Dry Tortugas National Park Alerts and Current Conditions

Cover of Brian Russ's guide to Dry Tortugas National Park

Last checked: October 25, 2026. This page tracks what's closed, what's changed, and what's coming up at Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida, from the park's alerts, conditions, and hours pages. I check it daily and rewrite it when the park posts something new, so bookmark it rather than an old news story. Everything here depends on getting 70 miles of open water behind you, so check the park's alerts and the marine forecast the morning you go.

Current alerts

  • Bush Key is mostly open again. Most of the island has reopened, but a small area on its north side, all of Long Key, and all vegetation stay closed to protect nesting frigatebirds until further notice. (NPS)
  • Sections of Fort Jefferson's moat wall are closed while hurricane damage from Helene and Milton (2024) is repaired. The park lists the closure as lasting until winter 2026. Follow the signs and stay behind the barricades. (NPS)
  • Garden Key Harbor Light is out. Boaters should know the light is under repair and unlit, with no date for its return. (NPS)
  • Migrant landings. As elsewhere in the Keys, boats from Cuba sometimes land in the park, and visitor areas can be affected when they do. (NPS)
  • Rat bait boxes. The park uses bait boxes with rodenticide to keep invasive rats out. Keep pets leashed, and tell staff if you see a rat or think your pet ate poison. (NPS)

Open and closed right now

  • The park is open 24 hours a day, every day, holidays included. Entrance is $15 per person, good for seven consecutive days; anyone 15 or younger is free. Ferry tickets include the entrance fee but not camping. The seaplane collects the fee on arrival, in cash, for everyone 16 and older. Private boaters can buy a digital pass ahead or pay by cash or check at the Garden Key main dock.
  • Garden Key and Fort Jefferson: Garden Key is open around the clock all year. The fort is open sunrise to sunset. (NPS)
  • Garden Key Visitor Center: open daily, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (NPS)
  • Loggerhead Key: open to day visitors sunrise to sunset. All of its buildings and boat docks are closed.
  • Closed keys: East, Middle, Hospital, and Long keys are closed year-round for nesting wildlife.
  • Garden Key Campground: open all year. Group sites for 10 to 20 campers are reserved by calling 305-242-7700.
  • Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center in Key West: the current listing shows Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with free admission. An older hours page says Tuesday through Saturday, so confirm before you plan around it.

Coming up in the next few weeks

  • Moat wall repairs: the park expects the closed sections to stay closed until winter 2026. No firmer date is posted.
  • Bush Key season: the park says Bush Key is usually open from mid-October to mid-January, closing again for sooty tern nesting. (NPS)
  • Christmas Day, Friday, December 25: the Eco-Discovery Center in Key West closes. Garden Key stays open.

What this means for your trip

For a ferry or seaplane day trip, very little on this list changes the visit. The fort, the visitor center, and the beaches and snorkeling around Garden Key aren't on the closure list. The moat wall closure takes out parts of the walk around the outside of the fort, so follow the barricades and walk the sections that are open.

Bush Key reopening is good news for anyone staying the night or paddling. It's in its usual fall window, but the north side and all vegetation stay off limits, so keep to the open beach. Boaters arriving after dark should remember the harbor light is out and plan to arrive in daylight.

The park stresses checking the weather whatever time of year you come, and especially if you're bringing your own boat. Hurricane season runs through November, so if you're camping, have a plan for a canceled return trip.

Before you go

  • Check the park's current conditions and alerts the morning of your visit. The page points to the offshore marine forecast and the tide and current forecast for the park.
  • Bring cash if you're flying in by seaplane, for each person 16 and older.
  • Camping with a group? Reserve a group site by calling 305-242-7700.

If a closure knocks out part of your plan, my guide to Dry Tortugas 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.