Everglades Regulations to Remember

regulationsThe Everglades is a 1.5 million-mile-acre wetland preserve, which means there’s a lot of land and water for you to explore. Being a fragile ecosystem and National Park filled with thousands of creatures and plant life, there are several regulations that must be followed when spending time here. The Everglades provides shelter to many species, and it also provides water to southern Florida, so it is important for visitors to respect this environment. If you’re planning a trip to the Everglades, we wanted to share with you some important regulations to keep in mind.

  • It is prohibited to collect or disturb animals, plants, artifacts, seashells or anything else that is naturally occurring in the Park.
  • Pets are not allowed on backcountry campsites, beaches or in the wilderness of the Everglades.
  • Feeding animals (of any kind) is not allowed.
  • All trash must be taken out of the Park with you or placed in Park’s trash cans.
  • You must bring your own fresh drinking water; it is not available everywhere in the Park.
  • Fires are only allowed at designated beach sites.
  • Firearms and fireworks are prohibited.
  • If you are aboard a vessel in the Everglades, you must abide by the U.S. Coast Guard’s regulations.
  • Personal watercraft, like jet skis, are not allowed in the Park’s waters.
  • If you need tide information, it is available at the Flamingo and Gulf Coast visitor centers, or online.
  • Be extra cautious if your boating by any manatee signs.
  • Generators and other portable motors are not allowed in backcountry campsites.
  • If you need to use a bathroom and are not near any facilities, it is asked that you dig a hole in the ground at least 6 inches deep; the hole should be covered when you’re done. If you’re near a coastal ground site or at a beach, you can urinate directly into the water.
  • Wash dishes and your body away from waterways.

These are just some of the Park’s regulations. To view more of the Park’s regulations, visit www.nps.gov.

Thinking about heading into the Everglades? There’s so many different ways to explore it, including an airboat tour. A ride on an airboat gives you an up-close-and-personal view of the Everglades; it’s a trip you’ll never forget. To book an airboat trip, contact Captain Mitch’s Airboat Tours at 800-368-0005 or click here.

Safety in the Everglades

safety The Everglades is a beautiful, vast place that happens to be a National Park for people to experience in many different ways, year round. The “River of Grass” is full of all sorts of plant life, animal life, and landscapes; it also experiences lots of different weather. Being a park in nature, there’s a lot of unpredictable things that can happen, like bad weather, flooding, area restrictions, etc. When visiting the Everglades, it’s best to familiarize yourself with some of the park’s safety precautions and rules, so you can get the most out of your visit. Whether you’re taking an airboat tour, walking a trail, or going on a picnic, you should keep safety in mind.

Below, we’ve shared some of the Everglades National Park’s safety precautions, tips, and rules no matter what time of year you visit the area.

  1. Be mindful of the weather. It can get very hot and humid in the Everglades during the summer months. Make sure you and your group are all aware of the temperatures the day you’re visiting and prepare appropriately. Wear sunscreen, bring water, and wear proper clothing.
  2. Children should be supervised. The trails are surrounded by wilderness, so there are animals roaming freely all in the grasses and vegetation. For their safety and yours, make sure they stick to the trail with you.
  3. Pets are not allowed on the trails.
  4. Feeding wildlife of any kind is not allowed and is illegal. Over time, animals will become aggressive if they’re being fed by humans in their wild habitat.
  5. Be aware of vultures. Vultures live in the area and are federally protected. They have been known to damage the windshields, sun roofs, and windshield wipers of cars and other vehicles. The Park suggests that visitors avoid parking near groups of vultures, park in full sun, put a car cover over the car, cover any exposed runner with a towel or wet sheet, use loud noises to spook the vultures off the car or vehicle, and notify a ranger if one is on your car and it won’t leave.
  6. Leave the wildlife alone. If you harm, touch, or get in the way of the animals or birds, you can get in big trouble; it is illegal to bother the animals in any way.
  7. Attend to fires at all times
  8. Do not tie anything or attach anything to trees.
  9. Do not leave garbage out – this can attract wildlife.
  10. It can get very buggy in the Everglades, and mosquitos can come in droves during the wet season. The Park suggests on apply insect repellant before walking on any of the trails; the park also sells repellant at all stores in the Park. Light-colored, longsleeve shirts and pants are the best clothing to keep mosquitos from biting you. Also, it’s best to stick to walking on paved areas if you want to stay away from bugs as much as possible.

Stay Safe in the Everglades

These are just a few tips and safety rules that visitors should keep in mind and follow while visiting the Everglades. The trip will be much more enjoyable if you prepare for the trip properly, and don’t bother the animals of environment in any way. Riding on an airboat is a safe way to explore the Everglades. Captain Mitch has many years of experience navigating through the wetland. To book a trip for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, call 800-368-0065 or click here.