Photo from Flickr Diana Robinson
Several of our guests recently have been telling us how much they enjoyed their day trips down to the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge.
Located between Marco Island and Everglades City, the 35,000-acre refuge is a labyrinth of mangrove islands, winding channels, grassy marshes, sandy beaches and shallow bays. It’s where the waters of the Everglades meet the Gulf Coast, and is in fact the second-largest mangrove forest in the world, surpassed only by Bangladesh.
The easiest way to see the Ten Thousand Islands is a narrated boat tour based at the Gulf Coast Visitor Center of Everglades National Park in Everglades City. During the 90-minute tour, you’ll learn about the islands’ unique environment, and will undoubtedly see a variety of bird species, including soaring bald eagles, hawks, nesting osprey and colorful roseate spoonbills. The guides are naturalists trained by national park staff and the boat has a quiet engine to reduce scaring away wildlife, so you’ll often also see dolphins at play in the boat’s wake.
To enjoy one of Florida’s most pristine coastal habitats, make it a point to head down to the Ten Thousand Islands on your next visit to Ocean’s Reach. For more information, click here.
