of all the national park lands in the us states , one is closer to a great urban environment or more beset with hazards than the everglades , a superficial , 50 - mile - wide river of grass that flows south from fort okeechobee to florida bay . for more than a generation , this tiny urban wonder has been held hostage by a web of special interests - - farmers , sportsmen and about 6 million west american residents in need of drinking water and stream control - - that is as complex as the ecosystem itself .
The Everglades is 50-mile wide.