Key West National Wildlife Refuge

About Key West National Wildlife Refuge

Name: Florida Keys WildernessEstablished by Congress in 1975Acreage: 6,197 acresWhy Wilderness? The Wilderness Act of 1964 created the National Wilderness Preservation System "in order to assure that an increasing population, accompanied by expanding settlement and growing mechanization does not occupy and modify all areas in the United States, and its possessions, leaving no lands designated for preservation and protection in their natural condition..."For more information: https://wilderness.net/visit-wilderness/?ID=188

How to Get There

The refuge is accessible only by boat. However, the refuge is administered as part of the National Key Deer Refuge headquartered on Big Pine Key, which is 100- miles south of Miami. The visitor center is located 1/4-mile north of the traffic light on Key Deer Boulevard in the Big Pine Key Shopping Plaza. The visitor center can be reached at 305-872-0774.

Plan Your Visit to Key West National Wildlife Refuge

Heading to Key West National Wildlife Refuge? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)