Everglades National Park is tucked away in the wetlands of south Florida and covers an amazing 1.5 million acres. It’s home to some of the most unique wildlife in the United States, including the American Crocodile, alligators, and the rare Florida panther.
But aside from its wildlife-spotting opportunities, there’s a lot of Everglades National Park hiking to enjoy! From long trails to short and easy walks, there’s something here for the whole family.
Just for context, Everglades National Park has 3 entrances in 3 cities. These are in Miami Dade County, Monroe County, and Collier County. So, make sure you’re coming in from the right place before pulling on your hiking boots!
This list of Everglades National Park hiking spots is geared at families traveling with kids. So, I’ll be focusing on gorgeous hikes that I’d feel comfortable trying with my own kids. There are some beautiful long walks here, but the brutal Florida weather makes them too tricky unless you’re with active teens.
Table of Contents
Interactive Trail Map: Best Everglade Family Hikes
Below you’ll find an interactive map that highlights each of the trail recommendations made in this article. You’ll be able to see the relative distance to hikes, as well as other park highlights like visitor centers, etc.
How to Use This Map:
Click on any of the trail recommendations marked with the bed icon in this color. A popup will open discussing the hike in greater detail.
Clicking the star next to the name of the map will save the map to your google account. To access it later on a computer or your smartphone, open google maps and select “Your Places”.
11 Best Places to Go For Everglades National Park Hiking with Kids
1. Bobcat Boardwalk Trail
Distance: 0.5 miles (one way)
Elevation Gain: 0
Difficulty: Easy
Location: Right behind the Shark Valley Visitor Center.
The Bobcat Boardwalk Trail is super kid-friendly as it runs for just half a mile along a short boardwalk. This means it’s stroller-friendly with no trip hazards for little ones who are just finding their feet.
It’s a self-guided walk that passes through the sawgrass slough and tropical hardwood forests. It’s also a one-way trail, so you won’t need to turn back on yourself at any point.
I love that you get great views of the gators and pig frogs from here. Plus, the start of the trail is right by the Shark Valley Visitor Center if you need to do any last-minute diaper changes.
2. Anhinga Trail
Distance: 0.8 miles (round trip)
Elevation Gain: 0
Difficulty: Easy
Location: Starts from the Royal Palm Visitor Center.
If you’re on the lookout for guided Everglades National Park hiking, it’s tough to beat the Anhinga Trail. This trail meanders through the sawgrass marsh and is amazing for wildlife-spotting…and side note, it was our family’s favorite trail in the park, by far.
This hiking trail is best-known for its variety of birds like anhingas (hence the name!), egrets, and herons. But you’ll also spot alligators and turtles as you stroll along.
Because this is a short trail, it’s perfect for kids with relatively short attention spans (AKA: toddlers!). This is one of the most popular trails as it’s so easy to see wildlife in its natural habitat here.
That means it’s one of the spots for Everglades National Park hiking that gets busy. So, try to arrive early if you can. Luckily, there is plenty of parking at Royal Palm Visitor Center.
Top tip!
This is an easy hike that offers a guided ranger talk and a guided walk during the day. These are currently running at 10:30 am (for the guided walk) and 1:30 pm (for the sit-down talk with park rangers). They’re both super interactive and great for little ones who might be new to Mother Nature!
3. Mahogany Hammock Trail – largest living mahogany tree
Distance: 0.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 0
Difficulty: Easy
Location: Around 20 miles from the main park entrance (Ernest Coe Visitor Center)
The Mahogany Hammock Trail is another great Everglades National Park hiking option for families. It passes through lush island forest and boasts hardwood hammocks and gumbo-limbo trees that grow out of the marshes (it’s truly a sight to behold!).
The paved trail is stroller-friendly, but it’s quite far from the park’s entrance. However, it’s definitely worth checking out as it’s home to the largest living mahogany tree!
There’s also a lookout point that offers panoramas over the Everglades if you want an impressive family shot. Plus, it takes just 10 minutes to hike from start to finish. Just remember to read the informational signs dotted along the path – they share some amazing facts about the vegetation that you might miss otherwise.
There’s not tons of wildlife on this trail, but you’re bound to spot birds and lizards around. This easy trail isn’t usually quite as busy as other options around the Everglades as it’s slightly out of the way.
4. Pinelands Trail
Distance: 0.4 mile (loop)
Elevation Gain: 0
Difficulty: Easy
Location: Right by a roadside pullout by the Main Park Road (you’ll spot it by the turning for Long Pine Key Campground)
The Pinelands Trail is short and sweet, but it packs a serious punch. It’s characterized by a load of limestone bedrock and is perched on a high point in Long Pine Key. Don’t worry – the trail is short with virtually no elevation (and is 100% stroller-friendly!).
