Who doesn’t love seeing a tortoise wandering around, or spotting dolphins? A weekend getaway to beautiful Egmont Key combines the splendor of the beach, wildlife, and history. Activities include swimming in the crystal-clear gulf waters, shelling, beachcombing, and exploring.
In the heart of Florida’s Tampa Bay is the picturesque Egmont Key, with its beautiful emerald-green waters, sugary white sand beaches, and ruins of the ghost town of Fort Dade. Egmont Key State Park is a barrier island and wildlife preserve.
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Getting to Egmont Key State Park for a Weekend Getaway
Egmont Key is conveniently located less than 30-minutes from St. Pete beach. It is also a short 1-hour drive for an easy weekend getaway from Orlando. Access to this island is only possible by private boat and ferry from Fort De Soto Beach State Park. Fort De Soto Park is open every day from 7 am until sunset, the fee is $5 for beach parking.
From Tampa / St Petersburg
Take I-275 south. Take exit 17 onto Pinellas Bayway/FL 682 west. Approximately 3-miles turn left onto Pinellas Bayway (FL 679). Continue 6.6-miles to Fort De Soto Park.
Note: There is a toll for driving the Pinellas Bayway if you are traveling to Tierra Verde or St. Pete beach, as well as an additional toll if you are driving to Fort DeSoto Park. SunPass/EPass accepted, Pay-by-plate is more higher cost.
From Bradenton / Sarasota
Take I-275 north. Take exit 17 onto Pinellas Bayway/FL 682 west. Approximately 3-miles turn left onto Pinellas Bayway (FL 679). Continue 6.6-miles to Fort De Soto Park. Consider combining a trip to Egmont Key with a weekend visit to DeSoto National Memorial and Robinson Preserve.
Hubbards Ferry – Know Before You Go to Egmont Key
Private boats can access Egmont Key, or you could hire a private charter boat. Nevertheless, most visitors arrive on the ferry currently operated by Hubbard’s Marina. The ferry operates at different times during the day, and we purchased our tickets online via the website. Is it worth the price of admission?? I would say the $40 we paid per person was reasonable for this exceptional experience.
Important Note: You cannot bring alcohol, glass, pets, kites, or drones to the island because it is a wildlife preserve and these items are prohibited.
When booking, we decided on the 10:00 am time slot. We parked at the designated lot, beside the Fort De Soto Park Paw Playground. Today we arrived about an hour early and saw few cars in the lot. However, by the time we boarded, the lot was almost at capacity, so we recommend you arrive at least 45 minutes before your departure time. The check-in location is a small trailer, but it was not yet open, so we thought we would do a quick walk along the dog beach. Despite the overcast skies and temperatures in the low 70s, the walk was pleasant.
TIP: Be advised that there are no services on Egmont Key. Use the restroom before boarding the ferry. The ferry sells snacks and water.
Fort De Soto Dog Beach & Bay Pier
Dog beach felt deserted because only a few dogs with owners were present. The park has two fenced dog runs just off the beach, a wash off station and baggie stations. We passed two dogs frolicking in the waves before turning around and returning to the Bay pier to gaze at the Skyline Bridge, browse the beach gift shop and watch anglers seeking to catch dinner. Although we did not see dolphins, there were lots of baitfish, two horseshoe crabs and plenty of shore birds.
Our Weekend Escape to Egmont Key State Park Begins
It was now time for check in. At check in, you need to sign a liability wavier required by the Coast Guard. The kind gentleman provided us with boarding information and a brochure map of the key. The ferry boarding is from the beach. The ramp was a little steep, and we noticed that some had difficulty climbing aboard. Your feet will get wet! Wear footwear that you don’t mind getting wet and is still comfortable for hiking.
Today our captain is Zip, accompanied by crewmate, Robin. Taking a seat near the front, the sun peeks through the clouds. The slow ride out to the key takes about 20-minutes. During this ride to the key, Zip gave us a brief history of the island while keeping an eye out for dolphins, sea turtles, and manatees. The onboard music had a reggae beach vibe that helps to set the tone for the day.
As we headed toward the island, we could see the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, which runs from St Pete to Bradenton, marking the entrance to Tampa Bay. Our guides were both amazing hosts and took such good care of us. They were also knowledgeable, providing us with a lot of historic insight.
