Everglades National Park | FLAMINGO AREA

Paddling in Florida Bay in the Flamingo unit of Everglades National Park

Paddling in Florida Bay in the Flamingo unit of Everglades National Park

Flamingo Visitor Center

Flamingo Campground

Flamingo Marina

Backcountry Camping

Canoe Trails

Guided Tours

Hiking Trails

Wildlife Viewing


The Flamingo Area is the southernmost section of Everglades National Park. It is similar to the Gulf Coast Area in that its biggest draw is water-based activities such as boating, canoeing and kayaking, and fishing. It also has the most hiking trails of any section in the park, though few are worth braving the year-round mosquito population. It is this proliferation of mosquitoes and biting flies that leaves me wondering why people would choose to visit Flamingo over the other areas of the park. I was there in late February, and just thirty miles up the road at Royal Palm I rarely saw a mosquito, nor did I see any at the other sections of the Everglades. I can only assume Flamingo’s proximity to Miami is why the area is popular, and I suppose that if you stick to the Visitor Center complex, the boat tours, and an air conditioned car as most tourists do, the mosquitoes aren’t that big of a deal. Flamingo has the best backcountry canoe trails in the park, so that and fishing are the only reasons I’d recommend coming to the area. I can’t even imagine visiting in the summer.

As with the Royal Palm Area, vultures are a problem because they love to tear the rubber off of cars. This includes windshield wipers, rubber molding around the windshield, soft tops, and any exposed rubber gaskets. To combat this, bring a large tarp and plenty of bungee cords to strap it to the car. A small supply of tarps is available at the Royal Palm Visitor Center but not at Flamingo. It’s not a guarantee that your car will be victimized, as mine never was and I didn’t have a tarp, but I have witnessed it happen (see photo below) and have talked to a few others who had their vehicles damaged. (I tried scaring off the vultures in the photo below, but as soon as I’d turn around to leave they’d come back.)

Vultures in Everglades National Park feasting on an SUV

Vultures in Everglades National Park feasting on an SUV


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Last updated on September 10, 2024
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