As many times as we’ve been to Florida, we haven’t seen an alligator close up in nature. Dustin really wanted to see one. Therefore, once we realized that one of the best places to see alligators in Florida is at the Everglades National Park, specifically Shark Valley, we were quick to be on our way. Shark Valley is located 30 miles west of Miami, in the very heart of the Everglades freshwater marsh. It has a single 15-mile loop paved trail that gives you the best opportunity to see alligators and other wildlife. This paved trail also takes you to a beautiful 70ft observation tower that provides a panoramic view of the whole area. You can hike, bike, or ride the tram along this Shark Valley’s loop trail.
Stats
Where
Shark Valley Visitor Center
36000 SW 8th Street. Miami, FL 33194
Coords:
25°45’24.8″N 80°45’57.2″W
Tram Tours and Bike Rentals Info
Shark Valley Tram Tours is an authorized concessioner for the Everglades National Park. Their physical location is at the Shark Valley Visitor Center. You can purchase your tram tickets or rent bikes there. To reserve bikes or tram tickets ahead of time, you can check out their website.
Restroom
There are restroom at the Visitor Center and at the Shark Valley Observation Tower (7 miles hike in).
Fee
Since Shark Valley is part of the Everglades National Park, you’ll need to pay a fee to enter. For the most current pricing, check out their website. You can also use your America the Beautiful Pass here.
Distance
The loop trail is 15 mile
Elevation Gain
Super flat
Time:
- Tram tour takes 2 hours
- Bike ride takes about 2-4 hours depending on how often you stop
- Walking will depend on how far you want to walk.
Pet-friendly
Your pets can be in the parking lot ONLY. They are NOT allowed to be on ANY trails. We recommend leaving your pets at home. They might become gator’s snacks.
Weather
Video
3 Ways to Explore Shark Valley
Shark Valley in Everglades National Park consists of a single 15-mile loop paved trail. There are two very short trails located off the main loop trail. Both of these might be closed when there is flooding. The Bobcat Boardwalk is 0.5 miles long while the Otter Cave Hammock Trail is 0.25 miles. There are 3 ways to explore Shark Valley.
Tram Tour
This is a 2-hour narrated tour by a trained naturalist. This tour is perfect for visitors with less mobility. The trams stop quite often so you can look at wildlife. Halfway on the trail, the trams will stop so you can visit the 70 ft high observation tower. From the deck of the tower, you’ll have panoramic views of the whole area. For up-to-date hours and prices, check it out here. You can purchase the tram tickets at the Visitor Center or reserve them online at Shark Valley Tram Tours. F.Y.I. the tram goes clockwise on the loop trail.
Bike along the Trail
You can either bring your own or rent bikes at the Shark Valley Visitor Center. If you want to rent the bike, either come early or reserve ahead of time with Shark Valley Tram Tours. They run out fast on busy weekends. The bike rental starts at 8:30 am and may be rented until 4 pm. The rental bikes are nothing exciting. They are single gear, similar to a beach cruiser. If you have your own bike, it’s definitely better. By the way, E-bikes are allowed with the speed limit of 15 mph. Biking is our favorite way to explore Shark Valley. With a bike, the 15-mile trail doesn’t seem that bad. Also, we get to stop wherever and for however long we want.
Walk the Trail
Most people chose to walk the trail just for the first couple of miles, since 15 miles is pretty long. By walking, you can see and pay attention to more of the surrounding area. This way, you might be able to see more wildlife. Also, you don’t have to pay for the tram tour or rental bikes (if you don’t owe a bike). However, unless you’re willing to walking 14-15 miles, you’ll missed out on seeing the observation tower, which is another highlight of Shark Valley.
Tips on Visiting Shark Valley
When is the Best Time to Visit Shark Valley?
The best time to visit Shark Valley is in the winter, from December to April. Also, in the winter, you don’t have to deal with pesky mosquitoes and bugs or the heat. If you want your best chance of seeing tons of alligators along the trail, make sure to visit after a cold night. Make sure to go early in the morning. Because they are cold-blooded, the gators tend to bask in the sun on the river bank to warm up. If it’s too warm out, they usually prefer to hide in the water.
Other Tips
- Shark Valley tends to get very busy during peak season, usually from December to April every year. Parking is limited. So, the wait to get in can be over an hour during the holidays or weekends in the winter. For overflow parking, you can park on the Tamiami Trail and walk in or bike in if you have your own bike. If you’re visiting during the winter, make sure to visit on the weekdays or go as early as you can, before 10 am.
