Would love to hear from anyone who's camped at the Fort. Besides camping, is there any other accomodations? Since it's a 2 hr boat ride, each way, I'd like to spend more time than what the standard day trip seems to offer. Any tips or suggestion highly appreciated!

I have never been but have tried to go two different times, but weather one time kept us from going and the other time we had too many people.

From what I understand there is remarkable snorkeling there. I can't answer your question about the accommodations. If you do go though please post your experience.

This PDF file should answer all your questions about accomodations at this NP.

http://www.nps.gov/drto/planyourvisi...ampingdrto.pdf

The ONLY lodging at the park is camping, for which you must provide everything, including drinking water. You can't even anchor your boat overnight here.

If my memory serves me correctly, the boat ride is a little longer than two hours.

FWIW, you need to take everything with you (water, food, lodging, ice, ect) and everything back out with you including all your trash.

There is nothing for accomodations other than very basic camping on the island. There were portable toilets. I was there only for a day trip, but the snorkeling was good, and the information on the history and building of the fort were very interesting. The day would be full of contrasts since when the tours are in, the island and beaches are full of tourists, and then when they leave it is only campers and NPS employees. The standard day trip was enough time to enjoy the beach and tour the fort unless you want to snorkel for the entire day. The biggest issue is the weather and the ability to get there and back.

Unless things have changed very recently, you *can* anchor overnight in the designated anchorage near Fort Jefferson.

The trip is well worth the time, but the day we went the snorkeling was mediocre -- visibility low and water rough. However, I'm sure it's better on calm days. Doesn't really matter, the sight of the fort on those lonely spits of sand is surreal.

Hope it's not too late to add my two cents -- I've been to the Tortugas 4 or 5 times and camped 3 to 4 nights each time. Loved it each time. You cannot top the experience of walking the seawall at night under a starry sky.

It's more expensive than it used to be (what isn't??) but definitely worth it. Just take enough water and nonperishable food. And don't try to sneak a rubber raft and motor on the boat over -- they get pretty annoyed!

Bookmarking.