Biscayne National Park is an oasis of calm coast lines, protected bays, and tropical islands in South Florida. Known as America’s first marine park, it was established in 1968 to preserve several of the northernmost Florida Keys and the fragile aquatic ecosystems which surround them.
In order to appreciate it you need to get out on the water. Luckily, there are many ways to do so – from scenic boat rides and fishing expeditions to dive trips and sail boats. No matter which way you choose to explore the park, you are sure to experience something very rare – tropical wilderness, only an hour from Miami.
Getting Oriented
While you can drive to the parks’ Dante Fascell Visitor Center, there isn’t much to see there. Instead, your adventures will begin when you board a boat in the visitor center’s marina and get out into the bay. From there, most visitors head to one of the park’s three main protected islands: Elliott Key, Adams Key, or Boca Chita Key. Each have unique histories and draws.
Elliott Key is the largest island in the park. It is seven miles long and 2500 feet wide. The island has been home to pineapple plantations, Tequesta Indians, pirates and escaped slaves at different points in its history.
Dramatic changes seemed to be coming to the island in the 1950s and 1960s when plans were made to connect it to the mainland by building a series of roads, bridges, and causeways. In their wake, ports and hotels were planned, which would have required clearing most of the land on the island and dredging up a 40-foot deep passage through the bay between it and the mainland. Expecting riches would follow the building of the road, 13 of the island’s 18 registered voters voted to incorporate the new city of Islandia in 1960 in order to give themselves more control over the island and it’s expected coming development.
At the same time, over the 1950s and 1960s a wide coalition of local and national figures banded together to advocate for the creation of a National Park in the area as a way to halt development and protect the unique wildlife habitats in the bay. Tensions between those in favor and those opposed to establishing a National Park grew very heated and personal. Those opposed to the park argued that development (vs. preservation) stifled their freedom and prevented the creation of good jobs.
Stories abound of personal feuds and dirty tricks between the two sides. Some of the most extreme examples include one opponent of the park poisoning someone’s dog, and the secret nighttime bulldozing a 6-mile long, 6 lane wide strip through the center of the island. This scar through the landscape would later become known as the “spite highway,” even though it never become a road for cars.
Despite all the acrimony, the broad coalition of supporters, led by local congressman Dante Fascell, ultimately convinced the federal government to protect the area in 1968. Afterward, all plans for roads and deep-water ports on the island were halted.
Over time, the park service acquired the individual properties on the island parcel by parcel. Finally, with no one left on the island, the town of Islandia was officially disbanded in 2012.
Today, visitors can camp and picnic along the shore of Elliott Key. Or, if you’re looking for an adventure, you hike the spite highway from one end of the island to the other.
Adams Key is much smaller than Elliott Key. Once it was home to the swanky Coco Lobo Cay Club, a private club for the rich and famous. Tycoons, senators, and even five presidents visited it during its heyday. Sadly, no signs of the club remain today. The main clubhouse was burned down in 1974, and Hurricane Andrew destroyed the remaining structures in 1992. Today, visitors can enjoy the island as a particularly serene picnic spot. It is open to tourists for day use only.
Boca Chita Key is the most visited island in the park. Industrialist Mark Honeywell built a party complex on the island in the 1930s. While much of what he is built is no longer standing, the iconic lighthouse and several smaller structures are still there. Today, visitors can picnic, camp, and rest in the beautiful harbor he constructed.
How to Explore
The NPS has multiple guided boat tours leaving every day from the Dante Fascell Visitor Center. These tours take visitors on a number of different adventures, including separate half-day trips to each of the three major islands within the park. While these half-day tours are the most common way to explore, there are plenty of other tours available and worth checking out if you have the time and budget.
NPS Eco-tours: The NPS also offers full-day snorkeling, sailing, and kayaking tours. Not every tour is offered every day. So, depending on what type of activity you want to do that may impact when you want to visit. Click on the link above to find out the latest schedule, which changes both seasonally and week-to-week.
Private Tours: Unlike some national parks which exclude external guiding companies, numerous private tour companies are authorized to operate within Biscayne. The latest list of guides and activities can be found on the bottom of this page. As of February 2020, listed options included salt water fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing, speed boating, and aerial tours.
Hiking: There is very little hiking available in Biscayne National Park. The only significant trail in the park is the previously mentioned “spite highway” on Elliott Key. Otherwise, there is a short trail to the end of a jetty near the visitor center, and very short paths near the campgrounds on both Elliott and Boca Chita Keys.
Where to Stay
There are two campgrounds in the park, one of Elliott Key and Boca Chita Key. If you know someone with a boat, they can dock at either campsite for $25 per night. Otherwise, call the visitor center in advance to get permission to take your gear onto one of daily tours to and from the islands.
“Onshore” camping is available in Everglades National Park (45 minutes away). Long Pine is the closest campground.
Lastly, if you’re looking for indoor lodging, the park’s close proximity to Miami and Key Largo will give you myriad hotel options for any budget.
Personal Reflection
The establishment of Biscayne National Park was not easy. To overcome fierce opposition advocates had to work for decades, building support from a coalition that included diverse locals, fishermen, writers, national environmental groups, and millionaire industrialists living in faraway states. The compromises and promises made to secure the parks’ creation are part of the reason private tour companies and commercial fishing both continue to operate within the park today.
Much has been saved because of this coalition’s work 50+ years ago. However, even though the park was created, significant damage has also been done to the area since then. Moreover, continued risks to the environment remain.
For instance, while the fight to preserve the park was raging, a large swath of land directly next to it was developed into the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant. More than just an eyesore, the plant has caused numerous problems for the environment, including the discharge of millions of gallons of sea-life killing heated water directly into the ocean. While this issue has been resolved, the nuclear reactor remains controversial over concerns about its water usage and the increasing risk of accidents due to rising sea levels. Secondly, nearby Miami and its suburbs have swelled by more than 5 million people since the park was established. Its growth (along with certain agricultural practices) has accelerated the contamination and destruction of the Everglades. Historically, fresh water from the Everglades drained into Biscayne Aquifer which has been the main source of clean water for both humans and coastal wildlife. Unbridled development is threatening access to this clear water. Lastly, pollution runoff, trash (including micro plastics), and global warming are irrevocably changing the bay’s underwater ecosystems and shrinking its reefs.
Together, these facts are an important reminder that simply creating a park won’t save sensitive places forever. Ecosystems are interconnected, and the work of preservation must extend beyond park boundaries. To date, it’s been hard to get the political will to deal with these threats.
Knowing this history has shaken me from having any idealism about today’s conversation efforts. There is no “of course” that we as a country will protect our most beautiful, sensitive, or wild places. The reality is conservation work will always be hard fought, is never over, and involves tradeoffs, including addressing the real economic “pain” many locals feel when development is halted.
Seeing this more nuanced reality through the history of Biscayne is important as we consider what to do about demands for drilling, mining, and other forms of development today in wild places as diverse as northern Minnesota, southern Utah, and throughout the Alaskan wilderness.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading my National Park Adventure Guide to Biscayne National Park. I hope you have a wonderful time exploring.
As always, if have any comments or suggestions write them below or contact me directly.
