This past Saturday I was able to get out for a dayhike at the Arthur Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge
http://library.fws.gov/refuges/Loxahatchee02.pdf
(also known as SFWMD Water Conservation Area 1)along a levee out into the heart of the Everglades.

This vast NWR comprises what is left of the northern Everglades as the rest of the historical northern Everglades stretching to Lake Okeechobee has been converted to Everglades agricultural areas and sugar cane ,sod,cattle,etc. farming.

I rode my mtn. bike out to there reaching the southern NWR boundary by way of a levee along the Everglades & Francis Taylor Wildlife Management Area https://my.sfwmd.gov/portal/page?_pageid=2236,4778125&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
(also known as SFWMD Water Conservation Area 2 where I was riding and 3 further south).The Everglades WMA encompasses the vast central Everglades while the Everglades National Park encompasses the southern Everglades.

As I got a late start it was approaching 3 pm when I reached the NWR so quickly parked my bike and headed out into the Everglades on foot along the westward levee.There were a few people headed to the first water control area to fish but beyond this point you rarely see anyone else hiking though you often see boats speeding by on the adjacent canal that is popular for fishing(and this time was no exception).I hiked 4-5 miles to the second water control area and turned around so did probably 8-10 miles altogether.One thing I like about this hike is you can count on seeing numerous red shouldered hawk on the scarce trees out along this levee.I saw one sitting atop a snag near the second water control area and watched it for some time.I also saw several great blue heron and a few egrets but no gators.Late in the day I also saw a otter surrying off into the sawgrass marshes.

As I got back to the NWR trailhead/boat launch area the fiery red sun was low in the sky over the Everglades ,aways a beautiful site.I was on my bike back along the Everglades WMA when the sun finally set over the Everglades horizon to the west and as always it was picture perfect.I had to stop to take in the sight and as the day had been one of the first with low humidity in some time and the evening the coolest in some time I was starting to get an itch for an overnight trip where I would have more time to savor these moments.