Are there toilets on Dry Tortugas?

*Composting toilets are available for campers from 3:00 PM - 10:30 AM daily. At all other times, the bathrooms and fresh water rinse (no soap allowed), aboard the Yankee Freedom Ferry can be utilized.



Yes, there are toilets on Dry Tortugas National Park, but they are limited. Once you arrive at Garden Key (home to Fort Jefferson), the primary facilities available during the day are the heads onboard the Yankee Freedom ferry, which remains docked for much of the day. If the ferry is not accessible, there are composting toilets located in the campground area. These are eco-friendly, waterless systems designed to handle a low volume of users; because the environment is so fragile, visitors are strictly prohibited from throwing any trash into them. For 2026 campers, these composting toilets are the only option between 3:00 PM and 10:30 AM when the ferry is not at the dock. It is a "pro-tip" to use the ferry’s more modern facilities before it departs Key West to ensure a comfortable 2.5-hour journey to this remote island paradise.

People Also Ask

There are no services available in the Dry Tortugas. Visitors must plan to bring everything they need for their trip with them. All garbage and waste must be packed out with you when you depart. All visitors should carefully monitor the weather before traveling to the park.

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The coral reefs and beaches at Dry Tortugas National Park are littered with derelict lobster and crab traps, rope and other debris. This debris harms seabirds, sea turtles and reef resources by crushing, breaking, smothering reef structures and organisms; obstructing nesting habitat; and interfering with foraging.

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A definite yes! I wasn't sure as well if it was going to be worth the money and worth the money to stay in the party town of Key West for a couple of nights. But let me tell you not only is Dry Tortugas one of the best national parks i have been too, it is almost a life-changing experience!

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We did the half day trip by seaplane. We really enjoyed our time in the Dry Tortugas and wished we had more than two and a half hours. However, 6.5 hours is a long time to spend here. It's worth it, if you have that kind of money to spend, and if you want to take your time here.

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The entrance fee for Dry Tortugas National Park is $15.00 per person and is good for 7 consecutive days. Any person under 16 years of age is exempt from paying an entrance fee (this includes international visitors).

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Check-in time is at 7 am (6:30 am for campers). The ferry departs at 8:00 am and it takes 2.5 hours to get to Dry Tortugas National Park. You spend 4.5 hours in the park.

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Dry Tortugas is a cluster of seven islands located about 70 miles west of the Florida Keys. Of course, one of the reasons for its low visitorship is that it's only accessible by boat or seaplane.

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Located some 70 miles west of Key West, and consisting of wide-open water and a smattering of small islands, Dry Tortugas is actually the wettest national park in the country—one that necessitates swimming and snorkeling to really grasp its breadth.

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Located in the southwest corner of the Florida Keys reef system, Dry Tortugas National Park is a remote park that is more than 99% water. Its crystal clear ocean waters abound with incredible marine life.

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For nearly 14 years, one individual American Crocodile was a resident at Dry Tortugas. No other crocodiles have been recorded in this location for at least the past century. Until recently, this male crocodile spent most of its time in areas of Garden Key and Bush Key that were not heavily used by visitors.

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Established as a national park in 1992, Dry Tortugas is the third-largest coral barrier reef in the world and the only tropical reef in the continental United States. Despite the “dry” part of its name, the park is 99 percent underwater (bring a swimsuit).

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Are there sharks in Dry Tortugas? Yes, there are sharks in Dry Tortugas National Park. The most common type of shark seen in the park is the nurse shark. Nurse sharks are not aggressive and are sometimes called the “couch potato” of the shark world.

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