What Should I Bring? On a Weekend Getaway to Beautiful Egmont Key
What to bring? They allow you to bring small coolers for lunch and drinks. Remember, a good pair of sunglasses, sunscreen, towel, ball cap or wide-brimmed hat, and a light loose-fitting long-sleeved shirt for sun protection while on the beach. If you plan to walk the trails, bring bug spray for the mosquitoes. The ferry crew rents umbrellas, snorkel equipment and fishing gear.
Note: The ferry promptly leaves at the appointed time. If you miss it, you will have to find your own way back.
What Things Can I do at Egmont Key State Park?
The island has lots to explore. FWC has downloadable points of interest map. Just remember that you only have 3-hours before the return trip. You can hike the streets of Fort Dade, watch the shorebirds or gopher tortoises, have a picnic lunch on the beach or try your hand at fishing. It isn’t uncommon for watercraft to anchor off Egmont Key on warm, sunny days. Today, there are only a few boats.
After disembarking the ferry, we turned right, scooting underneath the mine wharf to begin our discovery of the island.
Wildlife Viewing at Egmont Key State Park
Egmont Key is also a National Wildlife Refuge providing vital habitat used by resident gopher tortoises, box turtles, brown pelicans, white ibis and laughing gulls. Likewise, several species of migratory birds such as Royal and Least terns. The wildlife preserve area occupies much of the south end of the island. It is off-limits to visitors. It protects critical nesting habitat for sea turtles, colonies of seabirds, shorebirds, and other marine life in the area. We spotted our 1st tortoise within five minutes on one trail leading to Battery Mellon.
The natural erosional forces of wind and water have significantly decreased the size of the island from 440 acres to less than 270 acres. The low elevation of much of the island key makes it susceptible to tidal surge, wind and waves. Rising sea levels will probably prove detrimental to the health of this key and its inhabitants soon. For now, we simply want to enjoy our short time here.
Egmont Key a Significant Historical Military Role
On the journey out to the key, we learned the history of the key from captain Zip. He told us the earliest maritime explorer to mention the key was Don Francisco Maria Celi in 1757. Upon arriving on the ship, San Francisco de Asis, he surveyed the island and named it “Isla de San Blas Y Barreda.” A year later, an English surveyor named the island “Egmont” after John Perceval, second Earl of Egmont and First Lord of the Admiralty. As a result, the name stuck.
U.S. Navy forces occupied the key during the Civil War (1861). Following the Civil War, the military still wanted to protect the harbor, but it saw little action. The key was part of a plan to stop the blockading Confederates. It held several Confederate prisoners, escaped slaves, and Union sympathizers.
A uniquely dark chapter in the key’s history occurred in 1856-1858. During this time, the key served as an internment camp for captured Seminoles during the Third Seminole Indian war. Before they could be relocated to “Indian Territory” in Oklahoma and Arkansas. Consequently, many died from disease-causing mosquitos that thrived in the Florida heat.
Voices of the past seem to echo here: Teddy Roosevelt and his roughriders spent time here before moving on to Cuba, and Robert E. Lee surveyed the island in 1824.
The Humble Beginnings of Fort Dade on Egmont Key
Egmont Key was originally Fort Dade. They established it in the early 1900s, during the Spanish-American War. It protected the shipping and navigation lanes of Tampa Bay. The US military outpost remained active until 1923.
Later, they added Egmont Key to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on December 11, 1978. In 1989, they made the island into a state park. Also in 1974, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) designated most of the island as a bird sanctuary and a national wildlife refuge. Starting in 1926, the Tampa Bay Pilots Association setup a base to aid in navigating the shipping channel.
Exploring the Ruins of Fort Dade on Egmont Key
We took the first trail into the woods gave us a feeling of being far off-the-beaten-path. Nature is slowly reclaiming many of the relics of the old fort. The 1st building we stumbled on was the torpedo storehouse, one of the first buildings on the island. The walls have withstood the ravages of time, although they are being entwined by strangler figs and tree roots. We could see the walkway between the cable tank and the mine storage buildings. When the Spanish-American War was raging back in the early 1900s, sea-mines were laid between the island and Mullet Key (Fort De Soto) using cables.
