Years ago after spending a great deal of my life being a Florida native, I visited Everglades National Park. I remember being in the southern most tip of the swampy mass at the Flamingo park headquarters. There I had a conversation with a ranger who had ultra white long hair tied into a braid. I asked him if he knew of any fantastic canoe trails. He told me of a lagoon where the wading birds conglomerate in the late afternoon and if I was lucky, I would happen upon a nurse shark that browsed the bay that was only a foot deep. I took the advice and sure enough as I paddled closer to the giant cluster of white feathered waders, two fins were poking out of the water in a swimming rhythm. It was the dorsal and tail fin of that very nurse shark! Such a mythical place. So harsh and beautiful at the same time.
Sincerely,
Everglades National Park
One of the largest wetlands in the world, this iconic "River of Grass" protects 1.5 million acres of subtropical wilderness in South Florida.
State(s): Florida
Established: 1947
“They are the very essence of our planet and without them we will never know the importance and magnitude of our corner of the globe. I wish there were more...”
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Greetings from Everglades National Park
I ran my first ever half marathon in Everglades National Park. It was an amazing experience to run through the poetically termed River of Grass while the sun rose. Seeing the wildlife and the vast expanses of unbroken natural beauty is something I will never forget.
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Greetings from Everglades National Park
After my husband and I turned 50 we made a pact to see as many Florida parks as we could and it all started with the Everglades National Park. It is truly incredible the inspiration you get from nature. It started to get me into photography which now I adore,…
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