Big Cypress National Preserve - Monument Lake

 

Monday, January 29, 2024 - Today we were going to ride our bikes around the Shark Valley Loop, in the Everglades, which is about 30 minutes from our campground.  We did this bike ride 2 years ago, when we were here and we loved it so much we thought it would be fun to do it again.  We didn't get there until 1:30, and the sign out front said that the parking lot was full, so we had to come up with an alternate plan.  We hadn't been to the Big Cypress Visitor Center yet, so we stopped in there and watched 2 of their videos and then decided to drive the 24 mile scenic loop.  The loop isn't paved, so it was a long drive.  There were quite a few alligators, and birds, but we probably wouldn't do it again.

The sunrise over the swamp behind our campsite

Kev's ready for a morning walk

There was a boardwalk at the Big Cypress Visitor Center, where there were a lot of alligators.  I thought this guy looked especially comfy, just floating with his legs just hanging

Nice print of Cypress trees, at the visitor center

an alligator on the scenic drive

It feels like we're back in Alaska, with the condition of this road

I loved the Cypress trees along the drive

another gator and a bird, seems like they're a little too close to each other, but neither one seems to mind

sunset walk around Monument Lake

Tuesday January 30, 2024 - Today was a day for exploring.  First we went to Ochopee for lunch at Joanie's Blue Crab Cafe.  It looked like a great place for seafood, and I was interested in having some gator (which was quite good).  After lunch we headed to Fakahachee State Park, but the boardwalk we had planned to do, was under construction, and the only other thing was an unpaved scenic drive.  We decided we'd had too much scenic driving on gravel roads, so we headed to Everglade City.  There was a small grocery store there, where we picked up a few things, and then we went to the Museum of the Everglades.  This was a small free museum that told the history of Everglade City.  Baron Collier, who loved this part of Florida, (and bought a lot of property here) facilitated the building of the Tamiami Trail, which connected Tampa to Miami.  This was quite a feat, at the time, since a big part of this was through swampland.  A canal was dug and the dirt from the canal made the road.  It was completed in 1928.  Everglade City was where the workers lived that worked on the road.

Another foggy morning over the lake

sunrise behind Tiny

Our workout room

The Ochopee Post Office (the smallest Post Office in the US)

There's only room for one person to work at this post office!  It was originally an irrigation pipe shed, which was turned into the Post Office when the original one burned down in 1953.   It has been in continuous use since then as a post office and as a ticket station for the Trailways bus lines.

At Joanie's we started with fried green tomatoes

Then onto a plate of blue crabs & gator bites

we enjoyed lunch on the back deck

This was the front of the Museum of the Everglades, which was originally a commercial laundry built in 1927

We saw a few swamp buggies in peoples driveways in Everglade City

another beautiful sunset at Monument Lake

Wednesday, January 31, 2024 - Since we didn't get to do Shark Valley 2 days ago, today we got there at 9:30!  The parking lot was pretty full when we got there, but we found a spot.  There was a small visitor center there, and a tram ride that makes the 15 mile loop.  It's a wonderful bike ride, since there aren't that many people that ride the loop.  We counted 44 alligators on our 2 hour ride, a hawk, lots of blue herons and a few cormorants.  We stopped at the tower that's half way around the loop and had lunch and walked to the top of the tower with a bunch of school kids.  It was the perfect day for a bike ride, with a high of 73 and not much wind.  

 

When we started our morning walk this morning, one of the lake's alligators was right in front of our campsite

not too much fog this morning

we're finally riding the Shark Valley loop.  It's named Shark Valley for 2 of its estuaries, the Shark River and the Little Shark River (nearby waterways that are home to several shark species)

an alligator hiding amongst the lilies

this guy was close to the road

Kev's checking him out

There's the tower in the distance

Such a pretty structure, built in 1964

pretty grasslands

stay on the other side of the road when passing any alligators

We stopped at the Clyde Butcher Gallery on our way home from Shark Valley.  Butcher is a nature photographer who is famous for his photographs of the Everglades.  I liked his photography, but especially liked the alligator bench

Every day we've been here, someone from the park service goes to "work" using some type of swamp buggy and they unload it right next to our campsite.   Kev was especially jealous of this cool looking thing.

The Everglades NP - Long Pine Key

 

Friday, January 26, 2024 - Today we rode our bikes the other way on Research Rd (out the half mile trail behind the campground).  It's a 3.5 mile ride to the Nike Missile site.  We did a ranger led tour 2 years ago and really enjoyed it, but since we need a nice bike ride, we thought we'd ride there for the exercise.  In the evening we walked to the other side of the campground lake for the sunset.

At the Long Pine Key campground you don't get to pick your own campsite.  #25 has been a nice private spot, and is really close to the shower house/bathroom

Kev is ready with his GoPro, for the bike ride

One of the 3 Nike missile barns.  Each barn housed 6 Nike missiles during the Cuban Missile Crisis

Kevin found an open bunker

We've got Research Rd mostly to ourselves

We stopped for a rest and some water under a tree

We noticed this alligator close to the road, he was close and BIG.  One of the rangers had told us that the best spot to find alligators is next to these culverts.  They like to wait there for a fish to swim through.

The lake next to the campground

Kevin has the grill going, burgers tonight

and s'mores

sunset walk

pretty sunset

Saturday, January 27, 2024 - After 3 nights at Long Pine Key, we're headed to Big Cypress National Preserve.  We've booked 5 nights at Monument Lake.  This is a much smaller campground and is run by recreation.gov (instead of a concessionaire, like in the Everglades).  Campgrounds run by the government tend to be cheaper and with our Golden National Park Pass, we pay half.  Monument lake cost us $14/night compared to $31/night at Long Pine Key.  It's an hour and a half to Monument Lake and we placed an amazon order that is supposed to be delivered today so we needed to pass some time while we wait for the delivery.  We found pickleball at Water Oaks Park, Kevin played a game and we practiced on the racquetball courts.  We did an 8 mile bike ride through the Hammocks and then went to Black Point Ocean Grill for a few beers and appetizers.  Finally a quick stop at Walmart to stock up before heading to Monument Lake in time for the sunset.  

On the way out of the Everglades we found an alligator stationed at a culvert

pickleball practice

The Hammocks was a great spot for a bike ride.  The path went around this lake, with lots of nice beaches for the local residents (we're not sure if we were allowed to ride there, as there were signs saying it was private)

beers with a view and happy birthday to me?

sliders

and conch fritters

I've never used an amazon locker, it was super easy!

sunset view at Monument Lake

salads and a sunset

Sunday, January 28, 2024 - Last night was a hot night for sleeping with no electricity, but I guess we shouldn’t complain about warm weather.  We woke up to a really foggy morning and enjoyed a few laps around the lake for some exercise.  Kevin set up for us to watch the championship football games behind the van, since it was really windy late in the day.  With the back doors open it was the perfect spot to protect us from the wind.

Morning view from the van...we woke up in a cloud

this purple flower sure stands out in the fog

It looked like it had rained last night, but the wet window was all fog

there's an alligator hanging out in the middle of the lake

really wet spider web on the sign

another gator in the water right next to where we're walking

Tiny across the lake

more purple flowers

behind our campsite, we can see the path where the alligator comes and goes.  Our neighbor said he saw one hanging out behind our RV this morning.  Glad we didn't run into him unexpectedly

Another gator watching us

hiding from the wind behind the van

nachos and a view

front row seat for the sunset