West Lake

West Lake is located seven miles north of the Flamingo Visitor Center at the Everglades National Park near Homestead in Florida and is approximately 75 miles from Miami. The center is in turn approximately 38 miles south of the nearest park entrance at the Ernest Coe Visitor Center. Information on the lake and trails can be obtained from the Flamingo Visitor Center, which is open daily from 9am to 4.30pm but the lobby is open 24 hours for self-registration to back country sites.

A boardwalk trail leading to the edge of the lake takes hikers through a forest of white mangrove, black mangrove, red mangrove and buttonwood. It is approximately a half mile round trip for hikers but no bicycles are allowed on this route. However, it is wheelchair accessible. Fishing is not permitted from the boardwalk either.

This body of water has boat ramps and vessels with engines of six horsepower or less permitted here. There is also a canoe trail taking visitors 8.1 miles to Alligator Creek, which is not recommended on windy days as the water can be very rough. While travelling through the narrow creeks lined with mangroves, canoeists may say see alligators and crocodiles.