Homestead, Florida, Anhinga Trail is a 1.3-kilometer track that consists of gorgeous wildflowers and is used for watching birds, hiking, and walking since its open all year.

It's also the perfect spot to witness an abundance of birds, turtles and alligators, turtles, and numerous securely from a walkway / a concrete path. During the summer season, it gets quite hot and since there's hardly any shade available, it's best to bring hats, water, and sunscreen to protect yourself.

Big Cypress National Preserve

Consisting of mangroves, cypresses, panthers, and alligator tracks, the Big Cypress National Preserve is a scenic landscape that you can explore in a single day.

There is an abundance of activities you can do in the Big Cypress National Preserve that you would typically be able to allow in national parks.It's a popular destination for people seeking quite a time in nature. Big Cypress National Preserve consists of an ecosystem that thrives off wetland swamps. You can enjoy many activities such as discovering stunning environments and landscapes. It's a place tourists come to relax, enjoy and become one with nature.

Shark Valley Observation Tower

The high altitude of the Shark Valley Observation Tower offers gorgeous sights of the Everglades. You can't visit the Everglades National Park and not visit the Shark Valley Observation Tower for the spectacular views it provides due to its forty-five feet plus elevation. It's a popular spot for tourists as they get remarkable panoramic scenes to witness.

The main task is to take the tram road and climb the sixty-five feet tall Shark Valley Observation Tower. With the help of the ramp which spirals up to a raised area, from where you can look at approximately twenty miles. It's a fabulous spot for Instagram-worthy pictures.

Do you need any more reasons to be convinced that the Everglades should be the next place on your places to visit list? It's a magical place that one needs to witness with their own eyes.

Everglades National Park, Florida

Where to stay: Outside the park: Miami or Everglades City

Everglades National Park in Florida is one of the most unique ecosystems in the world. It features amazing wetlands home to abundant wildlife and is one of the few places in the world where you can see both crocodiles and alligators. With abundant walking trails hiking at this time of the year is much more comfortable.

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Must See Sights at Everglades National Park - U.S.A.

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Everglades National Park in Florida is one of the most unique ecosystems in the world. It features amazing wetlands home to abundant wildlife and is one of the few places in the world where you can see both crocodiles and alligators. With abundant walking trails hiking at this time of the year is much more comfortable.

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The everglades is home to many unique plants such as the one on the picture. this plant has hue roots that can be used by many animals to hide from predators or for prey to hide and sneak up on there prey.

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The Everglades is one of the largest nature preserve parks in the state of Florida. The trails lead all throughout the park and you can even take boat rides through the water to get a closer look at nature.

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A python is found Pregnant in the Everglades. This is another reason why they are actively being killed, because they are actively reproducing, therefore, we need to even out the balance of all these predators to a little amount of prey.