News Release

Everglades and Biscayne National Park Close in Preparation for Hurricane Ian

Date: September 27, 2022
Contact: Everglades: Allyson Gantt, 786-610-8023
Contact: Biscayne: Liz Strom, 786-335-3673

HOMESTEAD, Fla. – On September 27 as of 5:30 p.m., Everglades and Biscayne national parks temporarily closed park entrances and visitor facilities in preparation for Hurricane Ian for the safety of visitors and staff.

Emergency services are extremely limited. No visitor services are available while the closures are in effect. If you must be on the water, stay tuned to the forecast and keep a sharp lookout.  

At Everglades National Park,

• Vessels may continue to seek safe harbor in the designated areas within the area of Ponce De Leon Bay, the Little Shark River between marker 1 and marker 69, and the main tributary of the Shark River.
• The Flamingo Marina is closed.
• Chickee camping platforms are closed, and vessels are not permitted to tie off to the chickees.
• No wilderness camping permits will be issued until further notice. 
• Concession-operated services and tours are also suspended.  

At Biscayne National Park, the following areas are closed until further notice:  

• Convoy Point Grounds 
• Dante Fascell Visitor Center 
• Biscayne National Park Institute tours 
• Florida National Parks Association bookstore 

These areas remain open in Biscayne:  

• Boca Chita Key 
• Elliott Key 
• Adams Key 
• All park waters  

After the severe weather passes, the National Park Service will assess park conditions to determine when it is safe to reopen.

If the storm track changes, the parks may issue a new advisory with updated status, including lifting any closures. Please check “Alerts” on the park websites for current information. The NPS Hurricane and Severe Weather Response has updates for all National Park Service sites. 

For more information about Everglades National Park, visit nps.gov/ever or follow the park on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

For more information about Biscayne, visit www.nps.gov/bisc or follow the park on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @BiscayneNPS. Park visitors can obtain the current status for tours and the bookstore by calling: [phone].