Summer months for me are day paddles (on the water no later than 6:30 am and off the water no later than 12 pm), occasional repairing of camping or boat equipment, traveling north for vacations, making sure my hurricane supplies are updated and lots and lots of AC. It's also the time of year when northerners are awakening from their winter hibernation and feeling the restless urge to go out into the great outdoors and do a little camping. I peruse and sometimes participate on various forums and inevitably, someone from the midwest, northeast or even farther north Canada will get on the forum with some questions that are prefaced with the following "I want to camp in the Everglades this July...". Unbeknownst to this person is that he or she will soon be hit with a barrage of diatribes from many Floridians who will preface their statements with "What are you, nuts!". The poor northerner only wants to take a vacation, probably the only one they get and they really want to see the Everglades because they hear so many wonderful things about it. After all, that's all we Floridians talk about for 6 months out of the year how great our camping trips are!
And so it is that the Everglades is an inhospitable constant steam bath covered in bugs that is only interrupted by daily afternoon storms and an occasional tropical system that sometimes matures into a name. I'll make this short and sweet - DO NOT camp in the Everglades during the summer unless you don't mind spending your nights in a sauna, which may not be so bad because your arms will be exhausted from swatting at the bugs.
Below are graphs showing the average temperatures and precipitation in the Everglades. Most people doing any amount of research on the everglades has seen these. To help you interpret these graphs, I'll share some local knowledge with you. June, July, August and September obviously have the highest avg temperatures. But what you might not glean from this graph is that those 4 months are consistently hot. I mean consistently! You get no break, no way around it. These are also the highest precipitation months, which doesn't necessarily mean you get rain everyday, although it probably rains 9 out of 10 days on any given square mile area in south Florida. What gives these months such high rain levels are the frequent storms that can flood Miami during one afternoon.
OK, so forget those 4 months, what about the fringe months? May and October are a bit more hospitable. There are the "Are you feeling lucky?" months when you could get a break in there somewhere, especially in May. October is still within hurricane season and remember, Wilma came through in late October in 2005, wreaking major havoc in the Everglades. This year, a constant wind machine seemed to run through the entire month of May punctuated with some nice storms.
What about April and November? I end my camping season in early April and begin in late November. These two months are similar, both can be very hot and both can be very cold. During one early April trip, we began our trip in 70+ temp only to experience temps in the low 40s that evening. On a weekend before Thanksgiving, temps reached high 40s. On the other hand, I've experienced moderate temps and have had the most enjoyable camping experiences in both months. It's 50/50.
Which leaves us with December, January, February and March, your basic Everglades camping season. Hurricane season is over, no more high precipitation and temps are moderate. But always keep in mind, anything can happen. I've experienced non-stop heat to where I never got inside the sleeping bag on a coastal trip from Flamingo to Everglades City in Dec and Jan. But, I've also had to wear 3 layers of clothing while cooking dinner on Watson River chickee in December. I've camped on Picnic Key in March when the winds were so strong we set up our tents inside the grapetree forest while watching other kayakers paddle onto the beach with 4-ft surf. I suppose the biggest complaint during these winter months are the winds. This past season was particularly rough.
Do people actually camp in the summer? Yes they do, and I know some very respectable kayakers and canoeists who do. They always have great stories to tell too, while playing down the misery of the heat and bugs. I envy them in some ways because they do experience some beautiful things out there (listening to a sea turtle build a nest and lay eggs right next to your tent, for instance).
While I personally would not camp in the Everglades in the summer, I say that only because I can camp there anytime I want throughout the year. For you northerners, come on down this summer and if you don't want to put up with the camping, explore during the day and stay on Chokoloskee Island or Everglades City in AC'd accomodations.
Here's a recommendation, Chokoloskee Island Park, where you can still camp in a tent, but you can also park an RV or rent a fully equipped efficiency. The park contains a fully equipped marina, where you can launch your boat and enjoy a day of paddling, fishing and exploring the Everglades. Later, come back to the marina, clean up, cool down and enjoy a cocktail in the evening on the covered pavilion overlooking the water at sunset. Now that's experiencing the Everglades in the summer!
