Anhinga Trail facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Anhinga Trail
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Overlook from Anhinga Trail boardwalk looking north. Other part of trail boardwalk visible in background.
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Location | Everglades National Park |
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| Nearest city | Florida City, Florida |
| MPS | Archeological Resources of Everglades National Park MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 96001178 |
| Added to NRHP | November 5, 1996 |
The Anhinga Trail is a very popular walking path in the Everglades National Park in Florida. It's about 0.4 miles long, which is less than half a mile. The trail starts at the Royal Palm Visitor Center, about 4 miles from the park entrance. It's famous for letting visitors see lots of amazing wildlife up close.
On November 5, 1996, the Anhinga Trail was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historical place.
Discovering the Anhinga Trail
The Anhinga Trail is made up of a paved walkway and a boardwalk. A boardwalk is a raised path, usually made of wood, that helps people walk over wet or sensitive areas. This boardwalk goes over a freshwater area called Taylor Slough. This slough is like a slow-moving river, full of sawgrass plants.
The trail is one of the most visited spots in the Everglades National Park. It gives people a great chance to see the park's natural beauty and animals.
Wildlife You Can See
The Anhinga Trail is a fantastic place to spot many different animals. You can often see them very close to the path. Some of the animals you might see include:
- Alligators: These large reptiles are often seen resting or swimming in the water.
- Turtles: Various types of turtles live in the slough.
- Anhingas: These birds, which the trail is named after, are known for drying their wings in the sun.
- Herons: You might spot different kinds of herons, like the great blue heron.
- Egrets: These elegant white birds are also common.
An Unexpected Fight
In 2003, visitors on the trail saw something very unusual. They watched a long fight between an alligator and a Burmese python. This fight lasted for a whole day! Eventually, a bigger alligator joined in, and the python managed to get away.
News about this fight spread widely. It helped people learn more about Burmese pythons in the Everglades. These pythons are an invasive species. This means they are not native to the area and can harm the local wildlife.
Gallery
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One of the many alligators visible from the Anhinga Trail boardwalk.
See also
In Spanish: Sendero Anhinga para niños
