Everglades National Park Shark Valley

The day prior to our ride while making our way across Florida on Alligator Alley, we’d stopped by Shark Valley in the Everglades, but hadn’t taken in much of the park. We knew we’d regret not riding around the 15-mile loop after hearing how many alligator sighting opportunities we’d have so we loaded our bikes and drove the hour back to the park from our hotel.

Tourists have three options for enjoying alligator sightings from the paved trail: riding the tram, walking, or riding a bike (bikes are also available for rent). The tram travels clockwise and walkers/cyclists are encouraged to take the trail counter clockwise so they can see the tram coming and move to the side of the trail.

The ranger we’d spoken with the previous day had informed us that we’d see many more alligators on the western side of the loop (our first half) and that most would be on the right side of the trail.

 

Sleeping Alligators Versus Those on the Hunt

The allure of spending time on the Tram Trail is the opportunity see alligators along the trail. Although the trail is open and accessible to visitors 24/7, those arriving before the parking lot opens at 8:30 AM or after it closes at 6:00 PM must park their vehicles outside the park entrance along US 41 where there are wide shoulders and ample room.

Visitors arriving during park hours will mostly see alligators sleeping as they recharge for the following night’s hunt. Guests arriving after hours probably wouldn’t see alligators because they would have moved away from the trail to the marsh in search of their next meal.

 

Ride Overview
  • • Ride Name: USA, Everglades: Shark Valley Roundtrip in Alligator Land
  • • Ride with GPS: Link to turn-by-turn navigation cue sheet
  • • Location: Everglades National Park Shark Valley, Florida
  • • Course Type: loop
  • • Course Surface: paved
  • • Bike: Salsa Warbird
  • • Distance: 20.39 miles
  • • Time: 1:46:41
  • • Average Speed: 11.5 MPH
  • • Maximum Speed: 20.0 MPH
  • • Elevation Gain: 56 feet
  • • Elevation Range: -1 to 40 feet
  • • Weather: 72° and mostly sunny, climbing to 77°
  • • Date of ride: January 29, 2025
  • • Course map:

 

Dodging Alligators

The West Tram Trail (first half of the loop, going counter clockwise) is 7 miles and connects the visitors center/parking lot area with the Shark Valley Tower.

 

Signs aplenty warn and educate visitors to be aware of dangerous wildlife and to be cautious.

 

Almost immediately we encountered our first alligator. At first I nervously stayed toward the middle of the trail as best I could, but had to move over for oncoming traffic – some walkers choose to go out a mile or so before turning back.

 

My husband was braver than me from the start.

 

We learned that a female alligator usually nests in the same general location over many years, building her nest in May or June before laying 20 to 50 eggs.

 

The right side of the trail had a clearly visible waterway often covered with lily pads and beautiful flowers. The water flowed under the trail through huge culverts, but the water on the other side of the trail was often less open and harder to see (more marshy).

 

Big boys sleeping…

 

There were two side trails along the West Tram Trail, the Bobcat Boardwalk Trail…

 

And the Otter Cave Hammock Trail. We didn’t take either, but saw a few people exiting by foot as we rode by.

 

When we encounter this big guy, we joined a few other people for pictures. My husband took out his good camera for some great captures and then once the other people moved on, took a couple of pictures of me riding by the unimpressed alligator.

By now my attitude had changed from nervousness and riding in the center to, “Oh yeah, there’s another one” as I rode on the right side of the trail.

 

Usually, the alligators were fully off the trail in the grass, but occasionally one would have forgotten to tuck in his tail.

 

At the junction of the West and East Tram Trails, there was a small rest area which included porta potties and picnic tables. A couple of rangers were milling around answering questions.

A side trail links the Tram Trail to the Shark Valley Tower which is well worth the short ride or walk. And always beware and never let your guard down, even when stopping to drop of trash or use the porta potties.

 

Shark Valley Tower trail…

 

Even though the stairs to the tower’s higher vantage points were closed, the views were fantastic from the tower.

 

The Burrow Pit Trail can be reached from the Shark Valley Tower Trail. Just before I rode by a man and his son exited on their mountain bikes.

 

The East Tram Trail (second half of the loop, going counter clockwise) is 8 miles and connects the Shark Valley Tower with the visitors center/parking lot area.

 

This side of the loop is more barren and we saw no walkers and very fewer people on bikes.

 

When we came upon this alligator on the left side of the trail, he surprised because it was the first (and only) one we’d seen on that side of the trail.

 

We met trams twice and both times the tram stopped to allow us to find a safe place to stop out of the way. Luckily, no alligators were nearby when we had to pull over!

 

And what ride is complete without a selfie of the two of us!

 

Other Animals of the Everglades

In addition to seeing dozens of dozing alligators, we saw many interesting and very large birds, a large turtle, and a dead snake.

Anhinga…

 

Great Blue Herons…

 

Little Blue Heron…

 

Florida Red-bellied Cooter…

 

Garmin Stats

Post-ride Garmin…

 

Garmin map and elevation graph…

 

 

Final Thoughts on the Rides

Even though this was one of the easiest rides we’d done in a long time (slow and flat), it was one of the most entertaining. My opinion of alligators changed during the ride from thinking they were always on the hunt (much like a mountain lion) to realizing that they were far more interested in resting and recharging for the night’s hunt than they were in me, as long as I didn’t provoke them.

We knew we’d regret not doing this ride if we’d skipped it and were glad we made the effort to drive back to the park. After all, it’s not every day that one gets to ride with alligators lining the trail.

 

Questions
  • • Have you visited Florida? ~ many times
  • • What are your thoughts on alligators, similar to mine? ~ I’d always heard that they can move fast and assumed they were always on the prowl. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t get too confident, didn’t get too close, and kept an appropriate distance.
  • • Do you stop and relax occasionally to fuel or take pictures, or barrel on through when on a long run or ride? ~ pictures, always pictures, unless I’m racing