Sunset Ride in the Everglades

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There's a small trail head into the peaceful Everglades tucked away right behind a very busy exit on I-75 and Atlantic Boulevard in Coral Springs. I'd like to say its a secret place, but it is well-used by many people in the area. When we arrived at 7:30pm on Friday, the small parking lot was packed, and and we joined the others parking along the small access road. It was very obvious that we were not the only ones looking to enjoy the evening. The majority of the people stayed close to the trail head to watch the sunset. Fortunately, we had something with us that most others did not, our bikes.

We made our way through the small crowd with lawn chairs and coolers, and headed due west on the levee. We were treated to a beautiful sky, a nice breeze, and a temperature drop of about 10 degrees from the city. It did not take long before we were the only four people in sight and the sounds of the city were far behind us. We pedaled along enjoying the peace, the changing colors, and the sounds of the animals in the marshes around us.

While night riding is new to us, we actually use the Everglades levee trails often. It is an awesome place to get a great bike ride in without the worries of traffic. I initially thought it would be a very isolated place, but on a weekend morning or any early evening, you will pass many other mountain bikers out getting their workouts in.

As locals, we tend to take this place for granted, but this access area is also a fantastic way for visitors to get a taste of the Everglades without the hype and expense of the touristy air boat rides.

Practical Pointers:


• There's two ways to access this section of the Everglades levee system, the trail head in Coral Springs described here and from Markham Park in Weston. If starting from Markham Park, park at the dog park and use the access road to get to the levee. If you are confused finding it, ask anyone with a bike rack on their car and they will point you in the right direction.
• Wear sunscreen. The Everglades are totally exposed, and the Florida sun will burn you..... badly.
• If you are going any distance into the Everglades, check the weather right before you go and keep an eye on the sky while you are there. Many summer storms form over the marsh and you don't want to get caught in one. We are careful but have had a couple of times where we were racing back to the car to avoid impending bad weather.




Daily Diary:


Friday was my first day of a long-awaited vacation from work and this ride helped to get it off to a great start. The evening continued with a delicious dinner accompanied by a great wine and interesting conversation. As a bonus, we were also able to get caught up with the day's events in the Tour de France. (We watch this race faithfully every July.) On Sunday, we make our way from South Florida to the mountains of North and South Carolina. Stay tuned for news of our adventures from that beautiful part of the country.....

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