Anhinga Trail

We typically like hikes that are 3 – 5 miles and off the beaten path a bit so my family was not that excited to see 40 cars in the parking lot and hearing the hike was less than ½ mile round trip but I would still recommend it based on what we saw in such a short time. We were within a few feet of several alligators, we found two snakes (one venomous), several turtles, Anhinga’s and several other beautiful birds so it was well worth the short trip and crowds. We ventured off to another trail right next to the Anhinga called the Gumbo trail (I believe) and it was less crowded and had really beautiful fauna and a few smaller trails. Worth a trip!

Given the reviews, I expected this to be some stellar alligator/​wildlife viewing, and I wasn’t disappointed. On the short ~0.5 mile loop, we easily saw 30 gators, at least half completely out of the water, and 6 – 8 close up for gorgeous pics/​viewing. Keep your eyes out on the edge of the reeds for them, and be sure to keep an eye out for the Anhinga birds as well, which are also quite something. Starts directly behind the Royal Palm Visitor Center — great experience!
You’ll pay $ 20 to get entrance to the Everglades at the front, but otherwise no fee associated with this stop. Check it out!

The drive to here from Broward was quite the commute but I have to say it was worth it.
My friends and I came on a day with lovely weather. It was sunny with a nice breeze, so there were no pesky mosquitos bothering us. Anhinga trail is a neatly paved wooden path that takes you into the Everglades so you can observe the wildlife in it’s natural habitat.
Even though it was swamp, the water so CLEAR that you can see turtles and fish swimming around. Alligators were also right along the sidewalk for us to see. The walk was short but it was quite the treat for a Sunday stroll.
Note that there is a $ 20 entrance fee per vehicle for entrance into the Everglades. Carpool so you can save money!

You will see billions of fish, turtles, interesting birds and alligators on this trail!
Very nicely made walk too. You must check it out.

Excellent destination! I have seen various trails on the Everglades, but this one is the best! I saw no less than 30 alligators, of all sizes, in the wild. I also saw a bird eating a whole fish twice the size of its neck. Really enjoyable experience. Totally recommended!

Wonderful trail with lots of animals. Today we saw a snake, three alligators, a few turtles and a bunch of pelicans and other birds.

The trail is very good. We saw some alligators and the nature around is beautiful.
Only negative thing is the unfriendly woman at the visitor center. She prefers to play on her mobile than selling magnets and mosquito spray.

Though I’ve been to Everglades National Park on several occasions, I’ve never explored Anhinga Trail. So, though it was at the start of the May mosquito season decided to explore it along with intrepid traveler and avid Unilocaler Jim D. and we were both amazed and delighted by what we saw.
Anhinga Trail, sometimes also known by the name of Royal Palm, being a hangover from the 1940’s when this area was a part of what was then Royal Palm State Park, it is a fresh water sawgrass marsh area of the Everglades. Hence you won’t see any crocodiles, but you will see plenty of alligators, turtles, snakes (none of which appeared to me to be of a poisonous variety), egrets, heron and of course an abundance of anhinga.
It’s an easy walking area covering only around a half mile, but seeing gators and birds, I would call it the best of Everglades National Park; a must see.
It also consists of the Royal Palm Vistor Center where ranger tours are available, usually with one a day on a year around basis starting at 10:30AM, a gift shop, snack machines and toilet facilities.

This was by far the best part of our trip to the Everglades. Do yourself a favor and make sure you stop here last. You’ll be saving the best for last.

Do not miss this if you’re at the Everglades. Nice boardwalk — great viewing of birds (anhingas especially), fish (lots of florida gars, it seems like a huge aquarium teeming with fish), and alligators (of course). We took the night-​time starwalk tour to view gators in action.
Nearby:
Nike Missile Area
Pineland
Mahogony Hammock
Dwarf Cypress Forest
Pa-​hay-​okee
… and Flamingo (if you’re willing to drive 30+ miles) — enjoyed the Burmese Python presentation made by a forest ranger there.

