Everglades

Everglades National Park

Glimpse wading birds, turtles, and alligators in Florida's subtropical marsh region the EvergladesSee all videos for this article

Everglades, subtropical saw-grass marsh region, a “river of grass” up to 50 miles (80 km) wide but generally less than 1 foot (0.3 metre) deep, covering more than 4,300 square miles (11,100 square km) of southern Florida, U.S. Through it, water moves slowly southward to mangrove swamps bordering the Gulf of Mexico to the southwest and Florida Bay to the south. To the east the marsh reaches near the narrow, sandy belt that includes the Miami metropolitan area, and to the west it merges into Big Cypress Swamp. The name Everglades is a term unique to Florida. Glade has been used to refer to an open, grassy area in the forest or a moist, swampy area; ever may have referred to the marsh’s seemingly interminable expanse.