Shark Valley to reopen June 1. Boat tours are back at Everglades National Park
The Shark Valley and Gulf Coast visitor areas at Everglades National Park will reopen on June 1 as the park continues to gradually allow the public to access recreational activities and campgrounds.
Boat tours of Florida Bay leaving from Flamingo and the Ten Thousand Island cruise on the Gulf side, as well as the popular two-hour tram tour through Shark Valley, will be allowed to resume, but at reduced capacity. It will be up to individual concession and tour operators to plan their reopening strategies in accordance with the park’s guidelines and public health rules, the National Park Service said in a statement late Thursday. Visitor centers and some camping and lodging options remain closed.
“Our national parks are a vital part of our local communities, for both economic and recreational opportunities,” said Pedro Ramos, superintendent at Everglades and Dry Tortugas national parks. “We’ve been closely following public health guidance to mirror what the state and local counties are doing and ensure the safety of our staff and visitors.”
The park closed to the public on March 20 after Miami-Dade County ordered sweeping closures of public parks and beaches as part of an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. As the county started to slowly reopen recreational areas since early this month, Everglades National Park began to allow visitors to access the park through its Homestead entrance.
Recently, the Anhinga Trail and the Long Pine Key picnic areas and trails, as well as the Guy Bradley Trail and day-use area at Flamingo, reopened. Park entry fees, which were waived when the park started to reopen earlier this month, are being charged normally.
Backcountry wilderness camping will also resume in Everglades National Park, with the exception of North Nest Key, which remains closed. This time of year, permits can be obtained by self-registration and there is no fee. Registration stations are available outside the Gulf Coast and Flamingo Visitor Centers.
The campground at Flamingo will be allowed to reopen, but the concessionaire Guest Services Inc. hasn’t decided when it will resume operations at the new eco-tents — the “glamping” style waterfront lodgings that opened last November. The 20 canvas tents have sturdy metal frames designed to withstand a Category 4 hurricane and small covered porches with chairs. They are built on stilts and are connected by boardwalks to a picnic area with tables and fire rings.
Biscayne and Dry Tortugas national parks will also restart some guided tours and services at reduced capacity in accordance with public health guidelines, the Park Service said.
Please visit the Guided Tours page on each park’s website for links to individual tour operators and for details and reservations:
This story was originally published May 29, 2020 at 1:01 PM.
.jpg)