The adjacent old mine casement building once housed a large salt water tank that was used to store mines and cables when they weren’t in use. Approximately 80 electrically controlled mines safeguard the channel into Tampa Bay. The mine wharf was used to transport heavy equipment. They connected the mine wharf using a narrow-gauge railroad to deliver supplies to the batteries.
Walk The Historic Batteries of Egmont Key State Park
Between the burning of the fort by retreating union soldiers and the ravages of time, most of the building are in disrepair. All that remains are the concrete sunken bunkers. Three concrete batteries Charles Mellon, Guy Howard and James McIntosh, are on the north end of the island. Battery Burchsted and John Page on the south end of the island have been reclaimed by the sea. They often referred to coast artillery fortifications built between 1885 and 1905 to as Endicott Period coastal fortifications.
We like being able to discover and study on my own. The batteries have hidden nooks-great for kids to explore. They built the batteries into bunkers on the island. This ensured the guns remained concealed from approaching ships. Concrete walls concealing large rifled cannons characterized the Endicott Era Forts (McIntosh & Howard) mounted on “disappearing carriages, ” which could fire breech-loading rifles. The gun would recoil as it fired, pushing the gun down and back behind the parapet wall, actually disappearing. On the ground floor, peering through a porthole, it felt like Captain Nemo’s sub in 20,000 leagues under the sea. Not sure what it was used for, but it was pretty cool!
Battery Munitions Guarded the Shores of Tampa Bay
Every battery had equipment for moving and handling ammunition, including cranes, hoists, and trolley systems. Shells and heavy materials could easily be moved throughout the batteries thanks to the rail system installed on their ceilings. It’s interesting that they equipped some batteries with 8-inch and 6-inch breech-loading guns mounted on state-of-the-art disappearing carriages. I can still see these carriages today. However, the 6 inch Armstrong rapid-fire guns were removed to Fort De Soto and preserved.
All That Remains of This Little Hideaway on Egmont Key
In 1925 and 1927, fire destroyed major permanent buildings, including the 109-man artillery barracks and mess hall. We can still find some of the foundational remains of the buildings along the pathways. The many relics line the walkways like the flush tank for the sewage system built in 1902. Considered state-of-the art when it was first installed, it drained into Tampa Bay via an 8-inch pipe. A constant flow of water kept the sewage flowing properly.
The station was used to locate enemy ships and relay their positions to gunners. The tower had 2-telescopes. The larger was 30X power, and the smaller was 15x power. They were used to triangulating enemy ships/ Information was transmitted to the plotting room below every 30 seconds, then phoned to the gun batteries. All that remains of the fire command control tower are the two cement pillars. Every year, Osprey return to nest and raise their chicks on the top of that tower.
The quartermaster warehouse skeletal remains are intact but little else remains. Constructed of concrete frame and foundation with a slate roof in 1900, at a cost 3,316.72. We stopped at the foundations of the hospital, fire house and other buildings, before ending the tour on the beach.
The Power Plant – A Haven for Marine Animals
A power station once in the center of the island will soon be completely submerged. It was one of the last structures constructed in late 1920. Images of the power plant show it was high and dry in 1988. They say that this is a magnificent spot for snorkeling, but today we simply do not have enough time. Built in 1919, it supplied the key with enough electricity for the lights and telephone service.
Wander Fort Dade’s Ghost Town Pathways on Egmont Key
Our Fort Dade Walking Tour, through a ghost town where most of the buildings are long gone, left us with an eerie feeling as we strolled through what was once a thriving community. Click here for the walking tour map.
The red brick Copeland has survived relatively intact over the years. Along the roads, you will find signs describing what used to stand at each spot, with historical information and photographs from the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
There are various grasses, shrubs, and weeds growing on Egmont Key, like cabbage palms, wax myrtles, Brazilian pepper, sea grapes, and other shrubs, trees, and plants. The community once housed 300 residents. To keep them entertained, they had access to tennis courts, a bowling alley, a movie theatre, and a gymnasium. One advantage of being early to the key is photographs. There was little foot traffic on the day we arrived. We basically had the old roads to ourselves. The solitude walking the well-built red brick roads lined with palms is part of the charm of this key. The location of each building is on the map and signage elaborated on the details of the buildings. Fort Dade’s town-site is mostly crumbling or gone, but there are some partial walls left at the bakery and hospital sites.
