Dry Tortugas National Park

The vast majority of the area constituting Dry Tortugas National Park is open water. Facilities and amenities are next to nonexistent. The only way to reach the park is by boat or plane. Still, no survey of the national parks would be complete without this one.

Dry Tortugas National Park protects the seven Dry Tortugas islands, which are part of the Florida Keys. The largest, Loggerhead Key, is famous for its sea turtles, while Garden Key supports Fort Jefferson. The unfinished coastal fort is the centerpiece of the park, but the true marvels are all underwater.

An array of marine wildlife, coral reefs, and even shipwrecks make Dry Tortugas a diver’s paradise. The underwater sites range from those requiring scuba gear to those that can be surveyed by snorkelers. The Little Africa Coral Reef is a snorkeling site calm and shallow enough for kids to enjoy. More experienced divers will want to check out the Windjammer Shipwreck.

Worth Checking Out

• Fort Jefferson
• Loggerhead Key
• Garden Key
• Windjammer Shipwreck
• Little Africa Coral Reef