Dry Tortugas National Park
Planning Your Visit
Operating Hours & Seasons
The park is open all year.
Ft. Jefferson on Garden Key is open during daylight hours; closed at dark.
Loggerhead, East and Middle Keys are open year-round during daylight hours.
Bush Key is closed to visitors February through September to protect nesting Sooty and Noddy Terns.
Hospital and Long Keys are closed all year.
Fees & Reservations
Entrance Fee
The entrance fee for the park is $5.00 for visitors 17 and older. The pass is valid for 7 days. Currently, Seaplanes of Keywest, Sunny Days Catamarans, and Yankee Freedom are collecting the fee from their passengers. National Parks Pass, Golden Eagle, Golden Age, and Golden Access Passports honored.
Camping
The campground is a self-service fee area with a nightly fee of $3 per person. A 50% discount applies to holders of the Golden Age or Golden Access Pass. No other discounts apply. Fees paid for transportation (seaplane or ferry) do not include camping fees.
Directions
Plane
Commercial air service is available to Key West International Airport. Seaplanes of Key West provides air service from Key West to the national park. See "Public Transportation" below for seaplane information.
Car
There are no roads to Dry Tortugas National Park. It can only be reached by boat or seaplane.
Private pleasure boats are welcome, but must be fully self-sufficient. U.S. Coast Guard and Geodetic Survey Chart #11438 is necessary for navigation to the Dry Tortugas.
Public Transportation
Public transportation - ferry and seaplane - serves the park from Key West.
For ferry schedules, prices, and reservations, contact:
Sunny Days: phone (800) 236-7937 or (305) 292-6100; on the internet at www.drytortugas.com.
Yankee Freedom: phone (800) 634-0939 or (305) 294-7009; on the internet at www.yankeefreedom.com.
Seaplane transportation is provided by Seaplanes of Key West. For schedules, prices, and reservations, contact (800) 950-2FLY or (305) 294-0709; on the internet at www.seaplanesofkeywest.com.
Fishing and dive charters can be arranged in the Florida Keys and Naples. For a list of services, contact the park at (305) 242-7700.
Getting Around
Upon arrival, see the orientation program at the visitor center in Fort Jefferson and take the self-guiding tour of the fort.
A boat is necessary to visit areas of the park other than Garden Key/Fort Jefferson.
Dry Tortugas In Depth
News from the Parks
Civil Rights Leaders Declare Fundraising Success for the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial
December 4, 2008 - 3:10pm
Civil rights leaders gathered Wednesday to declare that they had finally overcome their money obstacles and raised more than $100 million to build the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial near the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall.
December 4, 2008 - 3:10pm
Civil rights leaders gathered Wednesday to declare that they had finally overcome their money obstacles and raised more than $100 million to build the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial near the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall.
Wildlife Biologist Cites Reasons Behind Bear Attacks
December 4, 2008 - 3:08pm
Great Smoky Mountains National Park wildlife biologist Bill Stiver said bear management and education of the public must take place in order to decrease harmful bear and human encounters.
December 4, 2008 - 3:08pm
Great Smoky Mountains National Park wildlife biologist Bill Stiver said bear management and education of the public must take place in order to decrease harmful bear and human encounters.
Park Develops Plan to Preserve Outcrops
December 4, 2008 - 3:05pm
Shenandoah National Park asked for comments on a study it did on how people affect rock outcrops and the rare vegetation that grows on them. Visitors have damaged some popular rock outcrops and the park is trying to decide how to best protect pristine areas while still allowing visitors to enjoy them.
December 4, 2008 - 3:05pm
Shenandoah National Park asked for comments on a study it did on how people affect rock outcrops and the rare vegetation that grows on them. Visitors have damaged some popular rock outcrops and the park is trying to decide how to best protect pristine areas while still allowing visitors to enjoy them.
White House Christmas Tree Lighting Closes Streets, Limits Parking
December 4, 2008 - 3:04pm
D.C. police are warning travelers of street closures near the White House during the afternoon rush hour for the lighting of the National Christmas tree.
December 4, 2008 - 3:04pm
D.C. police are warning travelers of street closures near the White House during the afternoon rush hour for the lighting of the National Christmas tree.
Officials Prepare for Chronic Wasting in Deer
December 4, 2008 - 3:01pm
Chronic wasting disease, a contagious neurological disease that affects white-tailed deer, could devastate local deer populations, and National Park Service officials want to be prepared if the disease makes its way inside the boundaries of Monocacy and Antietam national battlefields.
December 4, 2008 - 3:01pm
Chronic wasting disease, a contagious neurological disease that affects white-tailed deer, could devastate local deer populations, and National Park Service officials want to be prepared if the disease makes its way inside the boundaries of Monocacy and Antietam national battlefields.
