Everglades Wilderness Waterway planning
Everglades Wilderness Waterway trip packet
Print this. The checklist, the hazards, the emergency plan and the rules of the corridor in one place.
Packing checklist
Hydration & food
- 1 gallon of water per person per day
- Electrolytes
- High-calorie non-perishable food
Protection
- Bug head net
- Long-sleeve sun clothing
- Wide-brimmed hat
- High-SPF sunscreen
Navigation
- Tide tables
- NOAA nautical charts
- GPS with spare batteries
Known hazards
- Strong tidal currents in narrow passes and rivers
- Dehydration and heat exhaustion — there is no fresh water on the trail
- Getting lost in the mangrove labyrinth
- Extreme mosquito and no-see-um pressure outside winter
- Submerged oyster bars and mud flats at low tide
- Alligators in fresh and brackish water; American crocodiles nearer salt water
Water notes
There is no fresh water anywhere along the 99-mile trail. Carry at least one gallon per person per day for the whole trip, and work the tide tables — the waterway runs with the tides.
Emergency plan
File a float plan at the visitor center, carry a GPS (the mangroves defeat map-and-compass navigation), and bring a VHF radio and signal mirror. Ranger patrols exist but response is slow.
Leave No Trace
Camp only at designated chickees, ground sites and beach sites named on your permit. Pack out all trash; use the chickee toilets or a self-contained waste system.