The river of grass: America's largest subtropical wilderness

Countries & Cities · Published 21 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Just an hour from the urban sprawl of Miami lies a landscape that feels like another planet. Everglades National Park is a vast, flooded grassland where a slow-moving river creates one of the most complex and fragile ecosystems on Earth.

Established in 1947, Everglades National Park covers 1.5 million acres (6,070 square kilometers), making it the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States. It is often described as a "river of grass," a unique geographic feature where a river flows at a remarkably slow pace of only 0.25 miles per day. This water originates from Lake Okeechobee, travels southwest through the wetlands, and eventually empties into Florida Bay.

The park serves as a critical sanctuary for biodiversity. It is the most significant breeding ground in North America for tropical wading birds and houses the Western Hemisphere's largest mangrove ecosystem. This area supports 40 mammal types, 50 reptile types, 300 varieties of fish in salt and fresh water, plus 350 bird species. The Florida panther, American crocodile, and West Indian manatee are three of the 36 species currently protected or threatened.

Beyond its role as a wildlife haven, the park is a vital hydrological engine. It recharges the Biscayne Aquifer, which stores the majority of South Florida's fresh water. Because it was the first national park created specifically to protect a fragile ecosystem, its preservation is essential for both regional water security and the survival of endangered species. Visitors often flock there during the dry season, from November through April, to witness the abundant wildlife and milder temperatures.

The park's diverse habitats—ranging from cypress swamps and sawgrass marshes to mangrove forests—create a mosaic of life. While it attracts about 1 million visitors annually, the sheer scale of the wilderness ensures that the "wild soul" of the Everglades remains a complex, interconnected network of water and forest.

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