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Uncategorized / January 1, 1970

Biking the Everglades: Shark Valley and gators galore

 
Shark Valley isn’t nearly as ominous as it sounds. Serenely quiet yet bursting with wildlife, your soundtrack for a leisurely bike ride there is wind blowing in the sawgrass, birdcalls, and the occasional chirp of a baby gator. This area lies on the edge of Everglades National Park (about 45 minutes from downtown Miami). It’s an easy drive from the city, transitioning quickly from skyscrapers to suburban shopping centers to endless swamp plains divided by a single road with occasional shacks pawning airboat rides or gator nuggets. (Those are a thing, I swear! And they’re good, if a bit tough.) Its visitor’s center is the start point of a 15-mile paved loop trail through a vast sawgrass prairie. My visit in February was the perfect time to ride there. Sunny and 75 degrees (F), none of the mosquitoes that torment in summer (trust me, they would’ve found me), and an abundance of birds and gators that are easy to spot during this dry season. [caption id="attachment_2986" align="alignright" width="300"]Gator spotting on bike tour Mama and babies bask in the sun[/caption] I spotted more than 50 gators, and that’s not even counting the baker’s dozen of babies in a nest - guarded by a vigilant mama - three feet off the riding path. Mama bobbed patiently in a shallow pool while we photographed the surprisingly adorable little lizards crawling, swimming, and chirping at one another. Alligators are known to sometimes sun themselves rather inconveniently right across the bike path! Fear not, though – they’ll eventually move. Or just give them a very wide berth as you make your way around. Alligator in the bike path This big fella (probably close to 8 feet) wanted to lie in front of us starfish-style on the access path to the valley’s observation tower. A park visitor told him: “Hey gator - don’t you know you’re on a people path?” Oh contraire, sir – YOU are on a GATOR path, I do believe! Do you know the difference between a heron and an egret? (That’s an actual question I posed that day that was not a challenge nor the start to a bad joke.) I don’t, but wish I had, as we passed mile after mile teeming with birdlife. Stalking and snapping up fish in small pools and sunning in lagoons, the spectrum of sizes and colors and calls were on display. It must be a birdwatchers’ paradise! Everglades cycling tour

How to do it

Shark Valley (Everglades)
  • The paved path is a 15-mile loop that’s totally flat. It’s suitable for all kinds of bikes, walking, and inline skates. It’s a great route for families with no shortage of wildlife viewing and almost no vehicle traffic (a slow-moving tour tram comes through every hour or so, but there’s plenty of shoulder to move aside while it passes).
  • Bikes are available to rent by the hour at the Shark Valley Visitors Center.
  • Go in winter to avoid the heat, humidity, and bugs of summer. It’s also the dry season when the wildlife is most easily viewed.
  • Pack a picnic to enjoy at the foot of the observation tower halfway around the loop trail.
  • Bring water, sunscreen, and bug spray (even if you don’t think you’ll need the latter two, you might).
South Florida bike tours If you’re looking for a multi-day bicycle tour in south Florida, there’s no shortage of options. Here are a couple we recommend:

Florida Keys: Everglades to Key West bike tourGuided luxury tour, 6 nights, with departures in November and February.

Florida Keys self-contained bike tourSelf-contained tour through our partners at Adventure Cycling Association. 10 nights, with departures November through January.

Check out my post Two Approaches to the Florida Keys by Bike. It compares the very different styles of the two tours and operators above and may give you a better idea which would be right for you.
Read on
Hear more about this South Florida cycling trip in my post, From cyclist to bike tourist: How my boyfriend may yet make the leap!
Natalie head circle Natalie is the Vice President of BikeTours.com. E-mail her at natalie@blog.biketours.com.

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