Dry Tortugas National Park Guide
70 miles off the coast of Key West and only accessible by boat or seaplane, Dry Tortugas is one of the most unique parks you can visit. From historic Fort Jefferson, to spectacular coral reefs, tropical fish, and shipwrecks, the park has a lot to offer its visitors. Let me help you by breaking down just a few of the things to do, whether you’re going for the day, or camping for a few nights.
When to Visit
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You can expect good weather at the park year round, though seas are notably choppier in the winter time, which can make a boat ride to the park unpleasant, and the waters around the park cloudy and poor for snorkeling. From September to February though, Bush Key is open to the public, when migratory birds that normally live there aren't nesting. Regardless of when you choose to visit, it's best to make your arrangements for getting there well ahead of time.
How to Get There
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So, getting to Dry Tortugas National Park is a little more difficult than most, considering the park is either ocean or scattered islands. Boat or plane from Key West, Florida are really your only options. Key West itself has a major airport, but many also fly into Miami or Fort Lauderdale and make the three hour drive down. Unless you have large sums of money to charter a private vessel, you're going to have to use the ferry or seaplane service.
The Yankee Freedom Ferry
$180.00 is the cost for a roundtrip to Dry Tortugas and back on the Yankee Freedom Ferry, including breakfast, lunch, and snorkeling gear to use once you get there. There’s a variety of ways to get the price down though, including having an Annual Pass for the national parks, a student ID, military ID, or signing up on the Yankee Freedom’s website where they occasionally e-mail out discounts. It’s two and a half hours each way, with around four hours spent docked at the park itself. Click here to book your place on the ferry.
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Key West Seaplane Charters
If you’ve got the money, the seaplane will get you there quicker, and provide the better views along the way. 40 minutes of flight time each way will set you back $356.00, for about two and a half hours in the park. For six and a half hours, the price goes up to $625.00. The best things in life are never free, unfortunately. Click here to book a spot on the seaplane.
Both the seaplane and ferry docked at Dry Tortugas.
Things to Do in Dry Tortugas National Park
Fort Jefferson
Time: 1 - 2 hours.
Distance: 70 miles from Key West.
Fort Jefferson is the main attraction of Dry Tortugas, and the place you’re probably going to start your trip. If you’re coming by ferry or seaplane, they’re going to be letting you off at Garden Key, one of the largest of the islands within the park and where you’ll find the fort. Whether you’re a history buff or not, the fort is worth exploring. Walking the moat wall around it provides you with some of the most iconic views of the park itself, and is a great way to spot some aquatic life, if you don’t feel like going in the water. The interior is rich in historyl, having housed the likes of Union army deserters, and the physician who treated Abraham Lincoln’s assassin, John Wilkes Booth. Admire the mesmerizingly symmetrical archways inside, or peer through the windows to the gulf. A trip to the top of it’s walls gives a magnificent view of the park and its surroundings. It’s also where you’ll find the gift shop and visitor center, for those that want to leave with a souvenir or a stamp for their National Parks passport. While never fully completed, it’s still a wonder of construction, and the largest brick structure in the northern hemisphere.
About Me
Hi there, I'm Dan: videographer, travel-addict, and beer-lover. I left corporate life behind to start my own video business and travel the world. Want to know more about me and Dan Treks?
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Archways, symmetry and perfectly framed ocean views abound in Fort Jefferson.
Snorkeling & Swimming
Time: Up to you.
Distance: Also up to you, but don't go too far.
The turquoise waters of the Dry Tortugas aren’t just for looking at: there are actually two beaches on Garden Key near the fort for swimming, one to the north and the other to the south. Whether you bring your own gear or make use of the gear provided by the Yankee Freedom Ferry, you won’t want to miss out on some amazing snorkeling. Vibrant coral reefs, starfish, loggerhead sea turtles, conch shells and more can be found in the waters around Fort Jefferson. If you’re spending more than a day on the island, try your hand at night snorkeling near the moat wall of the fort to see some marine life you might not catch during the day, like octopus and squid. If you have the means, head over to the nearby Loggerhead Key, where you’ll find the snorkel-able remains of the Windjammer, a shipwreck from 1901.
The waters around Fort Jefferson teem with marine life and are perfect for snorkeling.
Dry Tortugas National Park Cinematic Video
Peer into the crystal clear waters of the Gulf of Mexico, abundant with sea life, or explore the walls of the massive Fort Jefferson, situated on a tropical island, surrounded by nothing but the ocean--all in under two minutes, in this cinematic video of Dry Tortugas National Park.
Loggerhead Key
Time: 3 - 4 hours kayaking time.
Distance: 3 miles.
Fort Jefferson may be the most popular part of the park, but a walk around the moat wall and you’ll spot another island in the distance, with an incredibly tall lighthouse. This is Loggerhead Key, and to get there you’re going to need to cross three miles of open, often choppy water. No, not by swimming of course, but canoe or kayak. If you’re coming on the ferry, you’re allowed to bring a kayak or small canoe for a $20.00 fee, though they can only transport three per trip. Three miles by paddle is no easy feat, so only plan on the journey if you’re going to be camping for a few days at the park. While the island is certainly unique and worth exploring, the real treasures of Loggerhead Key come in the waters near it, in the form of maybe the best snorkeling the park has to offer with the Little Africa Reef and the shipwreck of the Windjammer.
Loggerhead Key boasts solitude, turtle nests,
and even an old shipwreck to explore if you're staying overnight in Dry Tortugas.
Camping
Time: Minimum two nights.
Distance: N/A.
By now you may have realized, there’s quite a bit to do at this national park--quite a bit that’s going to take some time, more than just a day trip by ferry or plane. So why not spend a few nights? Like many of America’s National parks, Dry Tortugas features a campground. Located near the south beach, the ground has eleven sites available on a first-come first-served basis, with an overflow area for extras. If you’re coming by ferry though, book well in advance, as it can only carry six camping groups and their gear per voyage, with a maximum stay of four nights. You’ll also need to bring enough supplies for your stay, including food and water, as there is none within the park. You’ll be rewarded with having the island nearly to yourself once the boat has departed, where you can explore the fort undisturbed, have the time to check out a different part of the park such as Loggerhead Key, catch the sunset from Garden Key, and at night, treat yourself to some starry skies free of light pollution.
The campground next to Fort Jefferson is really the only way to stay overnight on dry land in the park.
Where to Stay in Dry Tortugas National Park
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Hotels and Lodges
There's no lodges within the park, so your closest option is going to be back in Key West. I personally stayed at the 24 North Resort, one of a cluster of resorts in Key West's new town area. Hotels here are cheaper (we paid around $110.00 per night through Groupon), but farther from downtown, though most run a free shuttle there. Resorts in old town will be more expensive since they're closer to the action. There are a number of Airbnb's in Key West too, but most are fairly expensive. For more on things to do in Key West, click here.
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Camping
If you want to stay in the park, camping is your only option on Garden Key next to Fort Jefferson. Sites are first-come first-served and cost $15.00 per night. The real trick though is getting there with all of your camping gear, which requires making a camping reservation with the ferry months in advance. The ferry only takes around six camping groups each day, and the spots on it go fast.
Sunset from the Dry Tortugas campground.