Biscayne National Park

Biscayne Fast Facts

How big is Biscayne National Park?

Biscayne covers a total area of 172,924 acres or 270 square miles.

How many people visit Biscayne National Park?

705,655 people visited Biscayne in 2021. A table showing all years can be found at Biscayne Visitation Stats.

When was Biscayne National Park created?

Biscayne was made a national park on June 28, 1980.

What are the highest and lowest elevations in Biscayne National Park?

Biscayne’s lowest point is 0 feet at the Atlantic Ocean. The highest point in Biscayne is 9 feet on Totten Key.

What time zone is Biscayne National Park located in?

Biscayne is in the Eastern Time Zone.

How much does it cost to enter Biscayne National Park?

There is no entrance fee for Biscayne National Park.

Five Random Facts About Biscayne

one 95% of the park’s nearly 173,000 acres are underwater. Other than the Convoy Point area near the visitor center, a boat is needed to access the park.

two The largest island in the park is Elliott Key, which is actually the first of the “true” Florida Keys.

three Elliott Key was used by the Central Intelligence Agency as a training area in the early 1960s for operations focused on Cuba.

four Biscayne Bay was originally intended to be a part of Everglades National Park. However, it was cut from the proposal to reduce opposition to the park’s creation.

five Biscayne Bay is generally a very shallow sea, with an average depth of only 10 feet.

Where is Biscayne National Park?

Biscayne National Park is located near the southern tip of Florida, just south of the major urban area of Miami. Only a small portion is accessible via land. A private vehicle is necessary to reach this area. Most of the park is underwater, or on small keys that are accessible by boat only. The city of Homestead is adjacent to the park, while the major metropolitan area of Miami is about 30 minutes north. Further directions and maps can be found at Getting to Biscayne.