Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
rangers will search for registered campers, but under ordinary conditions they won't un-
less they receive information that someone's missing. If camping, have a friend or family
member ready to contact rangers if you do not report back by a certain day.
INSECTS
You can't overestimate the problem of mosquito and no-see-ums (tiny biting flies) in the
Everglades; they are, by far, the park's worst feature. While in most national parks there
are warning signs showing the forest-fire risk, here the charts show the mosquito level
(call 305-242-7700 for a report). In summer and fall, the sign almost always says 'ex-
tremely high.' You'll be set upon the second you open your car door. The only protections
are 100% DEET or, even better, a pricey net suit.
SNAKES IN A GLADE!
There are four types of poisonous snake in the Everglades: diamondback rattlesnake
(Crotalus adamanteus);pigmy rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius);cottonmouth or water
moccasin (Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti),which swims along the surface of water; and
the coral snake (Micrurus fulvius). Wear long thick socks and lace-up boots - and keep
the hell away from them. Oh, and now there are Burmese pythons prowling the water too.
Pet owners who couldn't handle the pythons have dumped the animals into the swamp,
where they've adapted like…well, a tropical snake to a subtropical forest. The python is an
invasive species that is badly mucking up the natural order of things.
Ernest Coe & Royal Palm to Flamingo
Drive past Florida City, through miles of paper-flat farmland and past an enormous, razor-
wired jail (it seems like an escapee heads for the swamp at least once a year) and turn left
when you see the signs for Robert Is Here - or stop in so the kids can pet a donkey at
Robert's petting zoo.
Sights & Activities
Ernest Coe Visitor Center PARK
(
305-242-7700; www.nps.gov/ever ; State Rd 9336;
9am-5pm)
 
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