DAY TWO STARTED OF WITH SHARK VALLEY....DID YOU KNOW?
What's Shark Valley? How did it get its name?
Shark Valley is a small section of the Everglades National Park with a 15 mile loop road. It is a fine aria to see the wide expansion of the sawgrass prairies, what we like to call the 'true' Everglades. It is dotted with smaller tree islands throughout the prairies along the long loop road. It is a fantastic place to see alligators, birds, possibly white-tailed deer, and much more! Halfway through the road loop, there is a tower approximately 65' high, giving a very nice view over the sawgrass prairie.
Shark Valley IS in a valley. The elevation to the east and west is slightly higher. When I say slightly, I mean a few inches. In the everglades, a few inches is a lot.
The everglades is a river. A very wide, very shallow, and very slow moving river. It used to be the width of the State of Florida, before it was drained to make room for people. All along the edges of this one large river are smaller "mini-rivers". These mini rivers are deeper than the rest of the everglades, and usually have a tide. Often they are brackish or even salt water. You find these rivers along the area where the everglades meets the sea. One of these rivers is named the Shark River. There are many sloughs in the everglades, each one eventually feeding into or becoming a river. Before the system was screwed up, the Shark River Slough was the primary flow path for the everglades.
That is where it got its name!!!!
Next, to Loop Road where the Educational Environment Center is. The Loop Road Environmental Education Center is located 12 miles west of Shark Valley on the Old Loop Road, inside Big Cypress National Preserve. This center's facilities consist of an Indian chickee (shelter) with picnic tables and food storage box, five platform tents, barbecue grills, restrooms, campfire circle, pond, nature trails, and a butterfly garden.
Study habitats within walking distance include: pinelands, sawgrass marsh, cypress slough, hardwood hammock, and freshwater pond.
Then, off to lunch at Miller's Oyster House where I ate a wonderful seafood sandwich. In conclusion, Nate saved the BEST for Last with our Gulf Coast boat tour. It was very inspirational. All real blast!! I never realized how much there is to do in the Everglades. It is a wonderful place for family fun and education. I was so exhausted by the end of the day, but woke up excited on day three to continue my journey...... STAY TUNED....
What's Shark Valley? How did it get its name?
Shark Valley is a small section of the Everglades National Park with a 15 mile loop road. It is a fine aria to see the wide expansion of the sawgrass prairies, what we like to call the 'true' Everglades. It is dotted with smaller tree islands throughout the prairies along the long loop road. It is a fantastic place to see alligators, birds, possibly white-tailed deer, and much more! Halfway through the road loop, there is a tower approximately 65' high, giving a very nice view over the sawgrass prairie.
Shark Valley IS in a valley. The elevation to the east and west is slightly higher. When I say slightly, I mean a few inches. In the everglades, a few inches is a lot.
The everglades is a river. A very wide, very shallow, and very slow moving river. It used to be the width of the State of Florida, before it was drained to make room for people. All along the edges of this one large river are smaller "mini-rivers". These mini rivers are deeper than the rest of the everglades, and usually have a tide. Often they are brackish or even salt water. You find these rivers along the area where the everglades meets the sea. One of these rivers is named the Shark River. There are many sloughs in the everglades, each one eventually feeding into or becoming a river. Before the system was screwed up, the Shark River Slough was the primary flow path for the everglades.
That is where it got its name!!!!
Next, to Loop Road where the Educational Environment Center is. The Loop Road Environmental Education Center is located 12 miles west of Shark Valley on the Old Loop Road, inside Big Cypress National Preserve. This center's facilities consist of an Indian chickee (shelter) with picnic tables and food storage box, five platform tents, barbecue grills, restrooms, campfire circle, pond, nature trails, and a butterfly garden.
Study habitats within walking distance include: pinelands, sawgrass marsh, cypress slough, hardwood hammock, and freshwater pond.
Then, off to lunch at Miller's Oyster House where I ate a wonderful seafood sandwich. In conclusion, Nate saved the BEST for Last with our Gulf Coast boat tour. It was very inspirational. All real blast!! I never realized how much there is to do in the Everglades. It is a wonderful place for family fun and education. I was so exhausted by the end of the day, but woke up excited on day three to continue my journey...... STAY TUNED....
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