South Florida national parks will open additional locations following Hurricane Ian, according to a press release by the National Parks Service (NPS).
Visitors should exercise caution because of the potential for unidentified hazards on land and in park waters. Marine waters continue to be open in all locations. Current status is available on each park’s website under Alerts.
On October 3 at 7 a.m., Everglades National Park reopened the remainder of Main Park Road and the Flamingo District for normal operations, except for the campground. After that time, the nightly closure will no longer be in effect. Open areas now include:
- Shark Valley entrance and visitor center
- Homestead entrance, Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center and the Main Park Road
- Flamingo marina and visitor center
These Everglades areas remain closed:
- Gulf Coast Visitor Center and Everglades City entrance
- Flamingo campground
- Long Pine Key campground (closed seasonally)
- Wilderness camping
For guided tours and services, visitors should call or check individual websites for more information. Links can be found on the park’s website: www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/guidedtours.htm
Dry Tortugas National Park partially reopened to the public on October 2. Sea plane tours have resumed. The docks on Loggerhead and Garden Keys are damaged, so the ferry and private vessels will not be able to access the docks until significant repairs are made.
Big Cypress National Preserve remains closed to the public at this time while damage assessments are underway.
Biscayne National Park reopened to the public on September 30 and remains open.