Everglades is the largest tropical wilderness in the United States and the only place on earth where alligators and crocodiles coexist in the wild. The park protects 1.5 million acres of the slow-moving freshwater "river of grass" that flows from Lake Okeechobee south to Florida Bay, plus the mangrove estuaries of the Ten Thousand Islands and the marine waters of Florida Bay itself. Designated in 1947 to preserve a threatened ecosystem rather than spectacular geology, it remains one of the most ecologically significant — and most fragile — protected areas in the world. From I-75 the standard access is Exit 23 (Krome Avenue) into the main Homestead/Coe entrance, or Exit 80 (SR-29) for the Gulf Coast Visitor Center at Everglades City. The Tamiami Trail (US-41), which parallels I-75 across the peninsula, runs along the park's northern boundary and provides direct access to the Shark Valley Visitor Center.
- Largest subtropical wilderness in the United States (1.5 million acres)
- Only place on earth where wild American alligators and American crocodiles coexist
- Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an International Biosphere Reserve, and a Wetland of International Importance
- Home to over 360 bird species, 40 mammal species, and the endangered Florida panther
- Three separate visitor-center entrances; most of the park accessible only by boat or trail
