From Flamingo, paddlers can explore the keys of Florida Bay, the aptly named Whitewater Bay, Cape Sable and the southern, interior rivers. The Central Rivers Area is at least a day's paddle away from Flamingo. From Everglades City in the north, paddlers can explore the Ten Thousand Islands, the northern Gulf and the interior bays and creeks of the north end. The Central Rivers Area is at least a day's paddle away to the south.

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness covers about 80 percent of the total ENP. In 1947, Douglas wrote Everglades: Sea of Grass, which was instrumental in informing the public about the uniqueness of the Everglades. Douglas' book launched the move to establish the Everglades as a national park. *Unfortunately, when designating the ENP as a Wilderness Area in 1978, the water portions of the park were exempted from the "no motorized vehicles" rule of the Wilderness Act. This means that powerboats are allowed in the wilderness, in most of the paddling areas of the Everglades. I have not found this to be a distraction, since the scenery and overall experience simply overwhelm a few boats whizzing by. The farther you get from Everglades City or Flamingo, the fewer boats you will see.