News Release

Ferry boat and sea plane tours resume and campground reopens

A sea plane sits on the beach as visitors walk toward it with three-story brick fort with harbor lighthouse in the background. Blue-green water in the foreground.
Both the commercially operated sea plane and ferry boat bring visitors to the park from Key West.

NPS Photo John Dengler

Subscribe RSS Icon | What is RSS
News Release Date: June 2, 2020

Contact: Park Information, 305-242-7700

Contact: Media: Allyson Gantt, 786-610-8023

Key West, Fla. – Following guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, Dry Tortugas National Park is increasing recreational access. The National Park Service (NPS) is working servicewide with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and use a phased approach to increase access on a park-by-park basis.

Beginning June 3, Dry Tortugas National Park will resume the following services and restore access to:  


In addition, the following spaces continue to be available:   

  • Outdoor areas on Garden Key, including Fort Jefferson, from sunrise to sunset

  • Loggerhead Key, from sunrise to sunset

  • Marine waters 

  • Garden Key and Bird Key Harbors

Entrance fees apply and boat permits are required for recreational boaters.
 

With public health in mind, tours of the fort and ranger-led programs are unavailable at this time.

“We look forward to welcoming all visitors back to Dry Tortugas now that the Florida Keys have resumed access for non-residents,” said Superintendent Pedro Ramos. “We know our partners are eager to resume their businesses and return to the good work of sharing the unique resources this remote park has to offer.”

The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners continues to be paramount. At Dry Tortugas National Park, our operational approach will be to examine each facility function and service provided to ensure those operations comply with current public health guidance, and will be regularly monitored. We continue to work closely with the NPS Office of Public Health using CDC guidance to ensure public and workspaces are safe and clean for visitors, employees, partners, and volunteers.  

While these areas are accessible for visitors to enjoy, a return to full operations will continue to be phased and services may be limited. When recreating, the public should follow local area health orders, practice Leave No Trace principles, avoid crowding and avoid high-risk outdoor activities.

The CDC has offered guidance to help people recreating in parks and open spaces prevent the spread of infectious diseases. We will continue to monitor all park functions to ensure that visitors adhere to CDC guidance for mitigating risks associated with the transmission of COVID-19, and take any additional steps necessary to protect public health.   

We offer virtual tours of Dry Tortugas National Park, all of the time, so for people who are still home schooling or not traveling at this time check out our videos.

Details and updates on park operations will continue to be posted on our website and social media channels. Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus.

 

Photo credit: NPS Photo by John Dengler

Photo caption: Both the commercially operated sea plane and ferry boat bring visitors to the park from Key West. 



Last updated: June 10, 2020

Park footer

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

40001 SR-9336
Homestead, FL 33034

Phone:

305 242-7700

Contact Us