If you visit the Everglades DO NOT MISS this trail. Best wildlife viewing in the Everglades. Loads of alligators, birds and fish. Grab a tarp to keep the vultures off your car, grab your camera, walk the trail and be amazed. I have been here five times and am always enthralled.

Am späten Nachmittag, als die Sonne nicht mehr ganz so unerbittlich warm war, haben wir uns auf den Weg zum Anhinga Trail gemacht, der sich im Everglades National Park befindet. Ein wirklich besonderes Highlight unserer Florida-​Rundreise. Zum Anhinga Trail fährt man von der U.S. 1 über die State Road 9336 (Palm Drive. Der National Park ist gut ausgeschildert und nicht zu verfehlen.
Wir hatten das Glück, dass das Kassenhäuschen nicht mehr besetzt war und wir gratis in den Genuss des Parkbesuchs kamen. Im Nationalpark angekommen, haben wir noch einen Stopp beim Ernst Coe Visitor Center eingelegt, dort gab es reichlich Informationsmaterial über den Park und den Trail.
Ein paar Minuten weiter haben wir dann den Parkplatz erreicht. Dort konnte man am weiteren, allerdings geschlossenen Visitor-​Center, auf Schautafeln erste Infos sammeln. Auch über den dort häufig vorkommenden Vogel, dem Anhinga oder Schlangenhals-​Vogel.

Dann ging es weiter zum Trail und einige begeisterte Besucher erzählten uns von gesichteten Wasserschildkröten und Alligatoren. Unsere erste Entdeckung war ein Reiher, dem man beim Jagen unter Wasser zusehen konnte.

Nach ca. 100 Metern kann man dann links auf den aufwendig erstellten Holzweg. Hier kann man auf dem Holbohlenweg bequem die Natur entdecken und genießen. Immer wieder gibt es Bänke zum ausruhen und Informationstafeln. Auch die Geier dürfen nicht fehlen.
Auch Alligatoren gab es zu sehen, die in Streichelnähe zu bewundern waren. Die Kinder waren begeistert. Auch der Anhinga hing in den Sträuchern, um sein Gefieder von den vielen Tauchgängen zu trocknen.
Auf dem Rückweg konnten wir noch eine beeindruckende Grille, Baby-​Alligatoren und den Anhinga sichten. Mittlerweile plagten uns schon die ersten Mücken, so dass wir uns schnell wieder Richtung Auto bewegten.
Diesen Park kann ich nur wärmstens empfehlen, da man hier innerhalb kürzester Zeit die Natur der Everglades hautnah erleben kann.

There are a lot of creatures to see here even if you don’t see alligators, dragonflies, anhinga birds, needlefish, turtles with strange pointy snouts. crickets, fish nests in little round shapes under the water, and the best… these pig frogs that sound so funny. Here is a picture of the funny turtle:

This trail was the highlight of our morning in the Everglades. Neither of us had ever seen an alligator in the wild before, but we saw several here. It was a really fun. The boardwalk is quite nice. Mosquitoes weren’t a problem on the Anhinga Trail, but they were awful on the Gumbo Limbo Trail. I wish we’d have avoided it altogether. The Anhinga Trail is awesome though.