As you walk along the trail, you can point out Liguus Tree Snails to your kids. They have distinctive shells that are usually ivory or tan, and they’re usually clinging to Jamaican dogwood or gumbo limbo trees.
This is one of the best short hikes in the area if you want to see unique wildlife, tropical forest, and the karst rockland landscape that sets this area apart.
5. Guy Bradley Trail
Distance: 1.5 miles (out-and-back)
Elevation Gain: 0
Difficulty: Easy
Location: By the Flamingo Campground and the Flamingo Visitor Center
If you’re around the Flamingo area, the Guy Bradley Trail is a great family-friendly option for Everglades National Park hiking.
It’s named after Audubon warden Guy Bradley who was killed in 1905 trying to protect a vulnerable bird rookery around Florida Bay. You’ll spot a few informational signs along the way explaining this, and they’re well worth reading.
It’s one thing that you get glorious views of the Florida Bay from here. But it’s a fabulous way to get between the Flamingo Group Campground and the Flamingo Visitor Center. Oh, and you’ll also see a variety of birds and butterflies as you stroll along!
It’s generally considered easy, but the 1.5-mile trail might be slightly too long for toddlers. Luckily, it’s well-paved and stroller-friendly.
6. West Lake Mangrove Trail
Distance: 0.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 0
Difficulty: Easy
Location: Just off Main Park Road (it’s around 7 miles north of the Flamingo Visitor Center).
If you’re interested in seeing white, red, black mangrove trees, you need to check out the West Lake Trail. It’s a boardwalk-style trail that passes through a mangrove forest full of bromeliads before hitting the shores of a huge lake.
It’s shaded throughout, which is amazing when you’re baking under the midday Florida sun. I also appreciate that there are several benches along the boardwalk that let kids rest their legs (with great views of the lake!).
7. Eco Pond Trail
Distance: 0.5 miles (loop)
Elevation Gain: 0
Difficulty: Easy
Location: Right at the tip of the Main Road in Flamingo.
Most of the Everglades National Park hiking spots are relatively relaxing, but Eco Pond Trail takes the cake. It’s a short grass path that trails along the edge of the freshwater pond. The views are gorgeous, and you’re very like to see gators, soft shell turtles, ospreys, roseate spoonbills, and herons around here.
It’s perfect for kiddos, as the entire walk takes under 10 minutes and is easy to cover without stopping. Just try and reserve around 30 minutes of your day to do this trail – I’ve found myself spending ages watching the wading birds here (so, don’t rush it!).
The only downside to this one is that strollers can sometimes struggle with the unpaved walkway. It’s not a deal-breaker, but you’ll need to push your stroller with relative force and check the wheels afterwards for any mucky grass. If you’re unsure, it’s an easy walk that most little ones can do without a stroller.
8. Pahayokee Overlook Trail
Distance: 0.16 miles
Elevation Gain: 0
Difficulty: Easy
Location: Around 12 miles from the park entrance (there’s parking right by the trailhead)
Coming in at just 0.16 miles, the Pahayokee Overlook Trail offers a raised observation platform. So, it’s wonderful if you want to take in panoramas over the sawgrass prairies and wetlands from every angle.
Aside from the lush vegetation, you’ll also see alligators, snakes, and wading birds from your awesome overhead vantage point.
The short length means you can cover this trail in about 3 minutes, and it’s a great tail to shove in just before heading home. Just be aware that it’s a fair distance from the park entrance if you’d rather do it at the start of the day. It’s also mostly in the sun and doesn’t offer much shelter – so, it’s best to get in and get out!
9. Otter Cave Hammock
Distance: 0.25 miles
Elevation Gain: 0
Difficulty: Easy
Location: Near the Shark Valley Visitor Center just off Tram Road
Otter Cave Hammock is one of my favorite picks for Everglades National Park hiking trips. It’s a limestone trail that passes through tropical hardwood forest, and you get an excellent view of the solution holes on the Everglades floor.
I love that it gets you into the best of the Everglades quickly, but has 0 elevation gain and a very short total distance. So, it’s generally suitable for all ages. Just be wary of the trail after it rains if you have a stroller – the mud can be tricky to navigate around here.
Top tip!
It’s a bummer, but this trail can sometimes get flooded during the summer. So, it’s wise to check in at the Shark Valley Visitor Center for current conditions before wading in (literally!).
10. Gumbo Limbo Trail
Distance: 0.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 0
Difficulty: Easy
Location: It’s around 4 miles from the Main Park Entrance and starts from the Royal Palm Visitor Center.
