This small, tropical national park has a rich history and lots of fun for Floridians.
The pandemic has disturbed everything and everyone in the world. People have changed their lives. Some of them lost their loved ones, while others were left jobless and helpless. Just like all other industries, the tourism industry has been greatly affected. With the spread of the virus, travel to wilderness areas and national parks became rare.
Thankfully, people are returning to their normal lives as many of them have been vaccinated. It means you can now search for parks by state and plan a visit with or without your family. If you live in Florida, you may go to Dry Tortugas National Park. Please don’t forget to practice safe social distancing, packing your own food and necessities, and the bug spray.
Dry Tortugas National Park -- A Haven in Florida
Calling Dry Tortugas National Park a haven in Florida won’t be wrong. Before it became a national park, there were stories of swashbuckling pirates, rumors of stolen wealth, and tales of turbulent waters. It was believed that treasure was found somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico, 70 miles off the coast of Florida. This national park is situated 109 kilometers in the west of Key West, in the Gulf of Mexico, and preserves the seven Dry Tortugas islands. It also has Fort Jefferson. During your visit there, you may see some coral reefs.
In the 1600s and 1700s, the Straits of Florida were dotted with Spanish treasure ships that sailed between Florida and Cuba. Afterward, wrecking became known over here, making Key West one of the most famous and richest cities in the United States. It flourished to an extent in the 19th century.
Nowadays, wreckers and pirates are nowhere around Dry Tortugas, but the hidden treasure attracts so many people every month. Alone in 1985, treasure hunters salvaged over $400 million in gold and silver from a 17th-century Spanish galleon.
A Variety of Things to Explore
In addition to being a major attraction for treasure hunters and history lovers, Dry Tortugas National Park is famous for its peaceful and calm environment. It consists of seven different keys: Bush, East, Middle, Hospital, Loggerhead, Garden, and Long. Climate kept changing here for so many years, and it disturbed the overall reef system around the park. However, marine scientists from the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and the Florida Resilience Program played a vital role in restoring the coral reefs and the natural beauty of Dry Tortugas National Park.
Coral reefs are not the only things you will find here. The leatherback and loggerhead turtles look so cute that you will not be able to stop yourself from getting close to them and taking some pictures. Last but not least, you can simply take a walk at the low tide, on the sandbar bridge that is present between Bush and Garden Key. Nearly 250 species of birds can be found here. The best time to go to Dry Tortugas National Park is February to September.