Pa-Hay-Okee is the Seminole word for “River of Grass,” the name Marjorie Stoneman Douglas bestowed on the Everglades while advocating to have the region protected as a National Park.
This trail is a short boardwalk leading to a tall observation tower. Both provide a close-up look at the “River of Grass.”
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Overview
Location: Long Pine Key
Length: 0.2 mile loop
Trailhead: 25.440845, -80.783370
Fees/Permits: Everglades National Park entrance fee
Restroom: No
Land Manager: National Park Service
Phone: 305-242-7700
Expect mosquitoes. The ends of the trail are accessible but there is a staircase to the observation tower.
Directions
From the Ernest Coe Visitor Center, follow the Main Park Road towards Flamingo. Turn right at the sign for Pa-hay-okee and follow to the parking area at the trailhead.
Hike
Start at the boardwalk entrance on the right and follow the boardwalk out into the sawgrass prairie.
Climb the staircase to the observation tower, which is surrounded by cypress trees and stands atop a small tree island.
From this shady perch, you can see incredible vistas across the prairie, some framed by this tree island.
Look straight down to see more water-filled solution holes. They are often the only water source for wildlife during the dry season.
A boardwalk ramp leads you through the cypress canopy and back down to the forest floor. The trail ends at the end of the parking area.
Explore More!
Learn more about Everglades National Park
Everglades National Park In 1.5 million acres across South Florida, Everglades National Park has outdoor experiences from accessible boardwalks and paved trails to rugged adventures in harsh wilderness.Nearby Adventures
More worth exploring while you’re in this area.
Mahogany Hammock Trail Mahogany Hammock is a tree island, a tropical oasis in the Everglades “river of grass,” where the short boardwalk trail immerses you in the jungle-like hammock.
Gumbo Limbo Trail At Royal Palm Hammock in Everglades National Park, the Gumbo Limbo Trail is a gentle paved path that gets you up close and personal with a tropical hammock and its oolite holes. 
Anhinga Trail For most visitors, the Anhinga Trail is their first glimpse into Everglades National Park. It's short, and the alligators are right there: hard to miss
Pinelands Trail The Pinelands Trail is a showcase for South Florida’s weird and wonderful karst, a limestone bedrock that’s full of Swiss-cheese like holes, in a tropical forest where colorful tree snails make their home.
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