- Besides the fact that the parking is limited, Shark Valley might be also running out of bikes to rent or seats on the tram. If you need to visit during peak times, we recommended reserving the tram tour or the bike rental in advance here.
- Bring plenty of water and sun protection. It can get very warm here, even in the winter and there are minimal shades. Also, bring food and snacks. There aren’t any places that sell food here.
- Do not harass, touch, or feed any wildlife. It is illegal.
- There is a water fountain to refill your water at the observation tower. This tower is 7 miles (about halfway) from the Visitor Center on the paved loop trail.
- Make sure to stop for the tram if you’re riding bicycles.
- Pets are NOT allowed on any trails.
- Phone reception is limited here so make sure you download or print out anything necessary beforehand.
- A little-known fact: Shark Valley is open 24 hours, though the parking lot is closed at 6 p.m. As long as you park outside the park, you can access the Loop Trail after closing time. This means if you’re brave enough, you can ride the loop trail at night or best, during a full moon.
The Bike Ride Through Shark Valley Loop Trail
The Start of the Ride
Our group opted to go with the bike because we wanted to go the full loop, but also the option of stopping whenever we want. Since we couldn’t bring our bikes on the airplane to Florida, we rented the bikes. The renting process was quick and easy. Soon, we headed out onto the trail. Since it is a loop, we decided to go counter-clockwise because someone told us that they saw an alligator just up the road.
Sure enough, right at the start of the trail, next to the sign, there is a small gator hanging out. So, we decided to play “spot-a-gator.” As we bike along, we were all excitedly called out every time we saw an alligator. Lucky for us, the night before was cold so they are out basking in the sun to warm up. There were so many of them along the bank of the river and in the water. There were a few decent-sized gators as well. Even though there were a decent amount of people on the Shark Valley loop trail, they seemed to be thinning out about 3 miles in.
As we rode along the flat paved trail, Dustin heard little sounds that he swore it was from baby alligators. They made this cutest little hiccup sound. So, we kept our eyes peeled for them. Then, we saw something move in the grass near the water’s edge. There were baby gators sleeping on the grass. They were super tiny and adorable! Of course, we didn’t stay too close to them because we knew mama gator is somewhere right next to her baby. We also see many other wildlife along the trail such as the Red-bellied Turtle and Anhinga.
Shark Valley Observation Tower
After 7 miles of the eventful bike ride, we reached the beautiful observation tower. This observation tower is another reason we wanted to visit Shark Valley. It has very interesting and unique architecture. We parked our bikes outside and walked in. If you need water or to use the restroom, this is the place to do it. There are restrooms and a water fountain here.
The walkway circles around and lead up to the observation deck above. The top deck was closed when we were there however, even at the lower deck, you still have breathtaking, 360° views of the surrounding areas. It is also a wonderful place for photos. We are obsessed with unique architecture so we couldn’t get enough of the tower. Oh, and from the top, you might be able to see more alligators below, either on the grass or in the water.
The Last Half of the Trail
After taking our time at the tower, we went on our way to finish out the last half of the trail. This last half of the trail is not as eventful as the first half. There were way fewer people and also fewer alligators. Since it was getting warm out, most of them went back into the water. We only saw 2 by the time we made it back to the Visitor Center. Even so, at this point, we had our fill and excitement of seeing an alligator. I think Dustin was quite happy with our adventure.
If you’re visiting Miami, Shark Valley in Everglades National Park is a must. It was such an interesting place and you get to see alligators in the wild, undisturbed. Stay tuned for more things to do in and near Miami. If you’re visiting Orlando, check out our recommendations below!
These are the gear that we personally use and find them helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
Things to bring
- Good walking shoes if you’re planning to walk the trail or biking.
- Sunscreens. We use eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen, Stream2Sea SPF 30 and these tinted, organic All Good Organic Sunscreen Butter.
- Water! Lots of water. A backpack would help such as the Camelback L.U.X.E. or the Patagonia Women’s Nine Trails Pack 18L
- Lunch and snack! There isn’t any place that sell food there. For healthy and easy snacks, check out some of our recipes.
- Hat and sunglasses. The sun can be blinding there.
camera gear
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