This Scenic Route in Florida Takes You By way of an Iconic Nationwide Park — and It is Stuffed With Scenic Stops and Wildlife-viewing

Trying to take a pleasant, gradual drive by a few of America’s most pristine wilderness? Then, it is time you place the pedal to the metallic to make your method by the Tamiami Path, aka South Florida’s piece of U.S. Freeway Route 41. 

The stretch of freeway connects two main Floridian cities — Tampa and Miami, traversing the Everglades alongside the best way. As Florida Seminole Tourism defined, building of the freeway started in 1915. “Folks needed to return to Florida, however the time and money it value to maneuver across the state was a disadvantage,” it defined in a weblog put up. So, Dade County put their very own engineer on the venture, serving to to finally create greater than 260 miles of roadway. 

“However, slicing by the Everglades wasn’t as simple as they envisioned,” it added. “The limestone was deep, and the situations sweltering. The venture ran out of cash a number of occasions.” It took further funding from Barron Collier, who fortunately supplied the funds, as long as the highway ran by a brand new county named after him. After greater than a decade of labor by greater than 2,000 employees, $8 million in funding, and a pair of.6 million sticks of dynamite, the highway was totally opened in 1928. 

Nonetheless, with all this new innovation got here some not-so-great penalties, together with altering the day-to-day lives of Indigenous folks dwelling close to and alongside the route and big upheaval to the pure ecosystem. Work continues to be underway to repair lots of the ecological points, together with initiatives to “increase the roadway to permit water and wildlife to move beneath. Changes have been made to ensure water was being distributed evenly. Portion by portion, sections of the roadway have been slated for bridging,” the tourism web site defined. “In 2020, the ultimate part of the venture was funded with the goal to have it accomplished by 2024. Conservation initiatives like this hope to assist this distinctive ecosystem thrive.” 

The Seminole Nation of Florida has additionally remained energetic in advocating for the world, together with its work with the Everglades Restoration Initiative. The area is certainly nonetheless thriving because of all these measures and initiatives, and it is a spot the place vacationers can see loads of Floridian wildlife, together with birds, alligators, turtles, river otters, bobcats, and, as Paradise Coast famous, black bears and perhaps even an endangered Florida panther as you move by Large Cypress Nationwide Protect. Maintain going from right here, and you may hit Everglades Nationwide Park, the place you’ll be able to spy much more wildlife, together with extra panthers, alligators, and white-tailed deer, and should you pull over to the water’s edge, perhaps even a manatee. 

There are additionally loads of cultural sights value stopping for on the best way, together with the Miccosukee Indian Village, the place you will discover the Indian Village Museum and may hop on an airboat experience to get an entire new view of the Everglades. And do not forget to cease on the Skunk Ape Analysis Headquarters in Ochopee, a analysis institute devoted to the legend of the “skunk ape,” Florida’s model of Large Foot. Who is aware of, perhaps you will spot one on the drive too.