One Does Not Simply Walk Into the Everglades (ECT Day 5)

The Land and the Waters

“First Peoples of our continent lived for centuries in areas that are now national parks. They lived in ways and on lands that were – and are – known deeply to them. These places are entwined with their traditional ways, a body of ancestral wisdom.” – (America’s Largest Classroom: What We Learn From Our National Parks by Thompson & Houseal)

I went into this journey on the Eastern Continental Trail wanting to be intentional about learning some history of the land I’m walking on. Obviously, it’s impossible to know all the different encounters and events that impacted a location, but I can try to absorb some of it. What I’m most interested in is trying to learn about the Indigenous people who lived here (and their decedents that still live here), what it was like for them, and acknowledging and feeling the pain of the history of removal and near annihilation.

The truth is I don’t know much of anything about this. This is a start and I’m learning as I go. South Florida has an extremely messy history! In so many ways, it’s the same sad story as the larger picture in the United States… push native people out by any means necessary and take their land. What I’m hoping to understand more of are the details of how this played out in this specific place that I’m walking and paddling through. I think this is important. 

So, for starters, I found out that the Calusa were here long ago, whereas the Seminole and Miccosukee have a more recent history in the area. I’ll be digging in to this when I can, but I wanted to fill y’all in on this aspect of the journey. If anyone has more knowledge, please leave a comment. I’d love to get more insight.

Key Largo to Everglades National Park
  • Hiked Today: 34.6 (2 miles on FKOHT, 22.8 miles on ECT Connector Trail, and 9.8 miles on Stevie Everglades Alternate)
  • Total Hiked: 140.3 miles

This morning I got up again in the dark and again earlier than the day before. Personally, I’d much rather hike in morning darkness than end-of-the-day darkness. Today, I got the joy of doing both. Oh goody.

It was about a half hour walk to the Circle K (gas/petrol refueling station and convenience store), which sort of marks the transition to the ECT Connector Trail! The Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail (FKOHT) officially ends a bit further.

At Circle K, I surprised myself by taking an unplanned hour-long break. If you’ve been following along you know I’ve been pushing. That means minimal breaks. So, this was different, but needed. I plugged in my phone to an outlet outside, bought a coffee, filled up my water (long stretch up ahead with only contaminated pesticide water I hear), and uploaded a post and such.

 
Out of the Keys

Then, it was goodbye to the Keys!

But not yet goodbye to the road walk or even Highway 1. I would walk almost 10 miles before exiting away from the highway. There was a very nice big shoulder and even a closed lane at one point, so it allowed me to peruse on my phone some.

I loved the morning light walking over the bridges. To my right (East) there was an expanse of trees and I was looking over it from above. A few birds flew around, one that I think was an Osprey. It had a white underside. The ornithologists out there will have to let me know how to identify.

And, I found some fish…

Here’s my exit…

Getting off here and away from US 1, I started a long walk next to a canal. At the start of this, right away, I found some manatees, a big alligator, and some fish swimming around. Pretty amazing experience.

See ya highway!

The canal walk was nice. There were lots of herons and buzzards, fish jumping about 4 feet into the air, and abundant sunshine. I had my lunch in the shade of a nice palm tree.

Nearing the end of the canal walk, I was slowing down and my feet were sore. During such times, I often find myself plopping right down in the middle of the trail (granted, in Florida I’m terrified of what I might find anywhere off trail, so I stick to it!). A pick me up I needed. I went to my rations and downed some fuel in the form of sugar and caffeine. It worked wonders.

Starting the Stevie Alternate

To kick things off on my alternate route I had a sizeable road walk, a little over 6 miles. This is where I cut off the official ECT route away from the canals around Homestead.

It started out looking like this…

Soon, the paved shoulder disappeared entirely. There wasn’t too much traffic, but when it did come, I just walked in the grass. It wasn’t long before I reached the Everglades National Park sign. After that, the grass along the roadside was really nice and good walking. I stopped at the visitor center and got water, which was perfect timing. A nice lady there recognized me as a thru-hiker and we chatted briefly.

There are a lot of things that I did not research or plan much for on this stretch. For example, getting into the park itself, I honestly didn’t think about that until the entrance “gate” came into sight. It was a good thing I’m going about this by the books and reserved my permit. As I approached, I wasn’t sure whether to just hop in the car line or something else. Spotting a woman outside of the building in the grey and green uniform, I headed straight to her. I ended up talking to her and another staff member who came over. They were great and wished me well on my journey!