HERE there be dragons!
Alligators, actually. Lots and lots and LOTS of gators! It’s easy to see where the literary dragon myths originate from when observing these impressive prehistoric reptiles in their natural habitat. If you walk around the mile long paved path of Anhinga trail extending from the Royal Palm Visitor’s Center during the day you will see sleeping gators in the slough sometimes within just a few feet of the paved pathway and sometimes even walking across it. You are also likely to see an entire DEN of gators (see photo), most of them between 8 and 12 feet in length! Last visit I counted nearly 50 sleeping gators alone resting in the den!
Coming here at night is also magical and fun with the sounds of croaking frogs and the bellows of gators if you come during mating season. Shine a flashlight with a red filter (to protect their eyes) across the water and you will see dozens of glowing red gator eyes staring back at you! It is both creepy and cool! You will also see them silently and stealthily swimming in the waters as you walk over the wooden bridges. It’s kinda surreal and humbling to see gator infested waters at night. There are night tours with a guide or you can walk the park on your own. We were fortunate to come here during a full moon and the silvery moonlight provided ample visibility along the trail and if you happen to come during a new moon you will likely see the best celestial view of the stars you are likely to see anywhere in South Florida.
There are lots of other wildlife to see here including the Anhinga for which the trail is named, and pelicans, herons, vultures and various other species of birds and reptiles including lizards, turtles and (gasp) snakes. If you are lucky you might catch some nesting baby gators in the sloughs along the side of the road leading into the park if you come during the late winter/​early spring months. And if you are REALLY lucky, and I mean *REALLY* lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the endangered Florida Panther. There are only about a hundred or so of them left in the Everglades so you have about as much chance of seeing one as encountering Bigfoot. There’s also a turnoff road and sign for the Nike missile silos just a few miles away which is also kind of surreal.
Admission into the park is only $ 10 which is good for up to 7 days or an annual pass is only $ 25 per year and well worth it since it helps to fund the preservation of the Everglades.
Anhinga Trail is a beautiful and magical preserve inside of the Everglades National Park and is a definite must-​see whether you are a tourist or a resident to experience and appreciate the unique beauty of the Florida Everglades. It’s a walk in the park you will never forget.

This is a must see. There was more wildlife than I could have imagined, even after reading all the reviews. We had to have seen 30 alligators, probably half that number of vultures, many, many anhingas, several cranes of various varieties, fish galore, and in a stroke of apparent luck: a purple gallinule! What’s a purple gallinule, you ask? Well, according to the park ranger who was screaming «Oh My God!!» over and over after I pointed it out to him to ask what is was, it «ees a verrry rrare bird. we have nawt seeen heem in tu yeeerrs heeere.» His excitement was infectious, and he was a knowledgeable and friendly guy.
One of the things no review or picture can convey is the quiet of the place except for animals and wind blowing through the plants, and the sound of the of alligators bellowing for mates. Very chilling and very majestic.
If you’re in Miami and you have even a passing interest in nature, you must go here.

This is my favorite place to go in the Everglades. I prefer the State park that is trying to preserve the Everglades to the areas where they have the air boat rides and alligator farms.
The ranger actually didn’t give us great directions, and it’s pretty poorly marked. Take the left to Royal Palm or Anhinga Trail. You can see so much of the Everglades in the short walk around the boardwalk that was erected over the swamp.
I’ve been here several times, and at different times of the year you can see the entire Alligator mating cycle. I’m not sure what time of year it was, but one time there were 100’s of baby alligators. During early January, we «only» saw a couple large alligators.

Now this is the ‘real’ Everglades! If you like seeing the gators, birds and wildlife close up here’s the way to do it. The trail is short (less than a mile) and after biking the trail in Shark Valley it was an easy Sunday morning’s walk (before it got too hot.)
We liked the fact that there were no fences or enclosures to get in our way of a perfect picture. After a short explanation by the rangers we set off down the path and hadn’t gone 20 feet when we found our first gator. It was sunning itself roadside and we got close enough to take some good pictures. Then we heard what sounded like a low rumble from the other side of the slough which got louder and more frequent until a 10′ gator walked across the road right in front of us!
Definitely a great way to see and hear the local wildlife and if you’re ever near the Everglades National Park take the time to stop, you’ll be glad you did!

It is a must-​see in Everglades National Park, it is very close to the Royal Palm visitor center. It is very easy to see the alligator and Anhinga there. I also saw a huge turtle trying to cross the trail, and a colorful bird, which has a «rainbow» on its body.
If you watch carefully, you may notice the Anhinga is in the water trying to catch small fish. When Anhinga steps out of the water, it will spread its wings. Yes, it is drying its wings, very interesting.
Also in the water, you could see many kinds of fish, I was very happy to see the Florida gar, it is a pretty.
The trail is all paved, friendly to kids and seniors. Along the trail, there are some benches, it will be nice to sit down, have a break, and enjoy the peaceful and beautiful view.

