Dry Tortugas National Park guides
11 in-depth guides to Dry Tortugas National Park, in reading order: what to see, how to get around, and what to know before you go. Back to the Dry Tortugas National Park overview.
Ferry or Seaplane: Reaching Garden Key
Both the ferry and the seaplane leave from Key West, which lies 70 miles east of the Dry Tortugas.
Stormy Winters vs. Tropical Summers
The climate here is subtropical, with temperatures generally between 60 and 90 degrees. Two seasons shape any trip.
Fort Jefferson: The Western Hemisphere's Largest Brick Fort
Fort Jefferson stands on Garden Key, the second largest of the seven islands that make up the Dry Tortugas, almost 70 miles west of Key West.
Snorkeling the Southwest Corner of the Florida Reef
Dry land makes up less than one percent of the park, so the water is the best place to experience it.
Limestone Islands at the End of the Keys
The Dry Tortugas lie at the western end of the Florida Keys, about 70 miles west of Key West.
Spring Migration: A Birding Layover at Sea
Spring is the best time for birdwatching at Dry Tortugas National Park, and the islands make a natural stopover for birds traveling between South and North America.
Sea Turtles of the Tortugas
The islands were first called Las Tortugas, the Spanish name for the sea turtles that swim around them and nest on their sandy beaches.
Ponce de León and the Name 'Dry Tortugas'
In 1513, the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León reached a cluster of seven islands about 70 miles west of Key West, at the far end of the Florida Keys.
Primitive Camping on Garden Key
Garden Key is the only island in the park with campsites. At roughly 14 acres, it ranks second in size among the park's islands, and people have affected it more than any other.
Loggerhead Key and Tortugas Harbor Light
Loggerhead Key is the largest island in the Dry Tortugas, covering about 49 acres. It lies roughly 3 miles from Garden Key, the main landing point for boats and seaplanes, so water is the only way to reach it.
Shipwrecks Beneath Tortugas Waters
The Windjammer Wreck, also called the Avanti, is the park's most popular dive. The ship was a three-masted, iron-hulled sailing vessel built in 1875.
