Exploration

With more than 2,475,000 square acres between Florida’s four national parks, there are seemingly endless outdoor adventures to explore.

Ensuring the vitality of the flora and fauna throughout the parks is crucial, but the future of these public lands ultimately depends on those who experience them firsthand.

Visitors are encouraged to leave as champions of these national park units, eager to share their incredible encounters with the natural world. To facilitate this, collaboration with each national park unit helps curate elevated exploration experiences.

Florida Bay, the terminus of the greater Everglades ecosystem, holds a key role in understanding South Florida’s “river of grass.” To make this connection more tangible, a new kayaking program was funded, allowing visitors to explore Florida Bay with rangers from Everglades National Park—an invaluable experience offered free of charge.

A pilot program in Everglades National Park’s Shark Valley District now provides underserved and marginalized Miami-area communities, including homeless shelters, migrant worker groups, and mental health facilities, with access to one of the park’s most popular destinations. By addressing barriers like transportation, entrance fees, and tram tour costs, the program offers participants a day of respite and personal restoration, along with the personalized attention of rangers. This magical place, where alligators gather, is open to everyone.

Trails aren’t limited to land; the Maritime Heritage Trail, established in partnership with Biscayne National Park, invites snorkelers and scuba divers to explore shipwrecks and the iconic Fowey Rocks Lighthouse—key elements of Biscayne’s history.

For those interested in camping without the gear, the eco tents in the Flamingo District of Everglades National Park provide a comfortable solution. These structures cater to both novice and experienced campers, many of which come fully furnished.

Backcountry campsites are maintained, high school students get the chance to discover fungi, stargazers enjoy the dark South Florida skies, and swamp walks immerse visitors in the park’s unique ecosystems.

Whether through personal immersion, direct engagement, or relatable education, visitor programming is designed to be more than just playtime in the parks—it fosters a deep commitment to conservation. The goal is to offer even more opportunities for visitors to “find their park” in the future.

Visit each park’s page to see what exploration projects are currently underway at Big Cypress National Preserve, Biscayne National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, and Everglades National Park.