As far as National Parks go, Dry Tortugas is one of the least visited National Parks. In my opinion it is one of the ones that I want to plan a trip to the most!
A view of the fort. Photo Courtesy: National Parks.org
Dry Tortugas is located 70 miles west of Key West, and requires a boat (or sea plane) to access it. It is also home to the 3rd largest coral reef in the world!
If you plan to visit, you want to make sure you are traveling with strong swimmers. Less than 1% of the park is land, so bring your swimming gear. The coral and sea grass claim to be some of the most vibrant in all of the keys. Cool bonus: There are an abundance of shipwreck sites to explore when you are diving as well as marine life.
Shipwreck site at Dry Tortugas
Garden Key is the name of the island that has the most human action happening. It is home to the welcome center, camp grounds that the park offers and some fun swimming areas. There aren’t any places to purchase food, so when you go make sure to bring your own snacks/meals along with you.
Fort Jefferson still stands at Garden Key, it was built to protect the shipping harbor. It was one of the largest forts ever built, sadly it was never fully finished or armed.
So, tell us: Have you heard of Dry Tortugas before? Now that we’ve shared about it with you, do you want to plan a trip?