It was a very easy trail as everything is paved or on a bridge. We went on a guided tour, but there was too many people to hear anything…
In any case, we saw tons of birds, fish and alligators! The scenery was beautiful. What more can you ask for from nature?

4 miles beyond the Ernest Coe Entrance and Visitor Center (Ive seen a Florida Panther at this entrance!!) and Homestead Entrance to the Florida Everglades lies The Royal Palm Visitor Center. The Visitor Center has the usual restroom and snack vending machine facilities, as well as educational exhibits and a small gift shop. There are actually two trails originating from the visitor center, one through a hardwood hammock, and then Anhinga Trail.
Anhinga Trail is named for one of the species of bird that nests nearby. It is a 1 mile loop winding it’s way through sawgrass marsh and ponds of the Taylor Slough. (The word «slough» (pronounced «slew») is used to describe Everglades areas where there is slightly deeper water than in the surrounding marshes and where a slow current is present.) Anhinga Trail begins as an asphalt pathway, overlooking a tree (Pond Apple and others) and sawgrass lined pond. In this pond, you’ll see alligators, egrets, herons, hawks, snakes, lizards, anoles, ibis, turtles, cormorants, anhingas, gallinules, pig frogs and many other animals. (See my photos!) Some of my favorite Everglades Plants, the Spider Lily and even the Ghost Orchid can also grow here. The barrier here is a Coral Rock wall, allowing visitors up close and personal views of wildlife and beautiful Everglades vistas with endless skies and grasses. Once you begin your walk, you’ll see the ‘barrier’ between you and the wilderness is quite low, and doesn’t hinder your viewing at all. Look at the Coral Rock borders of the canal, you’ll see little holes, some with snakes sticking out of them! Don’t worry, most of these are harmless Brown Water Snakes, although there are also Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes and Water Moccasins, so don’t go pokin’ those fingers! Alligators will lay right next to the trail, and even cross in front of you! Remember to keep your distance, state laws prohibit approaching, feeding, or harassing wildlife. Plus. DUH, it’s an ALLIGATOR. It’s got TEETH. LOTS of TEETH. Stay Back. Bring a Camera with a ZOOM Lens. Got it? Good. Let’s move on.
The trail will lead you from higher ground out and over another pond of Taylor Slough. Here you will find a large amount of Alligators, Egrets, Anhinga, and Cormorants. In the water, you’ll see Gar and Turtles, among other swimmy-​types. The elevated boardwalk leads you out to a lookout point that is almost a guarantee for Alligator Sightings, and out over the Slough, through Pond Apple Trees and bird nest rookeries, then back to the Visitor’s Center.
At Anhinga, you’ll hear Pig Frogs croaking, the screech of osprey and owls, Alligators Bellowing (during mating season) and you may even see an Alligator Nest and hear the guttural call of the baby alligators too.
Nearly every trip to Anhinga Trail, you’ll see photographers. «Real» Photographers, too, not just hobbyists like me. We’re taking Audoban Society, National Geographic and more. With impressive camera and lens setups, too. That itself makes a strong case for the wildlife and natural beauty of this location.
One of my favorite INSIDER’S activities: NIGHT WALKS of Anhinga Trail. These can be Ranger-​Led or on your own. Bring Bug Repellent and Flashlights (Cover your flashlights with Red Cellophane to cause the least disturbance to your eyes.) Aside from seeing hundreds of Alligators, identifiable by their glowing eyes in the water, you’ll have one of the best celestial views of the stars you’ve ever seen. I’d recommend taking a Ranger-​Led walk before embarking on your own, since it can be a dangerous place in the dark if you don’t know the basics. On the drive out, you’ll have the best chance (which is still about a zillion-​to-​one) of seeing a Florida Panther. So Drive Slowly!
Anhinga Trail is a great way to experience the «Real» Everglades (Without getting your feet wet and stuck in the muck and marl, that is.) It’s up-​close and personal, and you can experience a few of the unique ecosystems of the Florida Everglades, which can be found nowhere else in the world.
(This is a Good Reference Website:
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