Everglades National Park

Walk the Anhinga Trail

easy FamiliesPhotographersWildlife Watching
0 mi Distance
1-2 hours Estimated Time
Out & Back Trail Type

What to Expect

This is the Everglades' greatest hits reel compressed into a flat, paved loop that anyone can walk. You start on a smooth asphalt path that cuts through sawgrass prairie, then transition onto a raised boardwalk hovering just above the tea-colored water of Taylor Slough. The wildlife here is almost absurdly close — alligators basking on the bank within arm's reach, anhingas spreading their wings to dry like living gargoyles, great blue herons standing motionless in the shallows waiting to strike. The boardwalk loops through the heart of the slough, where the water is gin-clear and you can watch gar and bass cruising below your feet. There's zero elevation change, zero technical difficulty, and zero chance you'll be bored. This trail is perfect for families, photographers, and anyone who thinks the Everglades is 'just a swamp' — it will change your mind in under an hour.
FamiliesPhotographersWildlife WatchingWheelchair AccessibleFirst-Time Visitors

Safety Advisory

Alligators are everywhere and completely wild — they look docile but can lunge faster than you can react. Stay on the boardwalk, keep children close, and never dangle hands or feet over the railing.

Summer heat and humidity are brutal with zero shade on most of the trail. If you visit June through September, start at dawn, bring more water than you think you need, and watch for signs of heat exhaustion.

Trail Details

Difficulty easy
Estimated Time 1-2 hours
Trail Type Out & Back
Pets Not allowed
Season The trail is open and popular year round. Wildlife is present at all times of the year, but is generally most abundant during the cooler and drier months of December-March. During these months, look for nesting birds, turtles and alligators.  <br /> <br /> The summer months are quieter, as many of the animals prefer to stay in the shade and water, so consider visiting the trail in the early morning summer hours to catch a glimpse of what makes this trail so special.
Trailhead Walk the Anhinga Trail

Pro Tips

Trail Tip

Visit between December and March during dry season, when dropping water levels force wildlife into the slough like a natural bottleneck — you'll see ten times the animals you would in summer.

Trail Tip

Arrive within thirty minutes of sunrise for the best photography light and the smallest crowds. By mid-morning in peak season, the boardwalk gets shoulder-to-shoulder and tripods become a liability.

Trail Tip

Bring a polarized lens or polarized sunglasses — the slough water is remarkably clear, and cutting the glare lets you spot soft-shell turtles, gar, and bass swimming below the boardwalk that most visitors walk right past.

Photos

An angular boadwalk bends through a green sawgrass prarie. The sun rises in the backgroundNPS Photo/ D Turffs

Getting There

Get directions

More Trails in Everglades

A gray and red bird looks for food at the water’s edge, with trees in the background

Birding Snake Bight Trail

Moderate
0 mi ·1-4 hours hrs
n: A brightly-colored blue and green bird with long, yellow toes eats a flower head among lily pads

Birding Along the Anhinga Trail

Moderate
0 mi ·1-2 hours hrs
Gumbo Limbo Trail

Gumbo Limbo Trail

easy
0.4 mi ·0 ft gain ·0.5 hours hrs

Royal Palm Trails

easy
2.5 mi ·0 ft gain ·2 hours hrs

Explore Everglades National Park

2 campgrounds, 30 trails, 742K annual visitors

View Park Guide