Shark Valley Everglades Bike Trail

If you want to experience more adrenaline on your trip to the Everglades, try the bike trail at the Shark Valley Visitor Center. In this post, we will go into detail about all aspects of this fantastic ride, from the booking process to the bike rentals and then the actual trail itself.

How to Rent a Bike at the Shark Valley Visitor Center

Let me start this off by saying that you can absolutely bring your own bike to this trail, whether it’s the traditional type (pedals) or electric. When we did the trail, we were passed by a gentleman with an expensive mountain bike and all sorts of gear, so feel free to bring your own if you can. Otherwise, if you are unable to do so, like us, you are able to rent a bike directly at the Shark Valley Visitor Center.

There are two ways to make sure you’ll get a bike on the day you choose: online reservation and in-person. Be aware, though, that the in-person option is on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you get there in the morning, I think you’ll be fine. But if a large group arrives at lunch-time, which is what we saw on our way back from the bike ride, you may not be so lucky. We did the online reservation and it was perfectly simple to do, so we’d recommend that. The price is $20 per bike.

Shark Valley Rental Bike Configuration

When I first saw the bikes resting against the wall, I was a little taken aback. These are not…mountain bikes in any way shape or form. There are no two gears, the chassis doesn’t inspire confidence, and there is no break lever. So, yeah, these are very basic, one-gear bikes that you break by reversing the pedals. The seats are comfortable, though, and are adjustable, so that was a plus.

About half the bikes have baskets mounted in the back, which is a nice touch to be able to store your bags and water bottles. It would have been nice if they had a water bottle holder mounted on the body, so that you could grab it easily while riding, but it’s not a huge deal. The trail is flat and simple, so a no-frills bike will work just fine.

Shark Valley Rental Bike Pick-Up

The bike pick-up station is at the back of the Shark Valley visitor center. If I recall, there were about 15 bikes there when we checked in at 9AM. You need to walk up to a small window, where the park person will give you a form to sign (basically, if you fall on your butt, it’s not the fault of the National Park Service). They will tell you how to brake (reverse pedaling), and also tell you that if you encounter an emergency, you can call a number that is listed on the bike. However, there is no service on the trail (at least, not when we were there), so I don’t really get the point of this.

After that, you are free to pick any bike you like. Regardless whether you are a novice or a pro, be sure to test-drive the bike you pick for a few minutes. Adjust your seat, do a lap or two around the visitor center to get a feel for the seat and the bike. Remember that this bike ride will take anywhere from 2 to 3 hours, depending on your speed, so it’s best to get comfortable before you set-off.

The Shark Valley Bike Ride – To the Observation Tower

As mentioned, the Shark Valley Bike Trail is approximately 15 miles long. You will be riding on an asphalt road with few, if any, pot-holes. The road is flat and fast. There are two parts to the trail, so I will begin with the first one that begins from the visitor center.

When you set-off from the visitor center, you will round a curve and then find yourself with a long, straight road ahead of you. On your right will be a narrow canal with your friendly neighborhood gators floating idly by. On your left will be a large field of prairie grass. Forget about trees and any kind of shade. There is absolutely nowhere to hide, so if you’re going in the middle of summer, prepare to get baked. We were extremely fortunate to have a cloudy morning, so we were spared the sun for most of our ride.

This first part of the Shark Valley bike trail is about 7 miles. You should definitely be ready to stop a few times, as we saw several gators within a few feet of the road, just drifting in the canal. We also saw heron, anhingas, and ibis. There aren’t many curves in this first part, so it’s as easy as it can get. At the end of the 7 miles, you will come to a small tram stop, which signals the half-way part of the trail.

Shark Valley Observation Tower

While wildlife is unquestionably the highlight of the trail, be sure to also check out the large observation tower that is just a few feet from the half-way point of the trail. You can park your bike and walk a few yards to the tower that gives you a great overlook of Shark Valley. The tower has a unique design and shape, and you will see this right away. Instead of climbing the usual series of steps that you find in most observation towers, the Shark Valley Observation Tower makes you walk in a wide, sweeping curve that goes up and to the right.

Shark Valley Bike Ride – Going back to Visitor Center

The second part of the ride is a little more challenging than the first, for two reasons:

1.) More curves
2.) Gators on the road

You decide which of those is a greater cause of concern, but I’ll probably go with the second one. Yes, you will most likely meet a friendly gator or two that will be either directly in front of you on the road, or just on the edge of it, looking bored and sleepy. There were a few times when I was going fast and almost lost control of the bike because I saw a tail suddenly in front of me.

Other than that, the second part is also a mile longer than the first, about 8 miles long. A kind of a cool feature of this ride is that if you leave the observation tower at the same time as the tram, you will be able to actually see the tram all the way on the other side of the prairie grass (the tram does the longer part of the trail, then finishes with the shorter one near the canal).

Wildlife at the Shark Valley Bike Trail

Get your camera ready and slow down, because there are various animals that you will be able to see on this trail. Here is a list of what we saw:

American Alligator
Blue Heron
Anhinga
Snapping Turtle
Ibis
Egret

Overall, the Shark Valley Bike Trail is a fantastic way to enjoy and explore wildlife at the Everglades in a fun and exciting way. If you have done the trail before, or have any questions, feel free to let us know in the comments!