Deep in the vast Everglades, amid mysterious cypress swamps, sprawling cattle ranches, fertile citrus groves, casinos and bingo halls, the unconquered Seminoles and Miccosukees live in peace with man and nature. And tourists.

Members of Florida's two federally recognized Native American tribes — descendants of a small band of stalwarts who refused to leave their homeland in the mid-19th century — welcome guests to their reservations to learn about their heritage.

Robert Kippenberger/Seminole Tribune (ENLARGE)
Mary Billie, an elder of the Miccosukee Tribe, makes dolls and baskets at the Miccosukee village on the Tamiami Trail.
Robert Kippenberger/Seminole Tribune (ENLARGE)
An airboat and a dugout cypress canoe show the evolution of Everglades transportation at Billie Swamp Safari, which encompasses 2,200 acres of native and exotic wildlife on the Big Cypress Indian Reservation.
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The third and final Seminole War ended in 1858 with no surrender. Worn down by the defiant and wily Seminoles, the frustrated U.S. military gave up the fight. By then, however, more than 3,500 Seminoles had been killed in battle or deported to reservations.

The 500 or so undefeated Seminoles who had fled into the swamps to avoid capture and removal never signed a peace treaty with the United States. Left alone at last, they began to build a new life, living off the land and depending on strong family ties.

Visitors to South Florida associate the tribes with alligator wrestling, airboat rides, hot fry bread, sweet-grass baskets, intricate beadwork and multicolor patchwork clothing — all of which are part of their vibrant culture.

But their story can't be fully appreciated with a quick stop at a roadside attraction.

Travelers can get a glimpse into the lives of the Seminoles and Miccosukees past and present during a trip across the tip of the Florida peninsula.

A drive from Naples to Miami via the Tamiami Trail and returning from Fort Lauderdale on Alligator Alley (now I-75) takes visitors into the wet wilderness where the ancient Calusas once thrived and today's Native Americans meld traditional culture with 21st-century life.

In the language of the Seminole, che-hun-ta-mo (welcome).