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Biscayne National Park
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| State Park Overview: |
 | Cape Florida is the home of a historic lighthouse built in 1825 and reconstructed in 1846, the oldest standing structure in Miami-Dade County. Visitors come to the park to sunbathe, swim, and picnic on over a mile of sandy Atlantic beachfront. Biking and kayaking are also popular activities. Anglers can throw in their lines from the seawall along Biscayne Bay for some of the best shoreline fishing in the region. Guided tours of the lighthouse and lighthouse keeper?s cottage are given twice daily, Thursdays through Mondays. The Lighthouse Cafe and Boater?s Grill offer casual waterfront dining, or picnickers can reserve a pavilion and grill their own dinner. Bicycles, ocean kayaks, beach chairs, and umbrellas are available for rental. Overnight boat camping is allowed in No Name Harbor, and a primitive campsite is available for organized youth groups. Located at the southern end of Key Biscayne off the Rickenbacker Causeway, south of downtown Miami. |
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| Camping: |
| Organized groups may access the Youth Camp by contacting the Assistant Park Manager at (305) 361-8779 to apply for a permit. Fees include entrance for all vehicles and the permit. Groups may have the fees waived in exchange for providing volunteer service to the park. |
| Trails: |
| Nature trails are located on the west side of the park. To the north, is a trail through the mangrove wetlands, beginning 100 feet north of The Boater's Grill parking area. A trail through the coastal strand runs from 100 feet east of The Boater's Grill parking area and travels south ending in Area D. |
| Picnicking: |
| The park has 18 picnic pavilions that may be reserved up to one day in advance by paying the required fee at the park entrance station. All visitors attending a picnic or party are still required to pay the park entry fee. The rental fees are as follows:
We have 15 pavilions with 6 picnic tables that accommodate 40 people. These rent for $100.00 plus tax per day.
We have 3 large pavilions with 10 tables that accommodate 80 people. These rent for $150.00 plus tax per day.
Electricity is available for $15.00 per day, only at the large shelters.
There is a $50.00 cleaning fee that may be assessed if the shelter and immediate vicinity is not cleaned prior to the group leaving. The group is responsible for leaving the pavilion and grounds in the same condition as it was when received. |
| Boating: |
| You may launch a canoe from No Name Harbor by lowering it off the sea wall. There is no boat launch ramp. You must portage your canoe by hand from the parking lot at Boater's Grill to the sea wall in front of the restaurant. You may not land your canoe on the beach, or tie up to the fishing platforms anywhere in the park.
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| Swimming: |
| A mile and a quarter of Atlantic beach is open to swimming. There are no lifeguards, so swim at your own risk. The beach is accessible from access points in Areas A, B, & C by making any left turn once you enter the park. During the winter, please watch for Portuguese Man-of-War Warnings posted at the Ranger Station. |
| Fishing and Hunting: |
| Some of the best shoreline fishing in the region is available from the seawall located along Biscayne Bay. Saltwater fishing licenses are required in Florida. |
| History of the Area: |
| When Ponce de Leon led the first Spanish expedition in 1513 to the land he called Florida, he visited this area and named it the "Cape of Florida." It was an area of ferocious storms and uncharted waters. Hidden sandbars and submerged reefs, were a hazard to early sailors, causing hundreds of shipwrecks along the Straits of Florida. For this reason, one of the federal government?s first actions when Florida became a U.S. Territory in 1821, was to plan for the extension of a network of lighthouses along the east coast of Florida.
In 1825, the Cape Florida Lighthouse was built to serve as an important link in this network of navigational aids. The lighthouse is the oldest building in south Florida. With the outbreak of the Second Seminole War in 1835, bloody encounters between the Seminole Indians and settlers to the area spread throughout the peninsula. By July of 1836, the threat of attack had caused the settlers to flee the mainland and take up temporary residence on one of the better protected keys to the south.
Late in the afternoon of July 23, 1836, the Cape Florida Lighthouse was attacked and severely damaged by fire. The Assistant Lighthouse Keeper miraculously survived and was rescued by the crew of a Navy schooner. His helper, however, was killed. The lighthouse remained out of service for the balance of the Second Seminole War which ended in 1842.
By 1846, Congress had appropriated $23,000 for reconstruction of the lighthouse. On April 30, 1847, Cape Florida Lighthouse was "re-lit" for the first time. In 1855, the height of the structure was increased from 65 to 95 feet and a 2nd Order Fresnel lens was installed. In 1861, Confederate sympathizers removed the lamps and burners and smashed the crucial center prism so it could not be used as an aid to Union sailors who controlled the surrounding waters. The lighthouse was repaired and re-lit again in 1866.
Finally, when nearby Fowey Rocks Light was placed into service in 1878, the lens and illuminating apparatus atop the lighthouse were removed and shipped to Staten Island, NY. One hundred years later, on July 4, 1978, the light was reinstalled by the U. S. Coast Guard to again serve as a navigational aid. |
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| | Note to Park related businesses:
List your vacation cabin, weekend getaway, log cabin rental, romantic cottage, vacation home, resort, hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, country inn, campground, RV park, horseback riding stable, canoe livery, river rafting, outfitting, sporting goods store, guide service, RV rental or any other park related activity, park related attraction or park related service on Google or StateParks.com. (more).... |
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| Related Links: |
| Key Biscayne - ... on November 07, 19101 at 21:05:33: Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park was lively today with hundreds of Yellow-rumped and ... Subject: Comments: : Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park was lively ... | | Key Biscayne in Miami - Guide to Miami Key Biscayne - Key Biscayne of Miami museum guide for tourism, travel, and vacations. Guide to Key Biscayne daily ... and nature enthusiasts, there?s Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park at the end of the island ... | | Bill Baggs Cape florida State Park - ... South Florida Regional Planning Council Recreation The Barnacle Historic State Park Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park Oleta River State Park Statistical Information Area Profile (Florida Research ... | | Wildlife Viewing in Miami, FL Area - ... Park SE11 Tree Tops Park SE12 Greynolds Park SE13 Biscayne National Park SE14 Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park SE15 Key Largo Hammocks Botanical State Park SE17 Everglades National Park: Park ... | | June 6,2003 GTG - SFLB5 GTG #1 June 7, 2003 Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park Click on Image For Larger Picture This site is not affiliated with Volkswagen of America or its parent company VW AG. |
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