Key West Parks
Everglades National Park
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Pineland Trail
0.5 miles (800 meters) round trip. Seven miles (11 km) from
the
main park
entrance. This trail loops through a forest of pines, palmettos, and
wildflowers.
Accessible, though narrow and uneven in places where roots have pushed the
pavement up.
This trail gives you a good look at the damage done when
hurricane Andrew
hit the park in 1992. These pines with their thick bark and tall trunks.
keeping its green branches out of fires way, and the bark acting as insulations
against the flames. This design was not good for the high winds of Andrew.
Here you can see the white trunks left behind after 12 years. When I came
to the park 6 months after Andrew hit I was amazed every pine tree within
the 30 mile path Andrew cut though the park had its top snapped off like
they where match sticks. Most all the pines within that path died within
a year.
As you walk along this trail you will notice the ground
cover of
Saw Palmetto. This is another plant that has evolved to meet the
challenge of fire. The top of the plant will burn off. Its underground
root has an insulation around it to protect it from the heat of the
fire. Then afterwards it shouts up the beginning of a new plant.
Birds
Some of the birds you may see depending on the time of year.
Mostly during the dry season form November thru April.
Northern Cardinal, American Crow, Red-Shouldered Hawk, Blue Jay,
Kestrel, Great Horned Owl, Pine Warbler and Pileated Woodpecker.
If you are driving to Key West
either from home or after
flying into Miami this is a must side trip.
Clyde's Key West Parks
