Does dozing in car cause Ranger Rage in Everglades?

I just moved to Miami Beach, about 1+ hours from Homestead entrance

to Everglades. Bought $20 annual pass & plan frequent visits to that

entrance, Shark Valley, etc. Want to take sunrise shots in pineland,

coastal prairie, mangrove marsh, etc. but would prefer driving to

Park night before, sleeping in car, & being ready at dawn. Would

prefer not to always pay camping fee & wonder if others have strategy

that works. Advice appreciated.

Hi Jeff: I live 45 mins from the national park and from Shark Valley. I've found that it's quite easy to get up and be there, before sunrise, without staying overnight. however, there are campgrounds inside the national park (Long Pine Key?) near the main entrance, and at flamingo. There are many other excellent spots throughout the everglades and Big Cypress for shooting. have fun exploring.

 

Cliff

Jeff, we live a similar distance from home to favorite sunrise locations (Galveston, Bolivar, etc are 1+ hours

from Houston) and I cannot think why you would want to sleep in a car overnight (maybe I'm getting too

old for that sort of thing!) The hour's drive allows you to wake up, warms the equipment to the relative

temperature and humidity (there's the photographic objective in my post) and you can buy a cup of coffee

along the way.

Though I appreciate your dedication to being there at first light, sleeping in a car overnight is obviously another form of camping, your just doing it in your car.

 

There are dedicated campsites and park hours to give wildlife a break, and to keep vagrants from using our parks as their homes. How are the Rangers to know that your a well meaning photographer and not a low-life bum ? They will likely have the attitude that you can pay for a campsite or get a nearby motel room.

Jeff -- Apparently you and I are the only people here on photo.net who do this. I do it all the time, albeit not in the Everglades; my usual stomping grounds are in the Appalachians. I'm not too familiar with the area around the Everglades, but if there's a national forest anywhere around there, I recommend finding a secluded spot on a back road and snooze away. Don't park on the main roads -- not only are you inviting trouble from rangers / police, you're also asking to get hassled by any undesirables that might be out on the road. If it comes right down to it, parking lots probably work, but I try to avoid them for the same reasons I avoid the main roads.

Jeff - I live several hours from the Everglades, but shoot there frequently. You probably will be approached by the rangers if you sleep along the road overnight on Flamingo road. On the west side, I've slept in my car at the free campsites - of course not a problem.

 

I've stayed in various places on the Flamingo side, including the campgrounds and the cabins, as well as hotels in Homestead. My father-in-law lives in North Miami Beach, and I've often stayed there and just gotten up real early. From a hotel in Homestead, I can be in the Pahayokee area in about 30 minutes for sunrise, so its not too bad. Staying in the campgrounds may be less cushy, but it gets you there a bit quicker.

Take it from a former park ranger,

 

The Everglades Park Road/Homestead Entrance is no place to try poaching an overnight, not anywhere between the gate and Flamingo.

 

Big Cypress is the only place you can do this, and it's legal. There are several dirt roads that go off into the interior of Big Cypress that are very secluded and offer nice scenic photo opps. To get the good stuff in Everglades, get up early and drive, or pay the camping fee. I used to do it all the time.

 

 

Ross

YES. A few years ago I arrived at Everglades real late and wanted

to shoot morning spider webs. Parked on a very deserted back

dirt road and slept for a few hours. The sun rose hours later and

I started shooting the webs and a ranger came around and

asked what I was doing and did I sleep there. I told the story and

he felt my hood and wrote me a ticket. $35. If I remember right.

So My advice don't try it there.