I'm often asked will I see (fill in the whatever animal or plant you like) if we ride out in the Everglades? This question mostly stems from curious new riders wanting to know if they'll be confronted with a fearsome predator or photograph one of their favorite species, like the PipSquack Bird(totally fictional!) You will definitely see birds and plants & trees of all sorts, it's just a matter of where you ride to give you the best chance of seeing as many of them as possible. There are several easy to get to trails that will provide you the best opportunities to catch an incredible nature watching experience.
this is from L33 on the eastern edge of the park. Great place to camp out and enjoy some fishing, boating, biking & hiking/running
1) Everglades Holiday Park - There are 4 levees that you can get from here - L33, L67A, L37 and L? latter two require a quick detour thru US27 to get on.
I suggest heading west and doing the L67A that with proper guidance will be about a 12 mile loop. It's pretty rough in certain sections, like the further from civilization the rougher it gets, but you're certain to see some wildlife. You will see Great Blue Herons, White Herons, Ospreys, Ibis and will probably see Alligators, Snakes(Water Mocassins-poisonous, Black Racers, Red & Yellow Rat snakes), Turtles, Snail Kites(Hawks) and White Tail Deer. If you're lucky, you'll see Otters, Grey Foxes, Flamingos, Armadillos and the extremely elusive, Florida Panther. Everyone of these animals, I've personally spotted on this trail. I haven't had much luck taking pictures of these animals mainly due to not having the camera ready to go as quickly as needed. However, anyone with a good zoom lens will have plenty of opportunities to capture a "pic of the year" candidate, especially if done at the right time of day.
Make sure to keep the canal on the South/West side on the shortest stretch or you may add another 15 miles of adventure to your ride. This loop is for Beginners or those who want to check it out first before going big on the miles
2) Markham Park - one of my favorite parks in South Florida because it has something for everyone. It's already known as one the TOP Mountain Biking destinations in all of South Florida for it's ridiculous single-track trails. Did you know it also has one of the best levee trails in South Fla??! Just look at it on the satellite map and it's right there, just begging to be enjoyed. It's a 28+ mile loop of mostly smooth white road trail that will get you to some really remote areas where you'll certainly encounter some critters.
Markham Park Levee that incorporates some of the Florida Greenway into it!
Starting at Markham(bottom corner on the map above) you can head west to US 27(in red) which is the only stretch that is road - so stay on the strip just right of the actual highway. It goes for 2 miles to Sawgrass Recreation Park.
Sawgrass Recreation Park - Once you get to this sign, turn in and head straight to the Yellow Trail Gate and the levee beyond!
Now starts the real ride with one of the longer tracts of this "In-The-Middle-Of-No-Where" trail. This daunting 10.6 mile stretch though, will give you one of your best chances of catching some really cool wildlife. This is due to the occasional gauging stations(3 of them) where culverts are located to help the natural sheet flow of water. They make for an ideal place to stop and rest and enjoy your surroundings. These areas have more plants & trees and along with them, animals. Especially on the southern side where there's thicker vegetation, unlike the prairie marshes to the north. I've spotted plenty of alligators on this levee, along with armadillos, deer, fresh water otters and countless others. **The biggest CON, and maybe the only one for this trail, is that in order to get to the best spot to see wildlife, it will require about 15 miles of biking if you're coming from the Atlantic Blvd entrance(top right corner of map). Or 28 miles from Markham Park(preferred start point) when you include the distance to the parking lot. All totally doable, but can be tough for a beginner, so I suggest doing it early to lessen the effects of the Sun & wind.
3) Shark Valley - It's on the northern edge of the enormous Everglades National Park that it belongs to. You access it from Tamiami Trail aka SR 41 aka SW 8th St - yes! The same 8th St we know as Calle Ocho, 35 or so miles west though. Here in the geographical center of the Florida Peninsula, this 15 mile loop will give you the BEST chance of seeing an alligator....like up close!...seriously!..and of course ALL SORTS of other wildlife.
Satellite view of Shark Valley. That Map pointer in the middle of all that nothingness is where the tower is located. As you zoom in you'll see there's an actual paved road trail there...I promise.
This trail is famous among bike riders and nature enthusiasts everywhere because of how much wildlife, especially gators you see hanging out on the embankments of your road. That's right - ROAD. It's completely paved and you have an option of riding your bike or taking a tourist tram(not for the hardcore). The trail itself leads to an Observatory Tower at it's southern point that gives you one of the most EPIC views of the Everglades anywhere!! The last time I did this trail was a night ride with 25 or so other riders in December '13. It was dark, except for whatever lights we brought with us so I didn't, or should say couldn't, see much. However, at the Observatory Tower, which climbs about 30 feet up, you would shine your flashlights down on the surrounding area and see at least 10 alligators(big ones!) frolicking about. This trail literally cuts right through the prairie marshes of the southern Everglades and puts you in the middle of no where, and that means all of the local critters aren't far behind. **The only negative is how far it is from civilization - about 12 miles west of the Miccosukee Gaming(Krome Ave aka SR 997) which is already on the outermost fringes of Metro-Dade. Make a day of it by spending a few hours exploring. While you're in the area, you may want to get an Airboat ride too, but make sure you get coupons or discounts to save you a bundle. There are many nearby you can look up like Billy Safari.
These are by no means the only places to ride and see & experience wildlife in the Everglades, but this short list will give you the best chances; safest parking and easiest to get to trails to accomplish this.
I hope this helps you decide what you'd like to do next while down in sunny South Florida. Feel free to ask any questions and I'll do my best to answer them for you. Or if you have other comments or topics you'd like for me to cover, please let me know
To Epic Rides & Experiences!!