Palmetto Avenue is the primary thoroughfare. I could imagine how families with children would walk to the bakery in the mornings for fresh bread, and how peaceful it must have been for them. I also thought about how the oppressive summer heat would have been difficult to deal with.
Egmont Key Lighthouse of 1858
The lighthouse is the first thing you notice the closer you get to the island. The ferry will pull up just in front of the lighthouse to unload. The light house makes for a perfect photo op. The lighthouse was the last location we visited.
The idea of building a lighthouse on the key to guide ships into Tampa harbor was first proposed in 1846. In 1848, they constructed the 1st lighthouse on the island. That same year, a hurricane swallowed the island in a massive tidal surge damaging the lighthouse. An attempt to repair it was made in 1852, but a repeat event occurred in 1858. One year later, a larger, better lighthouse was built. The new Egmont Key Lighthouse reached 87-feet high and had 4-foot-thick walls. An updated beacon replaced the original Fresnel lenses. This lighthouse has withstood the test of time and is still in use today as a navigational aid maintained by the U. S. Coast Guard. Occasionally, the lighthouse is opened for tours, usually in November. Check the Egmont Alliance website for these special dates.
Guardhouse Prison Escape Now a Visitor Center
During the past decade, they have restored the old guardhouse to include a visitor center and small museum. Interpretive and wildlife displays are currently in place. However, they are awaiting the installation of restrooms. Currently, there is NO RESTROOMS on the island. Originally constructed in 1911, they used the guardhouse as a prison. It could hold 24 prisoners at one time.
A small cemetery lies directly behind the ranger’s house. The plot holds the remains of previous lighthouse keepers and their families. A plaque marked with the names of those buried here is next to the area.
NOTE: The guardhouse education center at Egmont is still closed until further notice.
Shelling the Sugary Sand Beaches of Egmont Key
Since I was a little kid, I love wandering the beach in search of the perfect shell. The ferry offers shell bags for $5. With my shell bag in hand, we set off on our shell hunt in search of shark’s teeth, sand dollars and anything unusual. Today the wind is churning up the surf, surprisingly there is little sea grass on the break.
They say that the best time to search for shells is after a storm. Our first gift from the gulf was a sea urchin encrusted in smaller shells. An eye-catching sight, we took a few photos before continuing to meander the shoreline. Shark teeth fossils are in abundance here. Much of Florida is an ancient seabed, the constant surf erodes the beach, revealing the fossilized teeth. Today’s weekend getaway rewards us with a few shark teeth, a lovely Florida cone and many pieces of coral and sponges. There is something extremely gratifying about finding a flawless shell.
Snorkeling Escape at Egmont Key State Park
White sand beaches and turquoise waters surround Egmont Key, making this a perfect place for snorkelers. Snorkelers could easily see the ruins, as they are in shallow water. Today the fog is hovering just offshore with a light wind, creating an impressive chop. The water was a tad cooler than I would have liked, but it was an adventure, after all. There was only a short time to snorkel on the power plant ruins. Unlike Dry Tortugas or Key Biscayne National Park, the waters here do not have a tremendous variety of colorful fish. Today the waves have stirred up the water, making spotting any marine life difficult. The sea grass beds reminded me of our adventures snorkeling in Cedar Key.
We highly recommended it taking a ½ day dolphin/snorkel guided trip. They will take to the southern end of the island or the sea grass flats depending on the weather.
Final Thoughts-Adventure is waiting for you on Egmont Key.
On the return ride back on this weekend getaway, two dolphins appeared beside the boat. Swimming alongside the boat, they are mesmerizing to watch. Just wished we could’ve stayed longer to explore the island, and enjoy the beach. So what little time we had, we made it work. Egmont Key, with its emerald green water, beautiful natural areas, and ruins of Fort Dade, is one of the crown jewels of Florida’s central gulf coast. You basically feel like a pirate marooned on a private island, and that’s exactly what I was going for on this trip.
Would you like to tell us about your weekend getaway at beautiful Egmont Key? If you plan to visit, what are you most excited about? We would love to hear about your adventures! Share in the comments below.
