When people think of Everglades National Park they think of Flamingo, the boardwalk close to Florida City or Shark Valley. Often forgotten is the Gulf Visitor Center and Everglades (City) in Collier County on the other side on the peninsula.

Iconic locales like Ted Smallwood’s Store make this gaunt well worthwhile.  The below photos were taken in 2010, several years before Hurricane Irma destroyed the visitors center and damaged the Smallwood Store. The temporary visitors center provides access to the Ten Thousand Islands, a unique group of mangrove habitats.