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

Trying to take a pleasant, sluggish drive via a few of America’s most pristine wilderness? Then, it is time you set the pedal to the steel to make your manner via 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 way in which. As Florida Seminole Tourism defined, development of the freeway started in 1915. “Individuals needed to return to Florida, however the time and cash 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 ultimately create greater than 260 miles of roadway. 

“However, reducing via 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 instances.” It took extra funding from Barron Collier, who fortunately offered the funds, as long as the street ran via a brand new county named after him. After greater than a decade of labor by greater than 2,000 staff, $8 million in funding, and a pair of.6 million sticks of dynamite, the street was absolutely 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 remains to be underway to repair most of the ecological points, together with tasks to “elevate 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 tasks like this hope to assist this distinctive ecosystem thrive.” 

The Seminole Nation of Florida has additionally remained lively in advocating for the world, together with its work with the Everglades Restoration Initiative. The area is certainly nonetheless thriving due to 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 via Massive Cypress Nationwide Protect. Hold going from right here, and you will hit Everglades Nationwide Park, the place you possibly can spy much more wildlife, together with extra panthers, alligators, and white-tailed deer, and in the event you pull over to the water’s edge, perhaps even a manatee. 

There are additionally loads of cultural sights price stopping for on the way in which, together with the Miccosukee Indian Village, the place you may discover the Indian Village Museum and might hop on an airboat journey 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 Massive Foot. Who is aware of, perhaps you may spot one on the drive too.