mahogany hammock

Great chance to walk through an amazing jungle that you couldn't get into any other way. The shallow water outside the hammock made for some great pics of the clouds. I did get tagged by 4 mosquitoes in the 30 min we were there, how dare i walk into their house right ;)

This is a very cool trail. There are resident owls in it and we heard a couple and saw one small one.

How many places can you go to see native mahogany forest, ferns growing on logs, and a safe, albeit steamy walk through a jungle environment?

Another opportunity for a short hike into the deep forest. Largest mahogany tree in the US quite impressive.

Mornings or evenings are better to catch birds, but my itinerary put me more at middle to late afternoon by the time I arrived to check out this anticipated ecosystem. Since the Everglades is pretty darn flat, the subtle elevation change means a distinct yet interrelated ecosystem! I was looking forward to seeing the largest living mahogany tree in the United States as mahogany trees are tropical and only grow as far north as Florida. The Mahogany Hammock Trail boardwalk elevates you above the dense and tangled ground growth and provides good signage along the way. For non-plant people, this is a unique transition zone where Florida’s tropical plants meet temperate plants more well known to those of us from outside Florida. Here’s where tropical mahogany, gumbo-limbo, palms, palmetto, air plants and weird strangler figs meet Virginia oak, red maple and hackberry. And here’s where salt marsh plants meet fresh water plants. You’ve entered a very special place not only in the Everglades, but in the US!After gazing in awe and trying to photograph the largest living mahogany, (my friends joke I’m part of the plant paparazzi, haha!), I’m completely enthralled by the crazy strangler figs, proof even in the plant world it’s survival of the fittest. It’s not everyday I get to see so many wild tropical plants in their natural habitat on an easy boardwalk trail that keeps my feet dry.

This is a beautiful look at an amazing place! If a biologist were to recreate a diorama in a museum of Jurassic Park ( the movie) or the wild Amazon, they would copy this place. Mosquitos can get bad but worth it!

This walk takes maybe 15 min if you walk briskly. It's cool under the trees and the mahogany trees are fascinating to see. Epiphytes are everywhere! Good plank walkway. I had bug spray on and was still bitten so take precautions if Mosquitos love you. Definitely worth the stop.

Wait until bird migration is under way. Sometimes it's hot, sometimes it's not. Be patient and go slow and observe. Sometimes owls can be found

This is a nice boardwalk trail through a mahogany hammock. There are some decent size trees in the hammock and was the most sought after (curious) trail for me.

We visited the eastern side of the Everglades National Forest. Wasn't real impressed; the park on the North side off the Tamiami Trail is a lot more fun. If you have the extra time, drive a little further and have a lot more fun.

The best time of the year to hike this boardwalk is during the cooler months, which is just what my wife and I did earlier this year. It's a relatively short, easy walk. The flora it passes through is interesting, to me anyway.

Short (0,5 mile), easy but really nice boardwalk, really worth to do, especially if you're more out to do shorter walks.

Note: be sure to have bug spray! It's a great and easy walk through the hammock. It's a boardwalk trail, that wheelchairs can take. The trees are incredible along this route. Don't rush and just enjoy the scenery

We traveled the extra 20 minutes from the Anhinga Trail and back specifically to do this walk and it probably was not worth it, unless we were going to do more things in the area. This walk is very shaded and there are a lot of mosquitos. Make sure you use bug spray! It was also a little creepy because there was not anyone else around. We didn't see any animals, just some neat scenery.

What we liked best about this trail was what it didn't have: a lot of visitors. There was a long boardwalk to one of the tree islands that afforded long distance views of expansive glades. The walk around the hammock had a few informational signs that provided needed detail to appreciate the tangled flora. The red-tinted mahogany was majestic and the fallen trees that serve as nurseries were poignant. All in all a trail that allows you to connect with the wilds of what you are viewing. With plenty of shade and a trail wide enough for strollers, it was suitable for any visitor. A pleasant 30 minutes for sure.