Though once an auto road, Ingraham Highway has been abandoned for decades. The crumbling pavement is becoming reclaimed by vegetation and soil, but the old road still provides a safe pathway across the swampy expanse. It borders a vast stretch of the “River of Grass”––the Everglades’ famous sawgrass marsh that seems to stretch on forever.

There are other plant communities along the trail as well. For much of its length, the path is bound on either side by dense hardwood vegetation, typical of the tropical hammocks that rise out of the wet prairies. Then there are cypress domes, which are stands of wetland trees with characteristic woody “knees” protruding from the soil. You’ll also see miles of marl prairie, which are seasonally flooded flatlands of low-growing vegetation.

Along the trail are two campsites, which are available with a wilderness permit. The first is Ernest Coe at about 3.5 miles from the trailhead. This site is nothing special, just a clearing of grass in a wooded area. The next is Ingraham campsite, a comfortable clearing in a copse of trees at the very end of the trail. It is possible, but difficult, to continue walking east of Ingraham to reach the main park road in another 2.5 miles. Returning the way you came is the recommended route.

Sources: https://www.nps.gov/ever/camping-fees.htm https://floridahikes.com/old-ingraham-highway