Summary
$15
Entrance fee
None
Live cameras
Historic Crowd Data
Avg. monthly visitors, 2015–2024 · National Park Service
Light
Moderate
Busy
Very Busy
Peak season is March–July, when around 48% of annual visitors arrive. For lighter crowds, aim for October.
Plan Your Visit
Remoteness & Safety"It's a long way to the hospital"▾
Access & Entry$15 · digital pass required▾
FerryYankee Freedom III
NPS-authorized concessioner
Departs Key West 8:00 AM (check-in 7:30 AM), arrives ~10:30 AM, returns ~5:30–6:00 PM. Day-trip fare starts around $260/person and includes the entrance fee, snorkel gear, breakfast/lunch, and a guided fort tour.
drytortugas.com ↗
SeaplaneKey West Seaplane Adventures
Private operator, not NPS-run
Half-day trips around $527/adult, full-day around $890/adult, plus the $15 park entrance fee. Fastest way to reach the fort — roughly 40 minutes each way.
seaplanesofkeywest.com ↗
Fort JeffersonOne of the largest forts ever built▾
Historycontext▾
Construction
Built 1846–1875, part of the Third System of US coastal fortifications (Maine to California); NPS calls it "one of the largest forts ever built," though it was never finished or fully armed
Purpose
Protected the strategic deepwater shipping lanes between the Gulf and Atlantic coasts
Civil War
Union blockade base and prison, mainly for Union deserters
Dr. Samuel Mudd
The fort's most famous prisoner — the physician who set John Wilkes Booth's broken leg after Lincoln's assassination
Abandoned
By the US Army in 1874
CampingGarden Key · FCFS▾
Individual SitesFirst-come, first-served▾
ReservationsNot accepted — guaranteed a spot once you arrive
Fee$15/night, paid via the Recreation.gov app
AmenitiesNo freshwater (bring 2 gal/person/day), no showers, composting toilets closed 10am–3pm
Group Site10–20 people▾
ReservationsRequired via Recreation.gov
Fee$30/night
Book on Recreation.gov ↗
Snorkeling & Reef ProtectionNot in the moat▾
Things to Do6 categories▾
Wildlife & Birdwatching3 highlights▾
Spring MigrationBest: spring
The islands are a stopover for songbirds crossing between North and South America; nearly 300 bird species have been documented in the park
Frigatebird & Sooty Tern ColonyNesting season
Bush Key hosts the only nesting colonies of magnificent frigatebirds and sooty terns in the continental US; roughly 100,000 sooty terns return to nest each year
Sea TurtlesKeep your distance
Green and loggerhead sea turtles nest on the park's sandy beaches; five turtle species are commonly found in park waters
Sooty Tern
~100,000 nest on Bush Key each year
Brown Noddy
Nests alongside the sooty terns
Magnificent Frigatebird
Only continental US nesting colony
Masked Booby
Nests on nearby Hospital Key
Roseate Tern
Spring migration stopover species
Diving & Snorkel Sites4 sites▾
Windjammer (Avanti) WreckLoggerhead Key
Iron-hulled ship that wrecked off Loggerhead Key in 1901; visible from the surface down to about 20 ft
Little Africa ReefLoggerhead Key
Shallow, calm coral reef NPS calls a great spot for snorkelers and, in most conditions, children
Historic Coaling Pier PilingsGarden Key
Late-1800s Navy pier pilings near Garden Key draw grouper, tarpon, and barracuda
Scuba DivingPrivate/charter boat only
Neither the ferry nor the seaplane can carry compressed dive tanks, so divers must arrive by private or charter boat
Fishing2 rules▾
License & GearHook-and-line only
Anglers 16 and up need a Florida saltwater fishing license; only circle hooks are allowed, and spearfishing and lobstering are prohibited
Closed WatersBoat permit required
The Research Natural Area, the Garden Key moat, and areas within 50 ft of historic structures are off-limits to fishing
Paddlesports2 routes▾
Garden, Bush & Long KeyBYO gear
Short paddles around the historic core; circling both Bush and Long Key typically takes a few hours. Bring your own kayak or paddleboard — there are no rentals at the park
Loggerhead Key Crossing3 mi crossing
3 miles west of Garden Key across deep, open water with very strong currents; NPS recommends this route for experienced paddlers only
Fort Tours2 options▾
Self-Guided TourIncluded with entry
Follow the interpretive signage through Fort Jefferson at your own pace; ask at the visitor center for details
Ranger-Guided ProgramsCheck w/ ranger on arrival
When staffing allows, rangers lead fort history tours, ecological moat walks, living history demonstrations, and night sky programs
Charters & Permitted Tour Guides2 options▾
Permitted OperatorsPermit required
NPS-authorized charter operators run fishing, diving/snorkeling, birdwatching, and eco-tour trips into the park
An Alternative to the FerryPrivate charter
NPS describes permitted charters as another option to the daily ferry and seaplane tours for reaching the park
Park Contact Information