Hiking

Dry Tortugas is primarily geared toward aquatic activities such as snorkeling and diving, however the Moat Wall Trail is open to hikers. Located just outside Fort Jefferson on Garden Key, this gravel path passes by the seaplane dock and the ruins of a Civil War-era dock that's now a popular snorkeling site. You'll also have a nice view of Bush Key from the pathway. The trail ends at the brick moat wall but you can continue hiking on the six-foot-wide wall that runs around the fort. Explore on your own or take a ranger-guided tour such as the Fort Jefferson History tour or the ecological moat walk. In addition to hiking inside and around the fort on Garden Key, trails are available on some other islands, too. Bush Key features a mile long trail that travels along the shoreline and is open to the public from mid-October to mid-January. Loggerhead Key, Dry Tortugas' largest island, contains several marked paths. Here you could catch a glimpse of the loggerhead sea turtles the island was named after!