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1/29/2025, Wednesday - Biked Shark Valley in the Everglades

joraintree
Jan 302 min read

Our friend, Dave, told us Shark Valley is a great bike ride, and we're so glad we listened to him and rode it. Simply incredible! Highly recommended!


You can take a tour by tram, or rent bikes, or walk, or use your own bikes, and you go along the road that the tram uses. The website says to arrive before 10am or the parking lot fills up, and we're glad we heeded this advice.
You can take a tour by tram, or rent bikes, or walk, or use your own bikes, and you go along the road that the tram uses. The website says to arrive before 10am or the parking lot fills up, and we're glad we heeded this advice.

You can see how you can get pretty close to the wildlife, but we recommend keeping some distance, just in case.
You can see how you can get pretty close to the wildlife, but we recommend keeping some distance, just in case.

We saw SOOOOOO many gators on this ride, it was incredible, and you almost got tired of seeing them, lol. So, we'll keep pics to the best ones for the rest of this post.
We saw SOOOOOO many gators on this ride, it was incredible, and you almost got tired of seeing them, lol. So, we'll keep pics to the best ones for the rest of this post.

Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron

Great Egret (I think)
Great Egret (I think)

Baby gators on momma's back!!! :) :) :) Ooooh, they're soooo cute!
Baby gators on momma's back!!! :) :) :) Ooooh, they're soooo cute!

The previous night had been chilly (in the 50s), so the gators were all out sunning themselves and soaking up some warmth. They were all very still and usually had their eyes closed. Lucky for us!
The previous night had been chilly (in the 50s), so the gators were all out sunning themselves and soaking up some warmth. They were all very still and usually had their eyes closed. Lucky for us!

A turtle sighting - yay, something different! Lol
A turtle sighting - yay, something different! Lol

A cormorant drying out its feathers.
A cormorant drying out its feathers.

This gator was definitely following the speed limit, lol.
This gator was definitely following the speed limit, lol.

At one point you must lock up your bikes and walk a short distance to the Observation Tower.
At one point you must lock up your bikes and walk a short distance to the Observation Tower.

The Observation Tower
The Observation Tower

Wow! You can see how much we humans alter our environment. Look how much smaller the Everglades is now!
Wow! You can see how much we humans alter our environment. Look how much smaller the Everglades is now!

The Observation Tower itself is pretty amazing, but the views are better...
The Observation Tower itself is pretty amazing, but the views are better...



Flat Deedra photobombs again!
Flat Deedra photobombs again!


The first part of the trail is a straight shot following along a channel to the Observation Tower. The second part of the trail winds through an open area with no shade whatsoever.
The first part of the trail is a straight shot following along a channel to the Observation Tower. The second part of the trail winds through an open area with no shade whatsoever.

It was still full of great wildlife sightings, like this turtle with heron in the background.
It was still full of great wildlife sightings, like this turtle with heron in the background.

A Little Blue Heron, perhaps?
A Little Blue Heron, perhaps?

Eric talking with a crow - or was it a raven?
Eric talking with a crow - or was it a raven?

This Great Blue Heron was an incredible sight! We had never seen one do this before.
This Great Blue Heron was an incredible sight! We had never seen one do this before.



Gator and a heron
Gator and a heron

It was a beautiful day for a bike ride, and we thoroughly enjoyed the cycling, the wildlife, and the setting. Here is the Relive video (with additional photos) showing the route of our nearly 16-mile bike ride at Shark Valley in the Florida Everglades:



 
 
 

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