Why December Is Peak Season in the Everglades
Everglades National Park flips its rhythm in winter. From roughly November through March the wetlands enter the dry season, and December is the sweet spot. Water levels drop, which concentrates alligators, wading birds, and turtles into the remaining sloughs and gator holes. Temperatures sit in the comfortable 60s and 70s Fahrenheit, and the brutal summer mosquito clouds thin out to something manageable. If you only have one window to walk these trails, this is it. This is exactly why the Everglades anchors our roundup of the best national parks to visit in December.
Anhinga Trail: The Wildlife Showstopper
If you do one walk, make it the Anhinga Trail near the Royal Palm area, just a few minutes inside the main entrance from Homestead. It is a flat 0.8-mile loop of paved path and boardwalk over Taylor Slough. In dry season the slough becomes a wildlife magnet. Expect to see:
- American alligators sunning within feet of the boardwalk
- Anhingas drying their wings on the rails
- Great blue herons, egrets, and purple gallinules
- Soft-shell turtles and the occasional river otter
Arrive at dawn for the best light and the calmest crowds. Bring nothing edible on the boardwalk, since vultures here are notorious for damaging parked cars.
Gumbo Limbo and Pinelands
Right next to Anhinga, the Gumbo Limbo Trail is a shaded 0.4-mile loop through a tropical hardwood hammock of gumbo limbo, royal palm, and strangler fig. It is a complete contrast to the open slough and a good break from the sun. A short drive south, the Pinelands Trail winds through slash pine forest growing on limestone, one of the most endangered habitats in South Florida and home to species found nowhere else.
Pa-hay-okee and the River of Grass
For the iconic sawgrass prairie view, drive to the Pa-hay-okee Overlook, a short boardwalk to a raised platform looking out over the endless River of Grass. Sunrise and sunset both deliver. Further along the main park road, the Mahogany Hammock Trail is a half-mile boardwalk through a dense, jungle-like hammock that shelters the largest living mahogany tree in the United States.
Shark Valley: Bike or Walk the Loop
On the park's north side off the Tamiami Trail, Shark Valley offers a 15-mile paved loop you can walk in part, cycle, or ride by tram. In December the canals along the route are packed with alligators. The midpoint observation tower gives a sweeping 360-degree view of the wetlands. Even a one or two mile out-and-back walk from the trailhead rewards you with constant wildlife.
What to Pack and How to Stay Comfortable
Trails here are flat and easy, so footwear is less about ankle support and more about staying dry. Pack the following:
- Sun protection: a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen, since most trails are fully exposed
- Water: at least one liter per person, as there is no shade on the prairies
- Bug spray: still worth carrying even in the dry season near dawn and dusk
- Binoculars: the birdlife is the whole point
Combine an Everglades day with the nearby Gulf Coast or Flamingo areas, and you have a full winter base in South Florida. From there it is an easy pivot to the warm Southwest deserts and a snow-dusted Grand Canyon that round out a December parks trip.
Suggested One-Day Itinerary
Start at Anhinga Trail at sunrise, add Gumbo Limbo, then drive the main road stopping at Pa-hay-okee and Mahogany Hammock. Have lunch at Flamingo if you have time, then loop back. On a second day, head to Shark Valley for the tram or a bike ride. Two relaxed days cover the park's headline trails without rushing.
