Shark Valley Tram Trail: A Biking Adventure in The Everglades

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I found myself in South Florida for a friend’s wedding. I had a day to kill, so I decided to take a little adventure to the Everglades.

Part 1: Quick Overview

Part 2: Trip Report

March 2nd, 2023 (Shark Valley Visitor Center to Shark Valley Visitor Center, 15.17 miles, 26 ft elevation gain)

Braving the Miami traffic, I got into my rental car around 08:00 and headed west. I made sure to stop at Publix on the way to pick up a Chicken Tender Pub Sub to have for lunch.

Let me take a moment to extol the Pub Sub, which, for my money, is the best sub sandwich in the United States and perhaps the world. If you ever go to a place that has a Publix grocery store, stop and get a Pub Sub. You won’t regret it.

I devoured half of my chicken tender sub, then drove down the Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41). Almost immediately, the 1.5 million-acre wetlands made their presence known, surrounding the highway on both sides. The urban sprawl that is Miami was replaced by miles and miles of water and saw grass prairies as far as the eye can see.

Approximately 1 hour later, I made it to the ominously named Shark Valley Visitor Center, which is one of the Everglades National Park entrances in South Florida. It was $30 per vehicle, which allows you to come back for 7 days if you want.

I didn’t exactly have a plan. I made it to the Everglades, but now what? Walking around the visitor center, I saw there was a bike rental shop, and for 22 dollars, I could rent a bike for the day. In addition, near the visitor center was the Shark Valley Tram Trail, a 15-mile loop that went right through the heart of the Everglades. The sun was shining, I had plenty of water, and half a Pub Sub left… it was an easy decision.

The trail was a very large, flat, well-paved bike path. There was room for bikes, pedestrians, and even tour trams. Almost immediately, I saw a live gator basking in the sun right off to the side of the trail. Spoiler alert, it wouldn’t be the last.

Along with gators, there were ibis, storks, and spoonbills, and the water was clear enough to see various species of fish, though no sharks. As the minutes and miles passed, and the Florida sun rose higher and higher, the crowds thinned out. The few stunted trees that manage to survive the Everglades offer little to no tree cover.

Around halfway through the loop was a concrete observation tower, which was easily the tallest thing in the area. I parked the bike and ascended the circular ramp. The tower offered some great views of the Everglades. After enjoying the view and finishing off my Pub Sub, I hopped back on the bike and continued the ride.

The back half of the trail was much less populated than the first half. I only passed a few other people. This made for a much more solitary, peaceful ride.

I passed a few more gators, and almost exactly 2 hours after I started the trip, I returned to the bike shop.

On the ride back to Miami, I began to feel the familiar sensation of burning skin across my arms. Like an idiot, I didn’t think to bring sunscreen.

Part 3: Important Details

Logistics:

This is a loop trail, so you will begin at the same point that you end. There is a good-sized parking lot at the Shark Valley Visitor Center. Next to the lot is a bike rental shop and a gift shop. Limited snacks are available for purchase there.

Camping/Permits/Fees:

The Everglades does have some campsites, but none exist in Shark Valley.

All visitors to Everglades National Park are required to pay an entrance fee. Digital passes may be purchased online.

Navigation:

The pathway is a wide concrete road; there aren’t any others like it in the area, and you really can’t stray off it, as you are surrounded by water, so it is easy to follow.

Water:

There is one water fountain at the observation tower, approximately 7.5 miles through the trail, so be sure to bring plenty of water with you.

Wildlife/Insect Pressure:

As you can imagine, the Everglades are notorious for mosquitoes and other pesky insects; however, I was not attacked by bugs. It is probably because I was on a bike most of the time.

As for the wildlife, Shark Valley is one of the best spots in the Everglades for animal viewing. This is the spot to see turtles, fish, birds, and tons of alligators. I passed by at least a dozen gators on my ride, and sometimes they were right on the pathway. All the ones I saw were either lazily basking in the sun or in the water, but I made sure to keep my distance.

Remoteness/Solitude:

This trail is about an hour west of Miami; the area itself is relatively remote, but there are stores and services nearby. Because the Everglades is a national park, expect to see a lot of people.

Hazards/Environmental Concerns:

Being in South Florida, the Everglades are almost always going to be hot and humid. The pathway is very exposed with little to no shade. Once you reach the observation tower, you will find sun protection, but other than that, you are exposed the entire time.

Difficulty:

Very easy. The whole trail is a wide, flat road; there is little to no elevation gain, and although 15 miles is long, it is an easy bike ride as long as you are prepared.

Last Word

The Everglades are known as one of the most unique environments on Earth. It is the largest designated wilderness in the eastern United States and is home to 13 endangered and threatened species. It is also the only place in the world where American alligators and American crocodiles coexist in the wild.

I can see why these wetlands go overlooked. They lack some striking vistas and landscapes that other wild areas of the country have, but the mangroves and sawgrass fields have a beauty all their own.