As I prepped for our trip to the Everglades and reviewed which trails to hike, this one did not come up. The trail is almost entirely boardwalk and had been closed for most of 2025 for an extensive renovation, reopening in January 2026, just before our visit.
Pa-hay-okee is a Seminole phrase that means grassy waters and this boardwalk lies on the southern aspect of the Shark River Slough, pronounced “slew”. It is the shallow, Sawgrass filled, seasonal river that handles overflow from Lake Okeechobee during South Florida’s wet season, which runs from May till November. We walked the boardwalk counterclockwise.
The minute we stepped onto the boardwalk, and caught our first view of “the river of grass”, we knew that we were in for something special. Being slightly elevated, we had unobstructed views across the landscape, as noted in the title photo and below. Amongst the grasses one can see the bleached bark of isolated dwarf Pond Cypresses, which are leafless this time of year.
It was the dry season in the Everglades so only a few small pockets of water were noted. In the wet season of summer, the water averages 3 feet in depth and the boardwalk is appropriately elevated for that. The lack of water allowed us to visualize the floor of the grassland and the exposed limestone made up of coral concretions. Many of the rocks showed erosion caused by the acids of decaying plants, that formed “solution holes” and held water, which are vital for wildlife during the dry season.
Almost immediately we noted a pair of juvenile White Ibises feeding.
In this same area we got our first up close appreciation of a white flower that we had seen from the roadway at several locations – String Lily. Interestingly, they bloom all year. The flowers are 3 to 6 inches across and are pollinated by the wings of the the large Sphinx Moths when they come to obtain nectar.
Nearby we noted this Palm Warbler visiting one of the solution holes for a drink.
The boardwalk has a slow climb to the base of a covered, elevated platform. After climbing some stairs, one is rewarded with the view from the raised overlook that is even more expansive, looking out over the Shark River Slough, which is 8 miles wide at this location. There are benches on the overlook and it is an amazing place to observe from.
The view to the left.
Straight ahead.
To the right.
The descent from the platform is via a ramp, not stairs, and offers study of a scrub forest rather than grasslands. You are elevated into the tree canopy of a collection of tree species which allows for close examination of the trees.
The first thing we noted were the male cones of the Pond Cypress, which were just about to open to release their pollen.
Nearby we saw a few female Pond Cypress cones about to open and release their seeds from last season. This all takes place before the tree leafs out for the spring.
Also noted in the canopy were a collection of interesting air plants (bromelaids). They are epiphytes, using the tree for structure but not utilizing any of the tree’s resources. They collect water and nutrients out of the air. Bromelaids benefit the host plants by attracting ants that ward off herbivorous insects that might otherwise dine on the tree. They also collect organic debris that decomposes and releases nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus to the host trees.
Ball Moss is a relative to the more familiar Spanish Moss. It carries on photosynthesis to create sugars for energy. The appendages noted in the photo below contain seeds that have hairs that allow for wind dispersal. The seeds will land on the rough bark of a tree to establish a new plant. Like Spanish Moss, it is not a true moss.
Northern Needleleaf – note the bird feather caught in the structure. These were the most numerous of the bromelaids and many were just starting to send up their red flower stalk. They have a bulbous base that adheres to the tree with root-like structures.
I believe that the tan structure in this photo is last year’s seed head.
The tree canopy aspect of the ramp allowed us to get this excellent photo of some bromelaids with a couple of lichens, which were just a few feet away from us at eye level.
In summary, Pa-hay-okee Overlook is a must do if you visit the Flamingo section of the Everglades National Park. It was the only trail that got us out into the “sea of grass” where you could appreciate the immenseness of the landscape, as well as look down into the seasonally wet grassland for closeup observation of wildlife, and the detail of the ecosystem. The canopy walk segment of the ramp, and the opportunity to get face to face with the bromelaids, was a welcomed surprise. Perhaps pack a picnic lunch to enjoy with the views from the overlook.
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Photo credits to Peggy Juengling Burns.
Overview:
Location – at the end of Pa-hay-okee Road, off of Main Park Road.
Parking – Paved lot for 30 cars.
Facilities – none at this location.
Trail Conditions – This is a loop boardwalk trail. We enjoyed taking it counter clockwise. If someone is mobility impaired they can get to the overlook using the ramp going clockwise. The boardwalk is 0.16 miles long.
Print Map Link – none
Benches – large bench within the covered overlook.
Kids – Kids of all ages should do well.
Dogs – prohibited on all trails within the Everglades.
Paired Hikes – there are several trails just a short drive away, including the West Lake Trail and the Mahogany Hammock Trail.
Links:
https://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/pa-hay-okee-overlook.htm