Things to do nearTen Thousand Islands

Ten Thousand Islands forms the northwestern edge of Everglades National Park, encompassing roughly 35 miles of coastline where freshwater from the Everglades meets the saltwater of the Gulf of Mexico. The resulting estuary is one of the most biologically productive ecosystems in North America, supporting an extraordinary range of fish, birds, and marine mammals within its tangle of red and black mangroves.

The islands themselves are not dramatic in elevation but are endlessly varied in character. Some are low shell mounds built over centuries by the Calusa people, whose sophisticated culture thrived here long before European contact. Others are pure mangrove thickets, their arching prop roots creating underwater nurseries for snook, redfish, and tarpon. Anglers have long regarded these waters among the finest backcountry fishing grounds in Florida.

Kayaking and canoeing are the primary ways to explore the area, and a network of marked water trails allows paddlers of varying experience levels to navigate the channels safely. Guided tours departing from Everglades City introduce visitors to the ecology of the estuary and the history of the Calusa and later fishing communities that called this coast home.

What makes Ten Thousand Islands genuinely compelling is its scale and its silence. There are no roads here, no beachside amenities, and very few signs of the modern world once you move beyond the launch points. That absence is precisely the point, and it makes the islands one of the most rewarding wild places left along the entire Gulf Coast.