Bike the Parks

Parks / Florida

Everglades National Park

Pedal a flat, car-free loop through sawgrass with alligators beside the pavement.

3/5
Worth bringing a bike

Shark Valley's flat, paved, car-free loop is one of Florida's best wildlife rides, but beyond it the park offers only traffic roads and a few unmaintained trails.

Riding here

Cycling here centres on Shark Valley, a paved loop off the Tamiami Trail that only trams, walkers and bikes use, with a tall observation tower at the halfway point and wading birds and alligators along the way. It is dead flat, so the challenges are sun, heat and stopping for wildlife rather than hills. In the southern part of the park, cyclists can also use the main park road and a couple of old roadbeds near Flamingo, though those side trails are not kept up.

Where you can ride

Bikes are permitted on the main park roads, the Shark Valley Tram Road and the L-67 Extension Trail at Shark Valley, the Old Ingraham Highway, the Long Pine Key trail network, and the Snake Bight and Rowdy Bend trails near Flamingo. The Shark Valley Tram Road is the park's main cycling destination; the others are quieter, rougher options. A speed limit of 15 mph applies on the Tram Road and 10 mph on all other trails.

Where you can't

Bikes are limited to the roads and named bike trails above; walking trails such as the Bobcat Boardwalk and the rough limestone Otter Cave Hammock Trail at Shark Valley are for hikers. The NPS notes that the Snake Bight, Rowdy Bend and Long Pine Key trails are not currently maintained, to protect habitat for rare plants and butterflies, so expect overgrowth and check with rangers before riding them.

Rides

  • Shark Valley Tram Road Loop

    • Paved path
    • 15 mi full loop from the Shark Valley Visitor Center
    • Paved
    • Easy

    A flat paved loop shared only with the park's tram tours and walkers, running out to an observation tower with sweeping views over the sawgrass marsh. Herons, egrets, turtles and alligators are common close to the pavement, so most riders take two to three hours with frequent stops. There is little shade, so carry water and sun protection.

    Start: Shark Valley Visitor Center, Tamiami Trail (US 41)

  • Snake Bight and Rowdy Bend from Flamingo

    • Gravel
    • 12.6 mi round trip from the Flamingo Visitor Center, linking both trails via the main park road
    • Old unpaved roadbed plus a paved road section
    • Moderate

    Rowdy Bend follows an old road bed through buttonwood and coastal prairie, and Snake Bight cuts through tropical hardwood hammock to a boardwalk that is good for birding near high tide. The NPS says neither trail is currently maintained, so expect overgrowth, and take care on the stretch of main park road that ties them together.

    Start: Flamingo Visitor Center

  • Long Pine Key Trail

    • Gravel
    • 7 mi one way, Long Pine Key campground to Pine Glades Lake
    • Moderate

    A network of connecting trails through the pine rocklands that runs west from Long Pine Key, roughly parallel to the main park road. The NPS lists it as not currently maintained to protect rare butterfly habitat, so check conditions before you go.

    Start: Long Pine Key campground

Car-free riding

The Shark Valley Tram Road is not open to private vehicles; it is shared by the tram tours, cyclists and walkers.

Shuttles and bikes

There is no park shuttle that carries bikes. Shark Valley's tram tours use the same loop as cyclists, so expect to share the pavement with them.

When to go

The dry season, typically December through April, is the time to ride: it is the busy season, with milder weather and wading birds concentrated near the water. The May to November wet season brings heat, storms and heavy mosquitoes, and fewer ranger programs run.

Closures and restrictions

The Shark Valley district was closed by an emergency wildfire closure in summer 2026 and reopened on August 24, 2026. As of the September 2026 alerts page, all entrances and areas were open apart from a few closures unrelated to the bike routes (including the East Everglades Day Use Area). The Snake Bight, Rowdy Bend and Long Pine Key trails are not maintained. Check the park's alerts page before you go, since fire and storms can close areas at short notice.

Safety

Expect full sun with almost no shade, high heat and humidity, and summer thunderstorms. Alligators often rest right beside the Shark Valley loop, so slow down and give them plenty of room. Mosquitoes are heavy in the wet season. Keep to the 15 mph limit on the Tram Road and 10 mph on trails, and watch for trams and walkers sharing the loop. The main park road carries car traffic, so ride with care there.

E-bikes

E-bikes must have working pedals and a motor under 750 watts (1 hp). Pedal-assist e-bikes may go anywhere a regular bike is allowed, including trails. E-bikes that can move without pedalling are limited to public roads, the same as motor vehicles.

Fees

A per-person pass for visitors on foot or by bicycle costs $20 and is good for 7 consecutive days at all entrances; children 15 and under enter free. An annual park pass is $70. The park lists an extra $100 nonresident fee for visitors aged 16 and over, which does not apply to holders of an annual or America the Beautiful pass. The park does not take cash: pay by card or buy a digital pass. Source: nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/fees.htm.

Rentals, tours and shuttles

  • Your bike shop hereSample listing

    This spot is for one rental shop, guide service or shuttle near Everglades: your name, what you offer, and a link straight to your booking page, at the top of this section.

    Feature your shop on this page, free until spring 2027

  • Shark Valley Tram Tours (bike rentals)

    Rental, Shark Valley, Miami, FL. Website

  • Flamingo Adventures

    Rental, Flamingo, Everglades National Park, FL. Website

Shops listed without a badge are businesses we found near the park; we don't take payment for those. Run a shop near Everglades? Add it here.

Sources

Checked November 2026 against these sources. Rules, closures and fees change; confirm with the park before you ride.

  1. Biking — Everglades National Park (NPS)
  2. Bicycling — Everglades National Park (NPS)
  3. Shark Valley Trails — Everglades National Park (NPS)
  4. Fees & Passes — Everglades National Park (NPS)
  5. Alerts & Conditions — Everglades National Park (NPS)
  6. Shark Valley reopens after wildfire closures (NPS news release)
  7. Basic Information — Everglades National Park (NPS)
  8. Things to do in Shark Valley — Shark Valley Tram Tours
  9. Flamingo Adventures at Everglades National Park — Miami & Beaches

Edited by David Bussell. Spot something out of date? Tell us.

Nearby parks