Welcome
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Hello! Welcome to Shark Valley, the northern most section of the Everglades National Park. This is not an "official site" but I do believe that you should find this site to be a great resource for many things you might be seeking. I have designed these pages to be as user friendly as possible. Friends call me Dee Dee, and I'll be your tour guide, along this virtual journey. I worked in Shark Valley for over nine & ½ wonderful years. Seven & ½ years as a tour guide for the tram tours themselves, and then, three years I worked inside the visitor center. I have since moved to North Georgia in 2004, but I will continue to keep this web site up and maintain close contact with my dear friends in Shark Valley. These pages are dedicated to helping people learn about the everglades by way of photography and Information. (coming) Though much of the info is based on the Shark Valley aria, these pages will cover information on just about everything you can think of dealing with the entire National Park. And if there is something not covered that you wish to know, please feel free to write me. In the years that I worked in Shark Valley, I was lucky enough to have met some very wonderful people form all over the world, and I was honored to have had the chance to meet so many of them. Among some of those that I have met, I have found some incredibly talented photographers that have agreed to share a few of their wonderful photos with this site. Most photography is mine, but do watch for the notations giving credit to these amazing photographers as well. There will also be a place that will exhibit photography from some of our visitors that wish to share some of their photos from their visits to the Everglades. I encourage you to send in a few of your own if you wish, and if they are chosen to be placed on the site, you will be informed.
What's Shark Valley? The Everglades National Park is a very large park, third largest in the continental US, at 1½ million acres. Shark Valley is a small section of the E.N.P. with a 15 mile loop road. It is a fine aria to see the wide expansion of the sawgrass prairies, what we like to call the 'true' Everglades. It is dotted with smaller tree islands throughout the prairies along the long loop road. It is a fantastic place to see alligators, birds, possibly white-tailed deer, and much more! Halfway through the road loop, there is a tower approximately 65' high, giving a very nice view over the sawgrass prairie.
What can I do? Though you can no longer drive your own vehicle down the Shark Valley loop road, due to so many visitors these days, there are lots of ways you can experience this small aria of the National Park.
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Things offered in Shark Valley:
Visitor Center:
It's a very good idea to start out your visit here. You can find answers to many questions that you might have, through one of the park rangers, or volunteers there. They have a small museum that offers very interesting information, and exhibits, with a few hands on things just for fun.For more information, please call the Shark Valley visitor Center directly at: 305 221-8776
Walking Trails:
Bobcat Board Walk:
This is a short trail, about 1/4-mile, through the grasses and an island that we call a Bay-head, very close to the parking lot.
And
Otter Cave:
Photo by Dee Dee, (Dimagi1@aol.com)This trail is about a mile round trip, south of the parking lot. It can be found by following the loop road starting just southwest of the Shark Valley visitor center. Otter Cave is a lovely trail that wonders through an island we call a Hardwood Hammock.
Loop Road:
Guests to Shark Valley are welcome to walk part of the 15 mile loop road or the entire thing if you feel up to it. (Just make sure you have plenty of water and sun screen as well as comfortable shoes, and ready to take about 6-8 hours of your day!)
Biking Trail:
There is only one bike trail, but it's a long one, at 15 miles. It offers a quiet and very enjoyable trip through the Shark Valley section of the Everglades. It is a paved road, that is the very same road that the tour trams follow. We highly encourage all bikes to go in a counter clockwise direction, starting on the straight, west road first, this way bikes and trams encounter each other as little as possible. For your safety, it is MANDATORY that ALL bikes MUST stop for all vehicles, preferably on the drivers side, and must wait for them to completely pass before continuing your ride.
You can bring our own bikes or rent them.
Speeding is NOT allowed for the safety of wildlife and other visitors.
Please remember to bring plenty of water to drink, and sun screen.
Anyone 16 or under MUST wear bike helmets by Florida law. (If you are renting bikes, helmets are offered along with the bike rental, at no extra charge.)
**This law is very strictly enforced in the park.Shark Valley Bike Rental:
$6.25 per hour, per bike.
Bike rental is from: 8:30am, through 3pm, and MUST be returned by 4pm.
If you plan to get all the way around the 15 mile scenic road, with these one speed bikes, you should get started well before 2pm.
Remember, helmets are offered along with the bike rental, at no extra charge.For More information, about the bike rentals, please call the Shark Valley Tram Tour concession at: 305 221-8455
Tram Tour:
***Check out Shark Valley Tram Tour's Official web page!***
Take a fantastic two hour guided tour through the shark Valley area on the 15 mile road through the wilderness by way of a large open sided Tram.
The tours are given by either a park ranger or one of the concessionaires. Both have a wealth of knowledge and information to share with you. (I myself was one of the concessionaires.) The guides will point out the wondrous wildlife and other points of interest. Some of which just might be over looked or missed by the untrained eye without the aid of your guide. Each trip will be slightly different due to the unpredictable wildlife, weather, and each guide.
