Everglades National Park: River of Grass

We stretched out our stay at Bahia Honda as long as possible. We checked out at 12:59, while an irate arriving camper hovered over his future site. Our drive up from the lower Keys was pleasant and uneventful. We stopped for groceries in Florida City, then turned west and south down the 40-mile dead-end road to Flamingo. We passed Long Pine Key Campground, which was full. We arrived at Flamingo, at the southern end of the Everglades National Park, just before dusk and checked into the campground. They put us in T-loop which features extremely large pull-through sites. There are no hookups in the campground, however, we fared very well without shore power. There is also no broadcast TV and no Verizon cell service, meaning no internet service. This is tough for internet junkies like Dorcas and me. I read a lot. The sun shown brightly every day and our solar array performed brilliantly. I guess it helped that we couldn't watch TV all night long. We only ran the generator once, mainly so we would fit in with our neighbors.

There are no flamingos in Flamingo. The early settlers ate them all many years ago. In the early 1900s Flamingo was somewhat of a hole-in-the-wall. There was no road to the area, and the population was only about 100 people, mostly wildlife poachers, moonshiners and outlaws hiding from authorities. It was a miserable place; hot, humid and infested with mosquitoes. About that time a deranged real estate developer thought the area would make a fine vacation destination and built a road. After the road was built, the population dropped to about thirty people. Most folks said, "Hey, look, there's a road. Let's get outta here!"

Flamingo was a much more happenin' place than I expected. It was hit very hard by Hurricane Wilma in 2005, when an eight-foot storm surge washed over the area. The lodge and restaurant were destroyed, but there are plans to rebuild using more eco-friendly designs. The marina and store were damaged but have since reopened. The campground has been repaired and has reopened. While we were there they were installing electrical service in T-loop, where the RVs are parked. I guess this will allow idiots crazy enough to visit in the summer to run their air conditioners. More power to them.

Biking and hiking opportunities were very limited in this area. There was only one designated bike trail. The Snake Bight Trail (honestly!) runs from the park road about 2 miles to Snake Bight on Florida Bay along a railroad grade. We biked this trail late one afternoon, just before the bugs came out. Otherwise we biked on the road. It is about a mile from the campground to the marina area, and we biked this stretch a number of times. The primary activity, as far a we were concerned, was the canoeing. We had not paddled during the two weeks we were in the Keys, so we were stoked to paddle the first chance we get.