We’ve been in the Everglades for a few days. I don’t know what I was expecting exactly, but I was really impressed with its beauty. There were incredible concentrations of wildlife, and the diversity of flora was surprising–so incredibly breathtaking. I’m really glad we came in winter, because we haven’t really been bothered much by biting insects, which was an initial concern. Besides the campgrounds being pretty full, we never felt crowded; just a few other tourists passing here or there through the walking paths and parks.

Tall cypress trees rise from a grassy swamp floor beneath a thatched palm roof in the Everglades.

A small bird perches on a slender bare branch among sparse green leaves in the Everglades.

Floating aquatic plants with small white flowers drift on calm water in the Everglades.

A wooden boardwalk winds through tall cypress trees in the Big Cypress National Preserve.

A wading bird perches among the leafy branches of a tree near the Big Cypress Oasis Visitor Center.

A large alligator lies on the ground among twigs near the Big Cypress Oasis Visitor Center.

A roseate spoonbill wades in shallow clear water among lily pads in the Everglades.

An alligator rests on rocks at the water's edge in the Everglades with its tail raised.

A narrow roadside canal with egrets and an alligator reflects the overcast sky in Big Cypress National Preserve.
This photo is to show the proximity of people and nature. This whole highway is lined with alligators and birds, and people often stop their cars on the shoulder to fish, or gawk at the animals. The next series of photos were all taken right along this stretch, which was adjacent to the Big Cypress Oasis Visitor Center.

A heron soars through the open sky above the cypress trees of the Everglades.

A white wood stork with a long curved orange bill stands in profile beside calm water in the Everglades.

A great egret soars with wings spread above dense green vegetation in the Everglades.

Two herons perched in the sparse branches of a tall tree at Big Cypress National Preserve.

A group of roseate spoonbills and a blue heron wade in shallow water beside a resting alligator.

A great blue heron wades in shallow water among roseate spoonbills in the Everglades.

A white egret perches on a moss-draped cypress branch in the Everglades.

Two birds soar above the tops of cypress trees under a bright blue Big Cypress sky.

A roseate spoonbill and a white ibis forage along the grassy marsh edge in the Everglades.

A person kneels on the sand holding a turtle beneath a thatched shelter at the Everglades National Preserve.

The Miccosukee Indian Villiage was a really neat stop for us too. We were treated to a live alligator demonstration and had a short guided tour to a few stations in the village, including tasting homemade fry bread from the cooking “chickee”. Although it was small, it was clean, and I think well exhibited.

A guide holds an alligator for two children to touch on a deck at Big Cypress National Preserve.

A small heron perches on a bare branch among saw palmetto and a palm in the Everglades.

A full moon rises over the flat cypress trees and grasslands of Big Cypress National Preserve.

A pickup truck and travel trailer parked at a campsite beneath a tall palm tree in the Everglades.
Crushie and the Wildcat

A palm tree stands against a blue sky streaked with wispy clouds over Big Cypress National Preserve.
Yes, these are real. I did not photoshop them!

A full moon hangs over palm trees and a calm waterway in the Everglades at dusk.

A glowing orange moon hangs low in the night sky above a dark forested horizon in the Everglades.