One of my items on my bucket list is to visit and photograph all of the US National Parks. I don’t plan my trips around them (except for parks like Yosemite or the Grand Tetons) but when I travel anywhere close to one, I make an effort to get there. If I last long enough, I may realize this goal.
On our trip to Key West last month, I was able to visit a national park that is one of the most remote, namely Dry Tortugas National Park. Dry Tortugas is located about 70 miles west of Key West and is reachable by boat or seaplane. Fortunately, there is one large ship that visits there daily, every day of the year except Christmas. It is a full day adventure, leaving about 7:30am and returning about 5:30pm.
The park consists of seven islands but it is the massive Fort Jefferson that is the main attraction. Fort Jefferson is the largest masonry structure in the Western Hemisphere being built with over 16 million bricks. Visitors can spend their day visiting the fort on a guided tour or by themselves. They also can skip the fort and swim on the small beaches or snorkel or skin dive. The coral reef and abundant underwater life make it a great destination.
This image is of one of the many walkways throughout Fort Jefferson.