Everglades National Park Highpoint Trip Report

Grossman Hammock (10+ ft)

Date: March 13, 2006
Author: Ron Tagliapietra

Driving north on Krome Avenue, there is no sign for Chekika. Nathan Chancy and I missed the turn, and had to return south on Krome Avenue to Richmond Drive, where there is a sign for Chekika. We followed Richmond to the right and left turns. The left was gated, so we parked near the gate and went up the road. This is an easy highpoint, and we returned to the car in 30 minutes.

We jogged past the old entry booth and came to a fork. We went left, which ended at a parking area for a loop trail. We walked in on the second boardwalk and spotted a purple gallinule. The boards soon ended at a place where you could see them start up again to the right, but we went left into the other area. We found some buildings and a round well by the highpoint. After photos, we returned to the boardwalk and parking area, noting alligators on the way.

Returning to the fork, we went up the right side this time. We passed four large tanks on our right and reached the same well by the highpoint. This would have been the faster way to go, but we would have missed the purple gallinule and the gators.