Operating Hours
Main entrance open year-round. Chekika, Shark Valley gates lock 5 or 6 p.m.

Visitation
Highest Dec. - April, lowest May - Nov.

Permits
Permits required for backcountry camping. Reservations for designated campsites may be made in person up to 24 hrs. before entering the backcountry. Fees for backcountry camping are $10 for 1-6 people, $20 for 7-12 people, and $30 for 13 or more people.

Visitors Center and Programs
Visitor Center: Coe Visitor Center, at the main entrance (west of Homestead); Royal Palm Visitor Center; Flamingo Visitor Center; Shark Valley Visitor Center; and Gulf Coast Visitor Center (south of Everglades City).

Programs: Ranger-led walks & talks; boat tours at Flamingo and Gulf Coast (call Flamingo Lodge Boat Tours at 941-695-3101, or Everglades National Park Boat Tours at 941-695-2591 for reservations); tram tours at Shark Valley (call 305-221-8455 for reservations). To plan your own trip, call the Everglades Environmental Education Office at 305-242-7753.

Food Supplies and Concessions
Food/Supplies: All supplies must be carried in and out of the backcountry, including water. There is a restaurant and store at Flamingo. The restaurant may be closed during the summer. Food is always available at the marina store.

Concessions: There are no banks or ATMs in the park. Gasoline may be obtained at the Flamingo Marina, and in adjacent communities. There are bookstores at the Ernest F. Coe, Royal Palm and Shark Valley Visitor Centers. There are giift shops at the Flamingo Visitor Center during the winter months and in the Gulf Coast Visitor Center year-round.

Visitor Impact
Be careful of alligators: An adult alligator has powerful jaws, strong teeth, and a brain the size of a walnut. This reptile acts primarily on instinct, assessing other creatures as potential threat or prey. Avoid approaching an alligator closer than 15 feet; they can easily outrun you.

Watch out for poison wood: contact with poison wood can lead to a persistent rash that many consider worse than poison ivy.

Additional Information