The trams usually run on the hour, every hour, from 9am-4pm during the busy season, late fall through early spring. It is wise to make reservations at least a few days in advance, the sooner the better. If you have no idea when your trip will be taken to Shark Valley, you should still be able to catch a tram tour, however, you MIGHT have to wait an hour or two on very busy days.Please Note:
At this time of year, the trams are running the schedule of:9:30 11:00 1:00 3:00 ***Please note: Starting December 18th, 2006, the trams will start running every hour, on the hour, from 9am - 4pm.
Tram costs:
$14.50 per adult $13.50 per senior, 62 and over $8.75 per child, 12 and under Group rates are available for 12 or more. Tips to concessionaire guides/or drivers are excepted, but not expected. For More information, about the trams or to make reservations, please call the Shark Valley Tram Tour concession at: 305 221-8455
Please Note: During this time of year, it's highly recommended to prepare for rain and/or mosquitoes. The trams have a top, but there are no sides, so they give very little protection from the rain, so bring raincoats, and maybe even a change of dry cloths to leave in your car. For safety reasons, open umbrellas are not allowed on the tram, but an umbrella can be useful once you get to the tower.
Insects: can be heavy, so bring comfortable, loose clothes. Long sleeves and long pants can be helpful, but you must keep in mind the heat, as well as most insects can bite through most material. (That's why loose is best) Mosquitoes can be kept at bay if you use a good spray. Because of body chemistry, each person must find what works best for them. Sprays with heavy Deat seem to work best, but it's not good for sensitive skins. If you do plan to use spray, please be considerate of those around you, and spray away from others. Also please be careful when you spray, since some of the chemicals can ruin many kinds of plastics, especially plastic sunglass lenses, and can cloud some camera lenses too. This is why they ask you not to spray on the trams.
Unfortunately, most bug sprays don't work on the biting flies.
Shark Valley Observation Tower:
About half way around the 15 mile loop, is a 65' tower, that gives a breath taking over look of the sawgrass prairie, and the Islands. Most anytime of the year there is a wealth of wildlife that can be found there too.
There is also a short, dead-end, walking trail that takes you along part of the water way that surrounds the tower. (Please, if you encounter an alligator laying on the pathway, please do not disturb them and simply let that be the end of the trail.)
What's being seen out at Shark Valley at this time?
* Water is very high, allowing wildlife to spread out, so it will not be seen in great abundance, but Shark Valley is still open to the public as usual. It is normal to be wet at this time of year, nearing the end of the wet season. Mosquitoes can be extremely numerous in the south end of the Everglades NP, but usually not so bad here in Shark Valley*
Entrance fee into the park:
$10.00
*Be sure to hold on to your receipts into any parts of the Everglades National Park. For these are good for any part of the park. (Like Shark Valley, Royal Palm, {Flamingo}, or Everglades City.) These receipts are good for up to one week.
Where is it?
Shark Valley is located approximately 30 miles west of Miami, and approximately 75 miles east of Naples, on US 41. (This road is also known as Tamiami Trail, or SW 8th Street).
More details please. (Link to come!)
Wildlife Photos and Info:
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Below are links to the different categories of wildlife found in Shark Valley, and Photo galleries. Just click on the subject of where you would like to go, and enjoy. |
(All links below in brown to come!)
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What's happening Now?
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Everglades National Park
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(Not ready) |
Personal note:
Hello Everyone, well, as I promised, I'm working on the site finally! Sorry it took so long, but for quite a while, I was spending all my extra time with my mother as she gave an extremely valiant battle against terminal breast cancer. She always loved my Everglades pages and photography, so I will now happily continue them.
I owe my love of the Everglades to my wonderful mother, Sylvia Gibson, and to my best friend/soul brother David Zlotkin, who introduced me to them. Within less then a years time, I lost them both. But I hope to share their love of the world they taught to me, with you. So I dedicate this site to two of the most wonderful, and kindhearted people this world could have ever known.
I love you and will always miss you, Mom and David!
Update: Due to the needs of my father, I have had to quit my fantastic job in the Everglades, and move to Northern Georgia. But I will continue to do my best to keep up with the happenings of Shark Valley through my wonderful friends that are lucky enough to still be there.
(Look for my newest update. Until then, Good night all!)
12/01/06
Other Everglade's pages:
(Not my pages)
Everglades National Park Home Page
(The Federal Government's official Everglade's web page)
(The concessionaires official site for tram and biking info)
Other Pages made by Dee Dee:
Temple of Moonblade (Master home page)
Thank you for your visit. Please come again.
*© All photography on these pages is by Dimagi unless otherwise stated.
If you wish to use any photos for non-profit personal use, and/or for your local school,
you are welcome to do so.
If you wish to use some photos on a larger scale for non-profit education,
Please notify the photographer, and most likely it will be approved at no charge, so long as proper credit is given.
If you intend to use some photos on a web page, please insure proper credit is given.
(Links back to Shark Valley's Home page would be highly appreciated.)
If you wish to use any photos in a profitable manner, you must contact me and/or the photographer first.
Thank you for your cooperation.
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*On this page, no animated gifs belong to Dimagi, except the butterflies, and are believed to be public domain and free to use. However, the "bird on the branch" bar, gator head icon, (not the rocks), butterfly animated gifs, and Everglades Park Banner do belong to Dimagi, and do apply to the © rules above.* |
