Looking for a national park adventure? You just might find it in the remote Dry Tortugas National Park. Located seventy miles west of Key West, Florida, the park is actually a cluster of small islands renowned for vibrant coral, lush seagrass, and migratory birds. Though not as numerous as they once were, loggerhead turtles and green sea turtles still call the park home at times, as do Sooty Terns, Magnificant Frigate Birds, and Brown Noddies—making it a birders' paradise.

History buffs will enjoy a visit to Fort Jefferson, an outstanding nineteenth-century fort built with 16 million bricks, which once served as "Guardian of the Gulf." Divers and snorkelers also come to explore the shipwrecks and coral reefs. The reefs and shoals are a natural "ship trap," which explains the nearly 300 known wrecks in the vicinity.

—Felicia Carr

If You Go

The park is so remote even your cell phone won't work! There are no stores on the island if you forget something, so plan ahead and bring all you need. When they say “dry,” they mean it—there is no natural fresh water on the island and water is not provided by the park. So come prepared in order to enjoy your remote island adventure.

Jim Stratton, senior director of NPCA's Alaska Field Office, visited Florida's Dry Tortugas in April, 2008. 

View the slideshow of Jim's trip > >
 

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