Coastal Prairie Trail, Flamingo Hiking

Coastal Prairie Trail

The trailhead: The path begins in the Flamingo Campground at the back of Loop C. The 1.3-mile Bayshore Loop Trail makes up the first segment of the Coastal Prairie Trail, which is a 7-mile linear trail (14 miles roundtrip) leading to a small primitive campsite.

What you'll see

From there you start the Coastal Prairie Trail, an old cotton picker’s path created in the 1930s when the U.S. government decided to eradicate Florida’s native wild cotton plants that grow to tree height.

The reason for this action: to protect cotton elsewhere in the US because the native Florida cotton contained pink boll worms.

If you’d prefer to go left and walk Everglades Park’s longest trail, you’ll need a backcountry camping from the Flamingo visitor’s center. Or check at the Homestead center when you first enter in case Flamingo’s facility is closed.