Three-In-One Trail: An Everglades Landscape Buffet

Table of Contents

There are affiliate links in here. I get a small commission if you purchase through them at no extra cost to you.

The last hike from our Everglades trip is the Three-in-One trail, another new to me hike!

This is a great short hike in the Long Pine Key area of the park. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I liked it a lot!

This was our last hike of the day and we did it pretty much right before sunset which was fairly dark at one point but also really nice.

There is a decent amount of parking here so you should be OK finding a spot. We saw one person by the lake but no one else on the trail.

We stopped at the lake both before and after doing the hike, and it was beautiful!

The trail gets its name because it passes through three different habitats: pine rockland, hardwood hammock, and sawgrass prairie.

We did the trail counterclockwise and it started in the pine rockland habitat (I believe).

This section is just through the woods, and there weren’t really any notable sights or plants or anything, just some denseish woods.

I would say the first half is the first habitat and the second half is the hardwood hammock, with the prairie being a little side jaunt.

At the end of the pineland section, about halfway through the loop, there is a side path out to the prairie.

The trail opens up and has beautiful views here. You can join up with the Long Pine Key Trail here if you want a longer hike.

We just turned back though, since we had already done quite a bit that day and were running out of daylight.

We enjoyed the views before turning back and making our way through the tropical hardwood hammock portion of the trail.

This is the part that was significantly darker because the trees and foliage were so dense.

I was a little nervous here (I definitely didn’t need to be) I think because of how quiet and how dark it was.

It was not a scary trail, I’m just afraid of the dark (fun fact about me).

The trail isn’t super narrow but it isn’t wide either. It’s mostly packed dirt but there were some spots that were a little muddier.

It’s easy to follow since it’s just a loop and the prairie is the only side track.

I wish I had more to say about the trail but I don’t. And even though it doesn’t sound like I liked it that much, I actually did!

We didn’t really have to deal with bugs on the trail but if you go when it’s even sort of summery, there will be mosquitos in the woods, so be prepared!

Overall, I liked the trail and I would recommend it. Most of the easily accessible trails in the park are short which means you can do quite a few in a day.

There are longer trails but whether or not they’re maintained varies quite a bit.

I think this one is a good choice if you’re limited on time and if you want a variety in the landscapes that you’ll get to see.

If you can only do one or two trails, I wouldn’t pick this one (I would do the Anhinga Trail and the Mahogany Hammock).

National Park Goodies

If you’re planning to visit three or more national parks within a year from your trip, definitely get the America the Beautiful pass. It will save you money in the long run if you’re going to more than three parks in a year. Buy the pass here.
If you’re planning on doing a lot of hiking on your trip, or even at home, check out AllTrails! This is my favorite app to find, keep track of, and track my hiking activity. And it’s FREE! Sign up here.
This Ultimate National Park Planning Bundle is a must-have. You get two ebooks and a planner, saving 50% by getting them as a bundle! If you want all the details, this is the bundle for you. Buy the Ultimate bundle here.
Doing a road trip? Want an adventure? Consider an Escape Campervan Rental! It’s a great way to see the parks and is perfect for couples and small (but close) friend groups. Book a campervan here!
This National Park Planner (one of the ebooks from the bundle above) is perfect if you just want some guidance in your planning. Buy the planner here.
Get yourself a National Park journal for all of the NPS sites (400+!) to keep track of your travels!
Consider reading some of these books set in national parks before your big trip, on your adventure, or once you get home to take you back to the parks until next time.