8 Dec 2000 --- along west roadway
Shark Valley
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Shark Valley is a section of Everglades National Park in south Florida, USA. I am putting this webpage here to tell you to be sure to visit Shark Valley when you come to south Florida. Shark Valley is a spectacular place to see alligators, snakes, and birds. You might also see otters and deer. On 10 June 2003 I moved from Homestead, Florida to Valdosta, Georgia. I will not be visiting Shark Valley very often (if at all) so this page will become obsolete. |
This website developed by Tom Spinker. see Home Page for e-mail address
Photos were taken with a Pentax Spotmatic or Pentax Spotmatic II. Copyright © 2000 - 2005 All Rights Reserved I make no warranties as to the accuracy of any of the information on this website.
This webpage released 20 Oct 2001 |
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The Shark Valley entrance to Everglades National Park is on US 41 (Tamiami Trail)
17.7 miles west of Florida Highway 997 (Krome Ave). This is about 40 miles east
of Florida Highway 29. Shark Valley is about 35 miles straight west of the center
of Miami.
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The best way to see Shark Valley is by bicycle. You can rent a bicycle at the
concession area or bring your own.
There are two roadways which run from the parking lot, at the north end, to the observation tower, at the south end -- a distance of about seven miles. You cannot drive on these roadways. You can walk, bicycle, or ride the little tour bus. The entire loop is a distance of nearly 15 miles. If you do not want to bicycle all the way around, you can bicycle a shorter distance. You will probably see more wildlife on the west roadway than on the east roadway. You could just walk a short distance and back, too. Especially during the winter, there is an abundance of wildlife in the canal which parallels the west roadway. Shark Valley is worth visiting even if all you do is walk 200 feet south and back on the west roadway. The little open-air tour bus, for a fee, takes you around the loop clockwise. A guide points out wildlife along the way. There is a short (I think twenty minutes) stop at the south end. The park people call the little tour bus a "tram". |
| The name "Shark Valley" is just to confuse you. There are no sharks and there is no valley. | It has been pointed out to me that there actually are sharks. Not at the Shark Valley section of the Everglades, but at the point that the flowing water (called the Shark River Slough) reaches the Gulf of Mexico. And there actually is a valley. If you travel ten miles east or west, the land elevation is a foot higher. |
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Everglades National Park has four developed entrances.
(1) The Main Entrance
(3) Chekika (was closed as of June 2003) (4) Shark Valley |
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Admission Fees The fee to enter Everglades National Park is $10. This buys one car with occupants admission for one week. They give you a cash register receipt which you show to re-enter. An option is to buy a one-year pass for $20. Or, for $50, buy a one-year pass which is good at any US National Park. This is subject to change, and subject to possible mis-understanding on my part. |
Shark Valley hours are 8:30 am to 6:00 pm.
At Shark Valley there is NO As of Nov 2002: Tourist Bus cost $11 per adult. Bicycle rental is $4.75/hr. |
| All the photos on this page were taken by me at Shark Valley. No animal was touched and no photo was manipulated. |
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8 Dec 2000 --- along west roadway
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The alligators have lost all fear of humans at Shark Valley. Anywhere else alligators throw themselves violently into the water at the first sight of a human. At Shark Valley they just lie there. Sometimes they fall asleep right on the roadway. |
| Tourists often shout at the alligators to get them to open their eyes so that they can take a photo. This is a violation of park rules. You must not disturb any of the wildlife. |
The visibility of wildlife is seasonal. Birds and alligators are more visible in the winter and spring when water levels are low. They must then congregate around the canals and ponds at Shark Valley, which always have water. |
| Approaching a baby alligator may provoke an attack by its mother. Park rules demand that visitors stay at least fifteen feet away from any animal. |
4 May 2000 --- along west roadway within half mile of visitor's center
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Here's a little map.
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North is to the top. The fat orange line along the top is US 41. The red lines are roads that you drive on. The black lines are the bicycle paths and footpaths. The blue lines are pointers. From the parking lot at the north, to the observation tower at the south is a distance of about seven miles. The West Roadway is a little less than seven miles and the East Roadway, due to the curves, is a little more than seven miles. Otter Cave Trail is a short hiking path thru a forested area. The name is only partly confusing. There are no caves, but you might see otters anywhere in the park. Otter Cave Trail is about three-quarters of a mile from the Visitors Center. The three dots indicate that the roads continue for a long distance. The Shark Valley area is more than seven miles north to south, but probably less than a half-mile east to west. |
Milage markers are written onto the center of the pavement. The miles count up from
one to fourteen as you go counter-clockwise around the loop.
On the above map I indicated a boardwalk. This is called the "Bobcat Boardwalk". You probably will not see any bobcats. There are bobcats in the area, but they are rarely seen during the day. Bobcat Boardwalk is a very short distance from the parking area. Bicycles are not allowed on the boardwalk, so it is a reasonible strategy to put your bicycle back into your vehicle after you finish bicycling and walk back to see Bobcat Boardwalk. |
 Great Blue Heron. 8 Dec 2000. |
 Alligator defining the end of the footpath. 8 Dec 2000. |
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There is not much refreshment available at Shark Valley. There are drinking fountains
at the north end and at the south end. Once when I was there, the drinking fountain
at the south end had a sign on it saying that the water was not safe to drink, so you
cannot depend on it. It is a good idea to carry water with you if you plan to venture
any distance from the north end.
Also at the north end, in the concession area are some vending machines. One with coca-cola and such, another with fruit drinks, and a third with potato chips and cookies. |
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If you look at a road map of south Florida, and find the stretch of US41 between
FL997 and FL29, you probably imagine that it is lined with restaurants, motels, gas
stations, stores. You are only 15 miles from the center of Miami and you are right
in front of a major tourist destination and you are on a US highway which is one of
only two highways which leads west across the south end of the state.
In fact there are few commercial establishments on US41 between FL997 and FL29. The Miccosukee gas station, near Shark Valley, is the only gas station on this whole 58-mile stretch. There are also gas stations at the intersections FL997 & US41 and FL29 & US41. |
| Checking my Rand McNally United States Road Atlas, 1994 edition, I see that the words "Shark Valley" do not appear. The Miccosukee Indian Reservation is indicated. Shark Valley is to the immediate south. The two roadways, on which you cannot drive, are indicated and the Observation Tower at the south end is indicated. |
| Like the alligators, the snakes at Shark Valley have become accustomed to humans. At Shark Valley snakes do not immediately flee when a human approaches. |
 Brown Water Snake 18 Jan 2000 |
Florida Green Water Snake 4 May 2000 |
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The Brown Water Snake, Nerodia taxispilota, is the most common
snake at Shark Valley. When I was there on 17 April 2001, I counted six of them. Snakes can be difficult to find. You might want to ask a park ranger or a tour bus driver for guidance. Snakes are seasonal. They are more plentiful in late winter, spring, and summer. |
Onward to page 2. More photos from Shark Valley.
Home Page |
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Read the instructions at Flickr to figure out how to join and upload photos.
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