Biscayne National Park Alerts and Current Conditions

Cover of Brian Russ's guide to Biscayne National Park

Last checked: October 25, 2026. This page tracks what's open, what's changed, and what it costs right now at Biscayne National Park, Florida, from the park's alerts, hours, and campground listings. I check it daily and rewrite it when the park posts something new. Biscayne is about 95 percent water, so wind, weather, and sea conditions matter more than any road report; check the park's own alerts the morning you go.

Current alerts

  • Island docking and camping fees are back in effect. Day-use docking at Boca Chita and Elliott Keys costs $25 on Fridays through Mondays and federal holidays, and overnight camping with docking costs $60 a night. You pay on site through the Recreation.gov phone app. The park waives these fees only from May 1 to September 30. (NPS)
  • Navigation markers may be missing or out of place. The park asks boaters to use caution because channel markers can be moved or lost. (NPS)
  • Ride-share pickups have to happen before closing. Convoy Point's grounds, Jetty Trail, kayak launch, and picnic area close at 5:30 p.m., so make sure your ride can get there before then. (NPS)

Open and closed right now

  • The park: park waters are open 24 hours a day, all year. The park doesn't list an entrance fee. (NPS)
  • Dante Fascell Visitor Center: open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Convoy Point grounds: open daily, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., including the canoe and kayak launch, the lawn, and the jetty trail.
  • Elliott Key and Boca Chita Key: open for camping, first come, first served, with no advance reservations. You can reach them only by boat, and neither island has services.
  • Adams Key: the park's hours page lists it as open from 9 a.m. until sunset daily, by boat.
  • Boca Chita Key Lighthouse: the park announced on June 25, 2026, that the lighthouse had reopened to visitors after more than two years of repairs and restoration. (NPS)

Coming up in the next few weeks

  • No scheduled changes. The park hasn't posted any closures, holiday hours, or construction for November. The one seasonal shift in its own information is the fee calendar: docking and camping fees apply until the next waiver period starts May 1, 2027.

What this means for your trip

Biscayne splits into two visits. Without a boat, your day is Convoy Point: the visitor center, the jetty trail, and the kayak launch, all on the mainland. That's a short, easy stop, and the 5:30 p.m. closing is the main thing to plan around, especially if you're relying on a ride share to get home.

With a boat, the keys are the point, and fall changes the math. Fees are back, so budget $25 to tie up for the day from Friday through Monday or on a federal holiday, or $60 a night to camp. Load the Recreation.gov app and sign in before you leave the dock rather than at the island. Neither island has services, so bring all your water and food.

Boaters should take the marker alert seriously. Carry current charts, know the shallow flats, and don't treat a missing marker as an open channel. The park also notes heavy insect populations in the warmer months, so pack repellent if you're camping.

Before you go

If weather or sea conditions knock out part of your plan, my guide to Biscayne National Park has nine one- to three-day itineraries at easy, moderate, and strenuous effort, each with a backup plan for weather or closures. You can also check alerts and conditions for every national park.

This page is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Park Service. Always check the park's current alerts before you go.