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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Pets are not allowed on the trails.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Attend to fires at all times
- Do not tie anything or attach anything to trees.
- Do not leave garbage out – this can attract wildlife.
- 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.