Located in the only section of the United States mainland that is considered subtropical, the national park is home to panthers, crocodiles, manatees, alligators, great blue herons, egrets and a variety of migratory birds. Two great hikes to safely see such wildlife are the Bobcat Boardwalk and the Anhinga Trail.
For the Bobcat Boardwalk. Park at the visitor center on Shark Valley, walk north on West Road, taking the boardwalk left/west, then circle back on East Road to your parking lot for a 0.8-mile loop.
The 0.75-mile Anhinga Trail, part of which is a boardwalk, heads through a freshwater sawgrass marsh. It’s located at the Royal Palm Visitor Center.
Here’s a video of great blue heron at the national park:
Winter marks the best time to hike either trail, as the subtropical climate means summers will be unbearably hot and buggy.
Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.