If you’ve been searching for self-guided Everglades National Park hiking spots, the Gumbo Limbo Trail is tough to beat. It’s just 0.4 miles long and is littered with hammocks of gumbo limbo trees, air plants, ferns, and royal palms.
Oh, and keep your eyes peeled for the Tourist Tree with its red, peeling bark (yep, it’s named after a “burnt-looking” tourist’s skin!).
It’s a paved trail and is great for strollers, and kids tend to find the hardwood hammocks fascinating. I also have never found it particularly crowded, and it’s a nice change from the bustling Anhinga Trail if your kids are feeling overstimulated. The trees themselves also provide plenty of shade (which I appreciate!).
11. Tree Snail Hammock: A BONUS PICK!
Distance: 0.3 miles
Elevation Gain: 0
Difficulty: Easy
Location: It’s right by the Loop Road Education Center.
This is a hike that’s technically in Big Cypress National Preserve, but it borders the freshwater marl prairies of the Everglades. It’s an incredible quarter-mile interpretive trail that boasts informational boards and a whole host of liguus tree snails.
I’ve included it on this Everglades National Park hiking rundown as it’s one of the best places to see tree snails in the area. You’ll also spot whisk ferns and sword ferns if you look carefully.
It’s a super educational spot for little ones, and you get unparalleled views of the subtropical hammocks from virtually every angle. I know I’m cheating slightly by including this one, but it’s worth the short drive from the Everglades!
Top Tips For Everglades National Park Hiking with Kids
Don’t forget to pick up a Junior Ranger Pack
If you’re looking to do some Everglades National Park hiking with kids, grab them a Junior Ranger Pack before you start. They’re available in English, Spanish, and Creole.
A Junior Ranger Booklet is completely free and is designed to connect young visitors to the park with activities, scavenger hunt bingo games, and everything in between!
You can pick them up at any of the Visitor Centers, but you can also download them online before going. You just need to email the park beforehand and they’ll send a copy to your email address.
Don’t fail to prepare for the environment
Florida’s hot and humid weather can be particularly brutal during the summer months. We were in Everglades in the spring, and the weather was great…not too hot, and the bugs weren’t bad at all. But that’s not the case at all times of year.
Besides the heat, you’ll also need to think about biting bugs along with the sun’s rays! I recommend dressing the family in long sleeves and applying bug spray liberally (don’t take this lightly!). You’ll also want to stay hydrated, as even the shorter hikes can tucker you out when its really hot.
Visit during the dry season
If you want to see wildlife while you’re hiking at Everglades National Park, the dry season (December to April) is a winner. The water levels tend to drop during this period and wildlife will start to gather near the remaining water holes out in the open.
Rent a car (or drive your own!)
Many of the Everglades National Park hiking trails are quite far away from each other. If you have a car, you can easily cover the park in a couple of days. But if you don’t, you won’t even be able to get to popular spots like the Anhinga Trail or the Gulf Coast Visitor Center.
I also find the car useful for stocking snacks, air-conditioning breaks, and reducing overall walking time with the kids.
Check the park website before heading out
Although most trails will be open, unexpected flooding can put a dent in your Everglades National Park hiking plan. To avoid disappointment, call ahead or check in at the Visitor Center before making your itinerary for the day.
More Everglades National Park Info (+ Family Hikes in Other US National Parks)
Looking for more information about Everglades NP, or family hiking recommendations in more amazing US national parks? Be sure to check out these articles, too:
- U.S. Wildlife Guide: Everglades National Park Animals
- 15 BEST Bryce Canyon National Park Hikes for Families
- 16 BEST Grand Teton National Park Hikes for Families
- 14 BEST Hikes in Capitol Reef National Park for Kids
- 15 Best Canyonlands National Park Hikes for Families
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park: 8 TOP Easy Hikes
- Mt. Rainier National Park: 12 BEST Family Hikes
- 11 Best Hikes in Crater Lake National Park Oregon
- Best Hikes in Zion National Park, Utah (For Families)
- 8 Best Easy Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park
- Voyageurs National Park Hiking: 10 Best Family Trails
- 14 Best Arches National Park Hiking Trails for Families
Pin this Everglades family hikes information for later! And if you found this article helpful, leave a comment on the pin. That helps others decide whether to use this information, too!
We also want to visit as many national parks as possible with our kids. Thank you, this was great!
So great to hear! Parks help create the best family memories!
Absolutely stunning hiking area.
Thank you for popping over and for participating and sharing at SSPS 330. See you again next week at #331
Heather, I love virtually traveling with you guys. I learn so much! I’ve never been to Florida, so I really enjoyed touring Everglades national Park with you.
Thank you so much for sharing with Sweet Tea & Friend’s this month dear friend.