Pa-hay-okee Overlook

Pa-hay-okee Overlook is a raised, roofed viewing platform on a short boardwalk loop, about 13 miles from the park’s main entrance. The full route is just 0.16 miles (260 m) round trip and is wheelchair accessible. Keep it on your drive if you want a wide look over the Everglades without taking on a longer walk.

The path crosses wetland vegetation to the covered platform, then loops back to the parking area. It’s a brief stop, but the raised deck gives you a different view of the open prairie than you get from the road. Bicycles aren’t allowed on the trail.

From the shelter, look over sawgrass, patches of shallow water and a low, open horizon. Birdwatching is part of the appeal, though sightings vary. For a photo, keep a section of boardwalk rail in the foreground with the wetland behind it; that gives the broad, flat view some scale.

USGS translates the Indigenous name Pa-hay-Okee as “grassy waters.” The Everglades’ “river of grass” isn’t one deep channel: water spreads in a shallow sheet across the low landscape. The region’s limestone base and the length of time a prairie stays flooded shape its soils; marl is common in shorter-flooded wet prairies, while peat tends to form where water lasts longer.

The overlook reopened in winter 2026 after a full renovation for safety, accessibility and durability. The wider boardwalk and roof are new, while the new ceiling reflects the original 1959 design.