Next, I walked through the car line and showed my annual park pass to that ranger. Nobody ever checked my backcountry permit. I asked her about the trail because I knew very little about it and was considering road walking more if it was questionable. Mainly, I wanted to know if there was a chance I’d be water walking (I hear this is how it is ahead when starting the Florida Trail in Big Cypress Preserve). They said the trail shouldn’t be flooded unless it rains. I was encouraged!

The road past this part was my favorite part of the day, although manatees are hard to beat! Something about the lighting and all the birds out there in the sea of grass. Stellar. An alligator was hanging out below a bridge and we briefly made eye contact before he scampered off.

As the sun was going down, I happened to be going by this neat area with water on both sides. A few folks had driven out there and parked for sunset. There were numerous ducks and other birds squawking about, but somehow in a calm way that was very tranquil.

I started walking the Old Ingram Highway trail a little before 6:00 pm. This section would certainly rank up there in hikes I was the most frightened. It was 3.5 miles to my reserved camp site and it was now very nearly dark when setting out. Great. Awesome time to start my walk through the swamp.. It was just so much unknown and I just sensed that this was not a place for humans to be after dark.

Once it did get dark and I started using my headlamp, I also started singing/talking out loud. This was a technique my trail fam and I used some times on the CDT when in grizzly country. Usually my lyrics were coming out as if all the animals were my intended audience. The idea was simple, let them know I’m coming so as to not startle anything up close. Still. I had goosebumps at times and my singing turned into high pitched shrieks more than a couple times.

 

Usually it was birds. Lots of birds! And the herons look like giant bats or something swooping overhead, like those evil ones in Stranger Things season 4 (maybe there’s a few of you that get this reference – it ain’t good!). One bird or maybe it was a bat, had glowing eyes (because of my headlamp). And I saw 4 toads, also with glowing eyes. And several gators off to the side in the water with one yellow eye checking me out.

Thank the Lord I didn’t see any snakes or I might’ve pooped my shorts. Maybe the scariest of it all though was the spiders! There was one massive one maybe the size of a quarter, but with weird thick legs. It’s web, like many others, were spun right across the trail. Ugh. Like Ron Weasley, I don’t like spiders, I don’t like them at all.

Somehow I made it to camp. The mosquitos were present as I set up and several made it inside my tent. Finally I felt safe. Why my mind thinks the mesh will save me from what’s out there I don’t know, but once inside some of the fear subsided. Some of it. There were so many noises going on! Birds making a racket and crickets and splashes and at one point something breathing slow deep breaths.

What an amazing place this is, but sheesh oh Pete’s, it’s a whole new and startling world to me!

 

 

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Comments 5

  • Manger Cat : Jan 15th

    It’s wonderful to discover that someone hailing from the Great State of Michigan is doing a thru hike. You’re the first Michigan native that I’ve come across blogging for the Trek. I’m looking forward to reading about your adventures.

    It appears that you left Michigan just in time. The temperatures took a nosedive the first of the year. Some days barely making it above 20 degrees with single digits at night. Predictions are even colder for next week. Looking at temperatures going into negative numbers. At least the next 3 days should be in the low 30s. Woo Hoo! As you’re aware, you need enjoy any small reprieve you get from below freezing temperatures.

    I’m eagerly awaiting your future blog installments. Stay safe.

    Reply
    • AB : Jan 16th

      There were actually two bloggers from Michigan last year. Mo Wynne hiked the AT and Liz Seger hiked the CDT. Both had great blogs. As a Michigander myself I’m looking forward to following along on another hike!

      Reply
      • AB : Jan 16th

        I forgot there was also Mika Byers from the UP who hiked the AT last year another great blog to catch up with.

        Reply
        • Wendy : Jan 16th

          Totally enjoying your writing & video clips! Your experiencing the enjoyment & fears of the unfamiliar -very interesting!! Thank you for taking us along!!

          Reply
  • Professor Jellybean : Jan 16th

    Great blogs, Stevie! I eagerly look forward to the next installments!! The videos are great. That’s the first time I’ve seen a manatee in the wild that wasn’t in some kind of documentary. Thanks for sharing the journey with us!

    Reply

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