MIAMI, Fla. - Everglades National Park is pleased to announce that its Shark Valley district, which has been closed since flooding associated with Hurricane Irma in September 2017 and subsequent heavy rains, will reopen to visitors beginning this Saturday, December 16.
Named because its water flows southwest toward Shark River, Shark Valley is the heartland of the Everglades. At Shark Valley you can walk, bike, or ride a tram along a 15-mile loop road and see some of the park’s best wildlife concentrations. The Shark Valley observation tower offers a 360 degree view of the Everglades. The viewing deck overlooks a life-filled water hole, providing a bird’s eye view of alligators, turtles, fish, and birds.
Separate fees apply for concession tram tours and bike rentals. More information and advance reservations for these are available at: http://www.sharkvalleytramtours.com/
As the park is still working to restore potable water to Shark Valley, guests should bring sufficient water for their own use for the duration of their visit. Some portions of the loop road and trails are also still under water, or slick with algae from prolonged submersion, so bicycles and pedestrians should still observe caution while these remain present.
Although the park remains open 24 hours, vehicles do not have access to the Shark Valley area after 6:00 p.m.
More information on Everglades National Park can be found at http://www.nps.gov/ever.
- NPS -
The National Park Service has more than 20,000 National Park Service employees who care for America’s 417 National Parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.
Tags: hurricane hurricanes hurricane irma
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
