Biking in Everglades National Park: Exploring the Beautiful Shark Valley

Although Shark Valley isn’t the closest access point in Everglades National Park when you’re heading to the Florida Keys, it’s a really cool and very unique place to visit. Located west of Homestead off the Tamiami Trail Shark Valley is breathtaking and FULL OF WILDLIFE. You can visit for the day or just a few hours, it’s up to you and there is a lot to do.

We’ve got the full scoop on visiting Everglades National Park’s Shark Valley, including tips for biking the loop, taking the Shark Valley Tram and even wildlife photography advice. I love this part of the park and we often make it a park of our Florida Keys trips. If you have any questions about visiting Everglades National Park or how to add it to your Florida Keys vacation, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan an unforgettable vacation.

Highlights of Biking in Everglades NP

When it comes to looking in Everglades National Park you can either bring your own bike or rent them. Rentals are available both in the Flamingo area and Shark Valley. Biking the Shark Valley road is really fun and that’s what you’re here to read about! The most common question I get about biking in the Everglades is of you’ll encounter alligators or crocodiles while you’re riding bikes. I mean, yes, they are very present in Everglades National Park so you’ll see them, but they don’t often just sit on the road. If your biking in Flamingo you’ll have a chance of seeing both crocs and gators, but in the Shark Valley area you’ll likely only come across alligators, which I prefer. I’ll go kayaking with alligators and even swim in water where I know they’re around, but crocodiles make me very nervous. being on bikes, you don’t really need to worry about encountering either though. If you’re kayaking at Flamingo, that’s when you’ll have your crocs around.

As you’re biking in Shark Valley you’ll see why Everglades National Park is a protected place. The vast River of Grass and the savanna areas are absolutely beautiful and absolutely teeming with wildlife of all sorts. It’s not just the alligators along the road that are awesome, but it’s all the birds. Especially in winter months, the number of large birds, from egrets to even North American pelicans, is amazing. I love bird watching in the Florida Keys but hiking in a Shark Valley in Everglades National Park may surpass the Keys birding experience. One of the best places to watch birds is from the Shark Valley Observation Tower. What a view, and the more forest around the tower is an amazing rookery.

Note: pay attention to the weather, as lightning can roll in swiftly. Take shelter at the observation tower if you’re getting caught up in a storm!

Tips for a Biking in Shark Valley Everglades

Biking in Shark Valley is the single most popular activity in Everglades National Park. You’ll want to arrive at the park entrance nice and early to ensure you can get a bike off your renting instead of bringing your own. Be mindful when you’re putting your destination into your GPS that you need to go to SHARK VALLEY. This is its own entrance and it’s not accessible from the other two parts of Everglades National Park.

Arrive early and ready to ride! Even in winter it gets very hot and humid in the Everglades, so starting earlier will help you combat the impending heat. As you ride, keep your eyes peeled for wildlife both on and near the road. You’ll be joking on pavement the whole way and alligators love warm pavement in the morning. It’s ready to navigate around any gators off to the side of the road as you just give them a wide birth, but if an alligator is just laying in the middle of the path, DO NOT APPROACH. Wait for the alligator to move or yell at it to encourage it to go. Since the bike path is shared with the Shark Valley Tram Tour, if a tram approaches while you’re waiting for a gator to vacate the path, the tram will likely inspire it to move. In all things though, safety first.

Allow yourself two full hours or more to enjoy biking in Shark Valley. The path is a one way road so you’ll need to complete the full loop which is about 15 miles in total. It’s all very flat (you know, Everglades National Park) and there are mile markers along the eat to inspire your progress along the route. You can do it!

Being Prepared for Shark Valley Biking

I cannot stress enough that you need to bring a lot of water. Yes, there is a water filling station at the Shark Valley Observation Tower, but if that’s not operational for any reason, you don’t want to be in an unsafe pickle. I would recommend a half gallon of water per person. either use a camelback or similar water backpack, or a water bottle with a jug to refill. When you rent bikes at the Shark Valley Visitor Center they do have baskets, so that’s half for transporting water.

You’ll also want to bring snacks and a first aid kit. Once you’ve left the visitor center there are NO SERVICES along the bike route and there is no cell reception. Treat biking in the Everglades like having a morning of being on a remote survival show and you need to be wise while enjoying the harsh environment.

SUNBLOCK! Generously apply waterproof sunblock before you’re Everglades booking adventure begins. There is no shade along the biking route and only limited shade once you’re at the Observation Tower. West a broad brimmed hat and be sure to cover your shoulders. That Everglades sunshine is intense!

Didn’t forget your camera when you’re booking in Everglades National Park, whether or be here in Shark Valley or over in a Flamingo. The landscapes and wildlife are so beautiful and you’ll want to capture it all! This is a great opportunity to use large lenses if you’ve got them. While much of the wildlife may be very close, it’s likely many of the birds will be farther away. Also, because the Shark Valley area is so expired, be sure that you have a good shade hood for the end of your lens. That will help you achieve more clear photos without light flares.

Parking for Shark Valley in Everglades National Park

Unlike places like Glacier National Park or Cadillac Mountain in Acadia NP, Everglades National Park doesn’t require entry reservations. There are three entrances to the park and they are all first-come-first-serve. The Shark Valley entrance is the only one I’ve ever had a tough time getting into. On weekend days it’s extra busy with all the visitors from Miami coming in, but on weekdays and in the summer it’s not that bad. If you arrive and there’s a line for entering, you can just wait until a space opens up and then they’ll let you in. Know that if your timing isn’t great you may be waiting for an hour or more in your car. That’s why it’s best to arrive VERY early or near the end of the day. If biking in Shark Valley is your goal, keep in mind that the last bike rental is at 4:00 pm and all bikes must be returned by 5:00 pm.

You can ride into Everglades National Park on your own bike, and it’s encouraged. This can be complicated though because you cannot just ditch your car at the park entrance on the Tamiami Trail, so getting a drop off or riding a fair distance to the entrance is recommended.