Everglades National Park

Florida's Everglades make up the largest sub-tropical wilderness on the United States mainland, and were designated a national park in 1947. Both temperate and tropical plant communities are represented in the park's 610,684 hectares (1,509,000 acres), including cypress swamps, pinelands and sawgrass prairies. Florida Bay, the largest body of water within the park, covering 2072 sq km (800 sq miles), is home to fish, shellfish, coral and sponges. The park is particularly well known for its abundant birdlife. Other endangered species protected in the park are the Green turtle, the Key Largo Cotton mouse, the American crocodile and the Schaus swallowtail butterfly. The park's five visitor centres provide information on the flora and fauna in the Everglades, as well as details of various park trails. Hiking and canoeing trails start at Flamingo Visitor Center, Gulf Coast Visitor Center and Shark Valley Visitor Center. Shark Valley Center also hires out bicycles and visitors can take a narrated tram ride or a boat tour of the park.