Follow the Everglades Flow Path

Water is the dominant force in the Everglades, shaping the land, vegetation, and animal life in South Florida.

- Laurie Hauke and Captains

The Everglades Restoration is the largest environmental project ever undertaken in the world. The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) includes over 50 infrastructure projects designed to store, clean, and convey freshwater south from Lake Okeechobee to the Everglades and then flow out to the Florida Bay.

“This vast, unique, and stunningly beautiful landscape is not just a national treasure but a crucial pillar in the global network of wetlands.

The Everglades is home to an incredible diversity of wildlife, including endangered species like the American crocodile, the Florida panther, and the West Indian manatee. It's a vital breeding ground for tropical wading birds and a refuge for many migratory species.” Ron Bergeron.

Follow the flow of water as it makes its way to the Everglades and out into the Florida Bay.

Stop 1: Shingle Creek

You might be surprised to learn that the Everglades flow doesn’t start at Lake Okeechobee. The true headwaters of the entire Everglades watershed is actually located farther north near Orlando, at a place called Shingle Creek.

Shingle Creek meanders 23 miles through swamplands and cypress forests (the creek was actually given its name in the 1800s from the cypress trees used to make shingles) before reaching the next stop on the Everglades flow path— Lake Tohopekaliga.

Stop 2: Lake Tohopekaliga 

Water flows from Shingle Creek, meandering 23 miles until it reaches Lake Toho — a large lake just south of the city of Kissimmee.