Although it’s doubtful if anyone has seen any sharks from its height, you’ll be treated to a rare full panoramic view of the Everglades when you visit Shark Valley Observation Tower.
Everglades National Park stretches across the interior of Southern Florida, almost from Naples to Miami. The Tamiami Trail connects the Atlantic with the Gulf of Mexico coastlines. Drive on this road and you’ll be passing the Everglades. To go over it you need to take the 15-mile (24-kilometer) Tram Road.
As its name suggests, the road is for trams that shuttle visitors over the largest subtropical wilderness in the country. You can also walk or cycle it. Look far in the distance and you’ll see a structure rising above the road. This is the Shark Valley Observation Tower.
Notice the flatness of the area, where a park sign says in jest that your altitude is 3 feet (0.9 meters) above sea level. The tower rises to 45 feet (14 meters), with the viewing platform accessible via a long curving ramp. Its design is described as Mission 66 style, or parkitecture. Look down over the ramp where alligators are often visible as they laze below.
In addition to alligators that make the Everglades their habitat, a number of endangered species also live here, such as the manatee and Florida panther.
Walk the boardwalk trail. Another trail passes through a tropical hardwood forest located near the start of the Tram Road. The path under the observation tower can sometimes be muddy.
At the beginning and end of the Tram Road loop is the Shark Valley Visitor Center. Purchase tickets and rent bicycles here. Find Shark Valley Observation Tower and Tram Road off the Tamiami Trail. The site is open daily.
